Snape as Borgin

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 114289

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "karen_lvssr" <klevasseur at e...>
wrote:
> --- Gregory Lynn said:
> <snip>
> > 
> > I was listening to Chamber of Secrets last night, and I think Mr
> > Borgin may be Professor Snape in disguise.
> > 
> > There's very little direct evidence to support the conclusion, I 
> state
> > that at the outset.  What prompted my little theory is merely the 
> fact
> > that Mr. Borgin is described as having greasy hair as is Snape.
> > 
> > [snip]  From what I can tell, we get the 
> following
> > out of that scene:
> > 
> > 1) The downside of floo powder
> > 2) An introduction to the seedier side of wizard commerce
> > 3) An introduction to the Hand of Glory
> > 4) An introduction to Lucius Malfoy with characterization as an
> > arrogant snothead
> > 5) Evidence that Draco Malfoy has an unnatural obsession with 
> Harry
> > 6) Introduction to Mr Borgin
> > 7) Evidence that the Malfoys are dark wizards with nasty 
> secrets to sell
> 
> 
> Karen L.,
> Have you considered that Mr. Borgin may be one of the DE's that 
> LV doesn't name in the circle in the graveyard?  Borgin, being in 
> the trade of Dark art "memoriabillia" and his comment regarding 
> pure bloods. " 'It's the same all over,' said Mr. Borgin, in his
oily voice. 'Wizard blood is counting for less everywhere-'" (COS, UK 
> ed. page 80) IMO, This indicates that he at least agrees with LV 
> about Pure blood.  I find it highly unlikely that Snape is Borgin,
or  vise versa.

Carol responds:
OTOH, he clearly doesn't like "*Mr. Malfoy*" and is only buttering up
a rich customer (note the "oily" voice), saying what Malfoy expects
him to say. After the Malfoys leave, he reveals his real feelings (in
Harry's hearing, though of course he doesn't know that Harry is
there). While I agree that it's most unlikely that Borgin is Snape or
vice versa, I think Borgin is ideally placed to be one of Dumbledore's
spies. (If he's not going to play some role against Malfoy, why were
we privileged to hear that bit of anti-Malfoy monologue at the end of
his speech?)

I certainly don't think that such an obscure character would be one of
the three missing DEs, however. He seems to be more like the Black
family, a believer in the pure-blood ethic but not in Voldemort's
means of achieving it. And even that belief may be a front. He's
certainly ideally placed for contact with all sorts of unsavory
characters, DEs and otherwise, from Malfoy to Mundungus Fletcher.

Carol