backstory "explanations"

[A Featheringstonehaugh]

No: HPFGUIDX 137429

This backstory is as good as any and for now, may explain some nagging questions....bear with me. And forgive me if any of this has already been advance, as I generally have time to only skim the posts.
 
 
James, Sirius and Lupin are friends whose common bond is social stigmatization:  Lupin is a werewolf and James and Sirius are a gay couple, but not "out", as this isn't yet (late 70's) an accepted social practice. We were fed the Sirius/Lupin red-herring and now I think it's time to put a different spin on it. 
 
Snape is shy, defensive, brilliant and talented; but often the brunt of classmates' jokes. Known only to a few, however (maybe only to Dumbledore early on), Snape has been "apprenticed" as a spy during his student days and has assumed the loner role and unattractive physical appearance ( including the long greasy hair) as a protective 'cover' to keep others at a distance. His position may be the result of something that happened earlier to his family - I suspect we'll hear more about Eileen Prince and her muggle husband, Tobias Snape. This would explain DD's faith in him. He is DD's minion.
 
 Lily, a genuinely  kind and decent person, feels sorry for Snape, and gets to know him through their shared interest and excellence in Potions. She later joins the James/Sirius/Lupin clan - perhaps initially owing to a hoped- for relationship with Lupin that he refuses to allow to go forward (a la Tonks later in life).  She and James are true, fast friends for whom she is glad to pose as girlfriend in order to provide a "straight image" while remaining near Lupin.  Eventually she sees that Lupin will never relent and her private friendship with Snape grows into something far more adult and personal - much to the distress of James & Sirius, who truly hate him (and he them). Lupin is sadly accepting of it all.
 
After Hogwarts, Lily and Snape continue their relationship, and she learns of his secret career. Lily becomes pregnant.  Big worries because Snape - now deeply entrenched in his clandestine work - cannot be known to be involved with this Mudblood who has corssed LV before (we don't yet know how) and the couple fear for their safety as well as that of their child.  They turn to Dumbledore... and James.  The marriage with Potter is hastily arranged; casual friends and family believing they "had" to get married.  It's hoped that this arrangement affords protection for Lily and the baby, provides James and Sirius the chance to be together without revealing their truth to the world and allows Snape, losing his family for the sake of their survival, to continue his dangerous work. 
 
 This carries out the theme of love being a choice: Lily and Snape sacrifice their love for each other and future together for the love of their child; James puts aside his hatred of Snape in order to protect his "unacceptable " love of Sirius and to show his abiding, albeit platonic love for Lily. Lupin remains silent and supportive of all of the above, both for his love of Lily and for the friends who were his salvation at school.  This storyline would also be a great way to redeem many of the characters in Harry's eyes; redemption that may be needed when he learns  the truth about his heritage, past events and people's choices.  And in a broader sense, may be a social commentary by JKR about prejudice and misguided assumptions about people as individuals and in groups.
 
The plan works for a while, then things go horribly wrong.  Lily and James die and Snape, singleminded in his grief and determination to get LV,  reluctantly allows Harry to be reared by the Dursleys and continue the entire "Potter charade" because he knows it's the child's only way to survive. Again, a choice.   DD knows this and knows that whatever the world may think, Snape is completely trustworthy. Indeed, Snape may be DD's one total confidant and lieutenant. Sirius, wild with grief, acts against Pettigrew. In Azkeban, his hatred for Snape grows because he blames him for James' death. The isolation and terror of years in Azkeban take its toll on his personality, hence his reckless behavior and deliberate taunting of Snape about Harry "Potter": " I am his godfather".   I believe Petunia knows the truth too.  She has always known Harry's real identity; knows the "horrible boy" and his connection to Lily and knows, as a result of DD's earlier howler, the consequences that would
 follow if she ever strayed from the established story. Lupin of course, knows the truth too. His wistful recollections of Lily in P of A reveals his continued love for her and his quiet, seeming reluctance to condemn Snape in HBP adds credence to the idea that he knows far more than he lets on.   
 
Now, all we need is Book 7 to completely destroy the above !
 
AF


		
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