Celibate Snape (Was:Harry's story , NOT Snape's )

[Mari]

No: HPFGUIDX 139150


> Carol:

<regretful snip of interesting ideas>

> I agree with colebiancardi that many of Snape's passions are 
not
> sexual but intellectual (an early interest in the Dark Arts, a love 
of
> potions, a determination to know *everything* about DADA, as 
indicated
> by his DADA OWL, crammed with details in his tiny 
handwriting,
> inventing his own spells and improvements on potions in his 
teens or
> earlier, his walls full of books at Spinner's End, the ongoing
> challenge of fooling the Dark Lord through Occlumency and 
undetected
> lies). But I think his personal passions, the ones he doesn't 
want to
> wear on his sleeve for fear of being thought weak--or, 
alternatively,
> uses to cultivate an image for himself), are equally important (a
> personal desire for revenge against Voldemort for whatever 
reason, a
> personal loyalty to Dumbledore, a personal hatred of James 
for leaving
> him with an unfulfilled life debt, etc.)

Now Mari:

This makes a lot of sense, Carol; this is the impression I have 
always had of Snape. He has been able to satisfy his intellectual 
passions but for various reasons has had to bury any other 
passions very deeply, or at least not betray what he feels. At 
times he *does* explode because these feelings have no outlet, 
I am sure of it. 

I also have trouble seeing him as being particularly attractive to 
women. This doesn't mean he never had a crush on anyone, or 
never had sexual feelings, simply that I think it is unlikely that any 
feelings he had were reciprocated. For me, that is the main 
stumbling block to the idea that Lily or Narcissa were in love with 
him.  If Snape was in love with either of *them* I wonder if they 
ever found out? And what transpired if they did?

So, yes, I think the idea of celibate Snape is definitely a 
possibility; the circumstances of his life so far certaintly don't 
seem to suggest that any sexual feelings he had were either 
fulfilled or reciprocated.

Mari.