In Defense of Snape (long)

[Hester Prinn]

No: HPFGUIDX 122040

There's been a lot of posts lately, touching on Professor Snape and accusing him of everything from incompetent teaching to out and out sadism.  And while I could respond to each and every post, (thereby opening myself to a death by one thousand pin-pricks <g>) I thought I'd save myself some time and defend him in one fell post.  (And let me state up front -- I'm not dealing with ESE!Snape or any of the popular conspiracies.  I'm just taking Snape as he's been presented by JKR so far and assuming no sudden twists.)
 
First things first, Snape is not the nicest of men.  He's quick to take offense, slow to forgive, and he's got a rapier wit he's not afraid to use.  Plus, he loves him his House.  However, he's a damn fine teacher, brave to a fault, and quite willing... well... maybe not willing, but certainly able to put his personal feelings aside to get a job done.
 
***Snape the Educator***
 
Ah, I can hear the wailing now:  "A damn fine teacher?!?" you say.  "But he's so mean!  And he makes the little childrens cry!"  But this I will insist on, and even back up with canon:
 
"'You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making,' he began.  He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word -- like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort."  (PS scholastic paperback ed. pgs. 136-7)
 
"There was no real need for the call to order; the moment the class had heard the door close, quiet had fallen and all fidgeting stopped.  Snape's mere presence was usually enough to ensure a class's silence.
[...]
"'[S]o whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T. or not, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L. students.'" (OotP scholastic ed. pgs. 231-2)
 
"'Well, the class seems fairly advanced for their level," [Umbridge] said briskly to Snape's back."  (ibid pg. 363)
 
Everything in the books points to Snape having complete control over his classroom: they silently listen to every word he says.  He gets a maximum of information pounded into his students' heads: his students not only pass their O.W.L's, but do so at a high level.  And he even pushes his students to a level of study beyond Ministry standards (which, granted, may be low, but still, Snape is taking his students above and beyond).  All of those things combined make for one kick-ass teacher.
 
Though he is scary.  Scary and strict tend to go hand in hand.  After all, the students (and this includes Harry and Ron) are nervous enough around McGonagall.  Scary and strict does not mean bad teacher.  
 
I can feel you itching to bring up Neville.  Why oh why does Snape pick on poor Neville?  On the very first day of class Neville manages to melt Seamus's cauldron, cover himself in boils and burn holes in the shoes of his fellow students.  Oh and the class, she was disrupted.  Neville's first impression was not a good one.  And I did say that Professor Snape is not a nice man.   However, Harry notes that Neville seems happy during their potions practical for the O.W.L's (ibid pg. 716).  Which suggests that Neville may have actually done all right on his exam   Which would suggest that despite his not so nice methods, Snape is still one heck of a teacher.
 
***The Bravery of Professor Snape***
 
Snape's bravery goes hand in hand with the role he plays for Dumbledore - a role a lot of folks seem to overlook.  He's a spy.  He spies on Death Eaters for Dumbledore, and by OotP, he's spying on Lord Voldemort.  The same Lord Voldemort who Crucios the minions he *likes*.  I shudder to think of what he'd do to someone who actually betrayed him.  That Snape would take this risk, instead of fleeing like Karkaroff did, means that he has a ton of courage.  And frankly, I think he deserves some props for it.
 
***Snape and Harry***
 
And here's where we really get down to it, because the story is told from Harry's POV.  Harry has no love for Snape, and he's quite sure Snape hates him.  Everything we know about Snape we learn through Harry's eyes, and the first impression, at least on the surface, is not good.  Beyond the whole, "Argh! My scar!" thing that we later learn was caused by Quirrell's Vapor!Mort turban of doom, Harry's first Potions class is less than smooth.  That is where Harry decides Snape hates him.
 
But what was Snape doing there?  As posited above, Snape is a good teacher.  His opening speech smacks of a well rehearsed drama establishing several things at once.  Snape knows his subject, and it's a cool one ("bottle fame" and "stopper death" -- what's not to love?).  His students had better do their reading if they don't want to get humiliated like the first poor dumb schmuck the professor called on.  And they better listen to every word he says.  Note how he snaps at the class for not taking down the correct answers to the questions he asked Harry.  There's no canon for this, but I wouldn't be surprised if Snape starts off his first year's class in exactly the same way, every year.
 
