The Good and Evil of Snape (was: Harry ... act like ...)

[celticangel1976]

No: HPFGUIDX 99671

bboy_mn:
> > > 
> > > People have often speculated the Snape will prove his ultimate 
> > > loyalty to Dumbledore by dying in a heroic effort to save 
Harry. 
> > >

*coming out of lurkdom*  I keep seeing people talking about how 
Snape is just mean to Harry because of what happened with James, 
Sirius, etc. and thought I'd point out another possible explanation 
for Snape's behavior.  If this has been said before, then just 
ignore it. :)

First, Snape, as far as the DE's are concerned, is supposed to be on 
their side.  I think it's fair to say that Draco thinks Snape is 
part of the DE, along with Lucius, and no doubt there are lots of 
other DE children in Slytherin as well.  So if Snape were being nice 
to Harry at all, word would undoubtedly get back to Voldemort.  I 
think Snape is also trying to toughen Harry up.  Most everyone else 
seems to coddle Harry and he's always getting away with breaking the 
rules. Even Dumbledore has admitted he's tried to protect Harry too 
much.  I think Snape is just telling it like it is.  Not pulling 
punches so to speak.  Snape was in Voldemort's services for a while, 
he knows what to expect and I think that by being hard on Harry he's 
hoping to toughen him up for the final battle.  Of course, not all 
of Snape's behaviour can be accounted for by this.  Some of it is 
undoubtedly immature transfering of old hate to James' son.  And 
Snape probably is, by nature, a hard, snappish person.  But Snape 
does nothing without reason, so I think to just say "Oh Snape's just 
a mean, nasty guy" is totally off base.

As for DD vouching for Snape, here's my take on that.  I think that 
as far as LV and the DE's are concerned, Snape is their spy at 
Hogwarts.  They fully expect DD to vouch for him and say he trusts 
him because that's what Snape would have to make him think if he was 
going to be able to spy for LV.  Of course, the real fact is that 
Snape is DD's spy.  So for DD to vouch for Snape at the trial, that 
was all in LV's plan and wouldn't cause suspision.

Anyway, just my thoughts.  Snape is by far my favorite character in 
the series and I can't wait to find out more about him.

CelticAngel