Snape's Annual DADA Application

[quatsch42]

No: HPFGUIDX 127950



celletiger:
It seems so out of character for Snape to apply for the DADA every 
single year for 15 years. <snip>
2. To his boss, the yearly app sends the message that he doesnt want 
the job he has. <snip>  I think this is evidence 
that Snape is at Hogwarts for his own protection from LV.  

quatsch:
I always rather assumed that it was a front put up for Lord
Voldemort's sake -- that Snape first took the Hogwarts job because of
LV's instruction.  If it were just for his own protection, then why
would DD even ask him to return? (or am I reading too much into this?)

Canon timelines (from
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/timelines/main/timeline_1970-1990.html)
imply that Snape either applied for the DADA position and got the
Potions position in 1981, either before Voldemort's fall or just a
month or two afterward.  Either way, I would say that Snape applied
for the position at Voldemort's behest -- the benefits of having a DE
at Hogwarts would be immense, in terms of keeping an eye on DD and
having an "in" to the security of the castle.  The benefits of having
the Hogwarts DE be the DADA teacher would be even greater, as that DE
could ensure that the next generation has little understanding of the
ways to counteract LV et al.

I would say then that Snape kept applying to keep up the front, just
in case LV ever returned.  Or, possibly, in case anyone else ever
questioned Snape's loyalty (Malfoy in a possible power grab?) 
Paranoid of Snape?  Perhaps.  But very good to keep up appearances; it
saves his butt without much work on his part at all.

And DD may be in on the reason why Snape keeps reapplying; perhaps DD
even has asked him to.  Then he's not sending the message he doesn't
want the job, but rather the message "I'll risk my skin if I ever
apply for a different job".  The psychology here could be very
complicated, depending on which way Snape is bent -- actually towards
Dumbledore, this keeps up appearances and lets LV/et al think that he
is really on their side and DD is the bad guy, refusing to let Snape
have this extremely advantageous position.  If actually towards LV, DD
may know (or at least suspect) and want to keep Snape out of that
situation that is potentially dangerous for both himself and his
students, and thus the applying and the turning down is genuine.

Having Snape as Potions master keeps Snape under DD's eyes without
ever putting Snape into a situation where he'd have to prove his
loyalty one way or the other, thus exposing himself to be on either
one side or the other.  He can stay a spy (bent whichever way you
like).  Snape continuing to apply for the DADA position and being
continually turned down is the absolute best situation for everyone
involved, I think.

-- quatsch
(I think I read about this theory somewhere before, but I can't for
the life of me remember where...)