Of course, he picked Harry to be the poor dumb schmuck this time, and I think there were several motives behind his choice.  The ugly, petty motive was that Harry is the son of James.  A motive I don't think Snape is above.  But Harry is also a celebrity, and Hogwarts is abuzz.  The students are all excited, but the teachers aren't immune either.  (Witness Flitwick falling off his desk in excitement in PS on pg. 133.)  Snape is establishing that Harry's fame will not get him anywhere in Snape's classroom.  Harry will be judged on his potion abilities and nothing more.  This particular motive is not a bad one.  Snape has not met Harry yet, and I imagine there was a real worry that his fame would go to his head.  Snape is nipping a potential problem in the bud.  I think it's important to notice that Snape doesn't take points for Harry's ignorance.  Harry talks back to Snape, and Snape takes a point away from Gryffindor, "for [his] cheek." (PS pg. 138)
 
But there's another motive that Snape would have forefront in his mind.  Especially with the recent Death Eater activity.  Remember, Snape is not just a teacher, he's a spy.  And the known top dog of the Death Eaters appears to be (and Snape would most likely know for sure - though we, the readers, don't) Lucius Malfoy.  It makes a whole lot of sense for Snape to seem very anti-Harry Potter in front of Malfoy's son, Draco.  In fact, it would be stupid for Snape to appear any other way.
 
These three motives: hatred and distrust of anything Marauder related, keeping Harry humble, and the need to act as a loyal Death Eater continues to inform Snape's behavior throughout all five books.  I think that they probably ebb and flow in their level of importance to Snape, though I'm betting that his mission as a spy is never fully forgotten.
 
Of course, Harry is too young and too naive, especially in book one, to realize any of these motives, and so he settles on the simple, "Snape hates me."  I doubt Snape feels that strongly about Harry in the beginning.   I think Harry frustrates the hell out of Snape, as Snape spends most of his time trying to keep Harry safe and Harry keeps stumbling into danger, but I honestly think 'hate' is too strong a word.
 
***The Difference an OotP Makes***
 
Then Voldemort goes and gets himself a body, and everything changes.  Before the end of GoF, Harry could be excused for not realizing Snape's role as a spy.  Dumbledore has told Harry he trusts Snape, but typically doesn't share details (not that he should in this case).  But the final scene in the infirmary should have given Harry a clue.
 
"'Severus,' said Dumbledore, turning to Snape, 'you know what I must ask you to do.  If you are ready...  if you are prepared...'
'I am,' said Snape.
He looked slightly paler than usual, and his cold, black eyes glitted strangely.
'Then good luck,' said Dumbledore, and he watched, with trace of apprehension on his face, as Snape swept wordlessly after Sirius.
It was several minutes before Dumbledore spoke again." (GoF Scholastic Hardback ed. pg. 713)
 
Of course, Harry was in a state of shock at the time, but in OotP he's in the heart of the Order, and Snape shows up several times to give reports and then disappear.  The fact that Harry couldn't figure out what a former Death Eater who still appeared to be respected by current Death Eaters, might possibly be doing for the Order, leaves me to believe that Harry has a block when it comes to Snape.
 
It made so much sense for Snape to up his nasty behavior towards Harry.  He's supposed to appear friendly towards Voldemort's side, and he's constantly in the presence of children of known Death Eaters.  The easiest way to keep up appearences is to be mean to Dumbledore's golden child, especially as Dumbledore's grip on the school is slipping.  The fact that Harry so closely resembles someone Snape obviously loathed probably made Snape's job easier, but I honestly think that until Harry stuck his head into Snape's Pensieve, most of it was role-play.  Once Harry did the equivalent of reading Snape's personal journal, I do think Snape was genuinely furious with Harry.  
 
And frankly, Snape's anger was understandable.  Throughout the Occlumency lessons, Harry's behavior was pretty bad, and he was obviously not trying.  I know this has been debated 'til the cows come home, but barring any ulterior motive not yet revealed, Snape was trying to teach the boy, and the boy was unwilling to learn.  Snape was endangering his role by spending private time with Harry, and Harry was basically making Snape's risk meaningless.
 
On the surface, that could be seen as reason enough to no longer give Harry Occlumency lessons.  Harry never asks for the lessons to resume, so Snape could easily conclude that Harry would continue to ignore his instructions.  And here's a possible ulterior motive -- their last lesson was interrupted by Draco Malfoy.  Perhaps there was an unreasonable chance of Snape the spy being exposed.
 
Much has been made of the final interaction between Snape and Harry.  How could Snape be so mean and cruel as to actually uphold the rules of Hogwarts by disciplining a student that admitted to trying to curse another student?  Put aside the fact that Snape was actually fairly mild in his treatment of Harry.  HE. IS. A. SPY!!!  Harry was attempting to curse Draco Malfoy.  Only a great fool would have done nothing out of sympathy towards Harry and once again risk exposure.  Snape, no matter what you think of him, is no fool.
 
So that's my defense of Snape.  Every school has its scary teacher and every war has its spies.  Snape fulfills both roles with singular style.  I hope that by series end, Harry finally realizes, and the readers are finally shown, just how good a man Snape (the greasy, snarking, bastard) really is.
 
Betsy, who just realized that it may actually have been faster to answer all the seperate posts. :)



		
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