Unreliable narrator (Was: Snape's stalling)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 117589


Neri wrote:
> > 
> > At the risk of repeating my repetitions of myself, I must 
> maintain  that my analysis of the night of the MoM battle raises at 
> least as  much suspicion against Snape.<
> 
Pippin responded:
> Okay, now I get it. You're saying that Rowling may have hidden a 
> clue about Snape in the same manner as I contend she has 
> hidden clues about Lupin, and I, in my pro-Snape bias, failed to 
> give the possibility due weight.
> 
> You could be right, in which case you have discovered a genuine 
> red herring (assuming  that Snape is not ESE!) and I take off my 
> virtual hat to you.
> 
> Of course if  a character points out that it was a far more serious 
> fault than Harry imagines for Snape not to go to the forest in 
> immediate pursuit, that will only point up that it was a far more 
> serious fault  than Harry imagines for Lupin not to tell what he 
> knew about Sirius, the map, or the unguarded secret entrance 
> into the castle. It will, BTW, emphasize that the narrator  is
> unreliable, in not bringing these faults to our attention as they 
> occurred.
> 
> You see, I really *am* interested in narrative technique, though I 
> will admit that sometimes my biases get in the way. 

Carol asks:
Not being able at the moment to check out the whole thread, I just
have one question. Snape was kicked out of Umbridge's office. How
could he even know that Harry, Hermione, and Umbridge had gone into
the forest?

Maybe he had some sort of spy network to inform him that the
Gryffindors had attacked the Slytherins and he needed to go upstairs
and sort it out, or maybe he heard Malfoy's screams several floors
above his office when Ginny hit him with her Bat-Bogey Hex. Either
way, he couldn't have known anything about it until that point, and
then he would have had to undo some hexes, stop six people from
talking at once, and send Malfoy to Madam Pomfrey. By that time, Harry
and company would be well on their way to the MoM (depending on how
fast Thestrals fly).

Another question that just occurred to me: Snape "deduced" (DD's word)
that Harry et al. had gone to the MoM. How could he figure that out?
Yes, of course, he knew about Harry's supposed vision and knew it was
false. He also knew that Harry had not succeeded in contacting Sirius
to find out that it was false. *But* Snape also knows that Harry can't
apparate and didn't have a broom. (He may have known or guessed that
Ron returned Harry's wand.) How, then, did he think Harry (and his
friends) could have gotten to the MoM? He couldn't know that they had
taken the Thestrals until after he entered the Forbidden Forest and
was informed by the Centaurs (if they would deign to tell him). Maybe
he thought they had taken the Flying Ford Anglia?

I agree with Neri that there are lots of holes in our knowledge of the
events in this chapter, but they don't necessarily point to
irresponsibility on Snape's part. There were holes in *his* knowledge,
too.

Does anyone have theories on this? If it was considered in your
analysis of the timeline, Neri, just send me to the proper post upthread.

Carol, with apologies for being rushed again but I need to catch up
before leaving town for a four-day computerless weekend!