McGonagall and Lupin's reaction to Harry's story (Was: It's over, Snape is e

[amiabledorsai]

No: HPFGUIDX 138529

<Big, BIG! Snips>  Carol makes some good points.  I only want to react
to a few.  I hope I haven't distorted her views in the process.

> Carol responds:
> Sorry for the ruthless snipping, Alla, but I also noticed the very
> swift turning against Snape--suspiciously fast, in fact, almost as
> if it were planned and they were in on some secret that they were
> keeping from Harry, as if they were acting. 

Amiable Dorsai:
Or as if long-held suspicions, suppressed for Dumbledore's sake, were
suddenly confirmed by Snape's murder of Dumbledore.  

Carol:
> McGonagall does the same thing, essentially, "Well, what do you
> expect, with his background?" And yet she taught young Severus Snape
> for seven years...

Amiable Dorsai:
During which time, by the only reports we have, he was a thoroughly
unpleasant little... 

Carol:
>...worked with him as a fellow teacher and fellow Head
> of House for fifteen years...

Amiable Dorsai:
For at least five years of which, he was in the habit of persecuting
and belittling members of her house....

Carol:
> worked with him to help expose Barty
> Crouch, followed his lead in exposing Lockhart, on and on. All of
> their conversations in the books have been civil, almost friendly. 

Amiable Dorsai:
So McG, (at least) was capable of acting like a professional.  

Carol:
> Don't they know that the natural first response when a colleague is
> accused of murder is "It can't be true!"?

Amiable Dorsai:
Maybe when they hear about it second hand.  When they see the body...

As it happens, I was engaged to a woman who lived not far from John
Wayne Gacy's house when the news about his murders came to light. 
When Gacy was first arrested, his neighbors reacted rather the way you
suggest:  "Must be some mistake, John's a good guy!"  That tune
changed as soon as the bodies started coming out.

Gacy, by all accounts always *acted* like a good guy--his neighbors'
reaction is understandable--Snape could be remarkably nasty, even in
front of adult witnesses.  I'm not at all surprised that people could
immediately believe the worst of him.

Amiable Dorsai