Severus and the DADA exam /James

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 123983


Tonks wrote: 
> We really need to explore this in more detail. Now to do a little 
> Legilmency into Snape's mind. There must be something really *big* 
> in that whole scene that we are all missing. Something under all 
of 
> the emotion. I think someone else hear suggested awhile back that 
> the emotional part of the whole situation with Harry and Snape was 
> meant to throw us off. Hummmm.. So what else happens in the 
pensive 
> scene that might be a big clue to something that Snape doesn't 
want 
> Harry or LV to see??? And ideas folks???


Hannah:  I would definitely agree there is more to that pensieve 
scene than meets the eye.  Something we're overlooking.  But what?  
Here's one idea I came up with a while back (and probably others 
have too).  What is Snape doing in that scene, that we know of, 
before he gets attacked?  Reading over his past exam paper.  So 
Snape, looking through the questions, suddenly realises he turned 
over two pages at once and has missed off half the questions.  Or 
answered two essays instead of three... all too easily done, 
especially towards the end of exam season when the brain begins to 
boggle...

For Severus, studious, desperate to prove himself better than Potter 
and Black, it's a nightmare.  Imagine the dropping sensation in his 
stomach as he realises he's just accidentally failed what is likely 
to be one of his favourite subjects (this being the boy who was 
always fascinated with the Dark Arts).  He heads off to try and 
explain to DD, but is intercepted by James and co.

Would this qualify it as his worst (or one of his worst, because I 
doubt it can be *the* worst) memory?  Perhaps not alone, but imagine 
what might lead on from it... 'What, Snivelly, a 'T' for DADA?  And 
I thought the Dark Arts was the only thing you knew about.  Must 
have been all that grease you got on the parchment...' ... 'Sorry, 
Severus, Gilderoy Lockhart might not be the ideal candidate for the 
job but at least he passed his DADA OWL at the first 
attempt...'       

It's just a suggestion, of course.  Not very exciting from a 
conspiracy theory point of view though!

Hannah