[HPforGrownups] Re: Snape and Sirius (was: CHAPTER DISCUSSIONS: Chapter Thirty seven)

[Magda Grantwich]

No: HPFGUIDX 124115

>vmonte:
>You are also right that Sirius was a grown man and he should know 
> better than to let Snape manipulate him, but Snape does manipulate 
> him several times in OOTP.< 
> 
> Betsy:
> I don't know if Snape actually *manipulates* Sirius.  He picks on 
> him, sure, and I suppose you could say that getting under Sirius's 
> skin is a form of manipulation.  But I wonder if Sirius took a
> course 
> of action that normally he wouldn't because of Snape's actions or 
> words.  I guess if you think Snape *wanted* Sirius dead and did his
> best to goad Sirius into taking an unacceptable risk (and, erm...
> you probably do <g>) than yeah, Snape was manipulative.


I think you're both underestimating the intensity of their
determination to defeat Voldemort.  Both Snape and Sirius understand
the stakes and they're not going to let some petty name calling get
in the way of that.

The outburst and near-duel at Christmas time was an aberration in the
OOTP relationship, not the norm.  When the Weasleys enter the room,
Arthur's reaction is shock: "What's going on here?"  Not "Are you two
at it AGAIN?"  which it would have been had this kind of squabble
happened before.  Snape and Sirius have kept their rivalry intensely
under wraps throughout the year to date.  They're not total idiots.

Of course, Harry sees this one episode and assumes that this is the
norm.  Throughout OOTP Harry has a hard time seeing the big picture
and still views the anti-VOldemort effort as something personal on
his part.  

I doubt very much that Snape wasted time goading Sirius when he sent
word to the Order that Harry and company might be on their way to the
MoM.  And I doubt very much that Sirius wasted time getting all hurt
and offended and fired up about it.  

Magda


		
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