my greatest fear....

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 121180


 
> Potioncat wrote:
> 
> My HP fear? While reading PoA over the holiday I began see Snape in
> a new light...erm new dark. My fear is that he will betray
> Dumbledore.
> 
> vmonte responds:
> 
> Oh, Really? Do tell us what makes you think that?

Potioncat:
Here are two sections that made me wonder.  It's nothing the Snape 
opposition hasn't been saying all along, but for some reason, it hit 
home when I read it this time. I'm not fully converted, but my faith 
in Snape is shaken!

PoA "The Servant of Lord Voldemort" (chp 19)
Snape speaking,
"Ive told the headmaster again and again that you've been helping 
your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof.  
Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as 
your hideout--"
...
"Two more for Azkaban tonight," his eyes now gleaming fanatically.I 
shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this...he was quite 
convinced you were harmless, you know Lupin...a *tame* werewolf--"

Then in "Owl Post Again" chp 22
Harry and Hermione over hear Sanpe and Fudge.  Snape is speaking and 
Harry hears him in mid sentence,
"...only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties," Snape 
was saying. "The kiss will be performed immediately?"

In the first case, Snape has been telling DD about Lupin all along 
and is eager to be proven right.  But he shows no regret for the 
pain this will cause DD.

In the second case, he really seems to want Black punished and hopes 
DD won't interfere.  I could argue here that Snape is only 
pretending, as a way of finding out Fudge's motives.  But in the 
first case, there's little doubt of Snape's opinion.

Another view I've changed in this episode, is Snape's motives for 
going into the Shrieking Shack. I thought he was saving the trio. It 
is pretty clear from the timeline and from what he says: he saw 
Lupin in the tunnel and went after him.  Snape did not know the kids 
or Black were there.  Now, I'm not really sure why he followed an un-
medicated werewolf into the tunnel...

Still, on the positive side, Snape looks positively gentle when 
Harry sees him putting the injured on stretchers.  Tell me why, why 
didn't Lupin or Black put Snape on a stretcher?
Potioncat