McGonagall and Lupin's reaction to Harry's story (and Snape's DE past)

[phoenixgod2000]

No: HPFGUIDX 138682


> Carol responds:
> I agree with all of your arguments about Dumbledore being dead. I 
also
> believe that Harry, still in shock, is telling the truth *as he
> perceives it*. But a *jet* of green light ("jet" being the word used
> when "Stupefy" and other neutral spells are cast) is not the same as
> "a blinding flash of green light," the description that almost 
always
> accompanies a description of an AK. As you say, that flash is 
Harry's
> first memory, and it does not at all resemble Snape's presumed AK.
> (There's no rushing sound, either, and DD is "blasted" into the air
> rather than falling instantly dead. His eyes are closed and his
> expression is peaceful--all very un-AKlike. And Snape, of course, 
has
> been a skilled caster of "nvbl" spells since at least age sixteen.)

phoenixgod2000: Ahhh, done moving, internet back up and ready to jump 
back into Snape-hunting territory.

I think the reason why the AK is different than ones we've previously 
seen is the simple fact that Harry is seeing it from a different 
perspective. Almost every other time Harry has seen an AK used it was 
aimed at either himself or someone near him. Of course its going to 
look more like a flash than a jet. Of course he's going to hear a 
sound that might be different when he is farther away and out of line 
of fire. As for Dumbledore's expression, I would think it odd if DD 
died in any way other than tranquil considering what we know about 
the man. And I am still not convinced that the 'blast' wasn't the 
simple inertia of the spell and his now dead weight carrying him over 
the side.
 
> Snape's spell more closely resembles a disguised Impedimenta than an
> AK. (To my knowledge, we've never been told what color the light is
> from that spell. It could be green.) 

Is there any evidence of a spell being disguised as a seperate spell 
in HP? is there any evidence of wizard casting one spell nonverbally 
while casting a second spell out loud? On a similar vein, is there 
any evidence that Legimency can be used to trasmit messages in 
addition to seeing memories and feelings?

I think that Snape is a good wizard, maybe even a great one, but I 
doubt that even he could cast one spell out loud while simultaneously 
casting a second one silently. there would be clues that such a thing 
is possible in the book, but AFAICR there is not.  Voiceless spells 
seem to be incredibly hard and require a trememdous amount 
concentration. Even Voldemort doesn't casually throw around voiceless 
unforgivables so trying to use two spells at the same time when one 
is difficult to cast is a stretch. 

As for the impedimenta being green, I doubt it. The killing curse 
seems unique looking and I doubt a common spell would look so much 
like it. 

> Aside to Eggplant: Examining the evidence to see if there's more 
than
> meets the eye is not "bending over backwards" to support our 
theories.

I think in a way it is bending over backwards. Your theory rests on 
Snape using magical powers there isn't any evidence even exist in 
canon.

> It's understanding how JKR's narration works. For those who view the
> books as two halves of a whole (based on JKR's own statement), the
> chief difference between this book and its predecessors is that the
> mystery has not yet been resolved. Just as she made Fake!Moody 
appear
> to be a good guy in GoF, she may be (quite convincingly) making 
Snape
> appear evil in HBP (though he does, directly or indirectly, save 
four
> characters from death). 

But there were clues to those mysteries laid out and the abilites 
used in the mystery were clearly defined before hand. Your theory 
requires magical abilies not seen before in any of the books. Writing 
a mystery without actually telling us that the skills used in it are 
possible seems to me to be in pretty bad form.

phoenixgod2000