Snape and DADA

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 112100



> >Eloise:
> >I'll throw another of his personality traits into the mix: a
> >tendency 
> >to go it alone, which combined with a certain secrecy and
> >assumption 
> >that he knows best, better even than Dumbledore on occasion, could 
> >lead him to be a bit of a loose cannon. Would his specialising in 
> >DADA encourage this?
> 
> Magda replies:
> That's not a description of Snape at all but it's definitely a good
> description of Harry!  Snape is the ultimate suck-it-up-for-the-team
> man; he won't go against Dumbledore even when he thinks the old guy
> is wrong.  The closest he came was assigning a werewolf essay in POA
> and even then he was aiming at Hermione, knowing she'd do it and
> hoping she'd tell Harry who'd been private with Lupin earlier.  (And
> I loved Ron's detention assignment in the hospital wing so that he'd
> see that Lupin wasn't there.)
> 

Juli sez:

If Dumbledore directly tells Snape to do (or not to do) something,
Snape will comply even if he doesn't agree with Dumbledore's 
assessment of the situation. But, left on his own, Snape does
have a tendency to go it alone. He regularly takes whatever
action he feels is necessary to achieve his goal (whether that
goal is to assist the Order, or to bring glory upon himself, or
both), and without bothering to seek assistance or approval.  

For instance, in PS/SS Snape suspects Quirrell but doesn't tell 
anyone (AFAWK). Instead he conducts his own surveillance
and then tries to stop Quirrell by himself during the Quidditch
match. He also skulks around Hogwarts regularly, often 
coming upon Harry at inopportune times (for Harry), and in
POA he shows up at the Shrieking Shack to confront Sirius 
and Lupin. And I'm sure there are more examples.

However, I don't think that Snape is a loose cannon. That seems
a more apt description of Harry because he acts on his emotions, 
while Snape is usually more calculating. But Snape is definitely 
secretive, and his motives remain unclear. 

I tend to buy JKR's own explanation why Snape isn't teaching
DADA. Dumbledore thinks it could bring out the worst in him.
I suspect it's as much to protect Snape as anything else. Why
would DD want Snape in a position where he might be tempted 
in any way to stray from his redemptive path? I still think Snape 
*will* teach DADA though, in Book 7, where Snape's knowledge 
of the Dark Arts may become pivotal in turning the tide in the war 
against Voldemort. Just as DD can't protect Harry forever, he
also can't protect Snape forever. Both will eventually have to
conquer their outer, and inner, demons alone.

Juli




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