Favorite Snape Scenes - He's such a lovely professor, no really.

[deeblegirl]

No: HPFGUIDX 122262



Everyone's made a lot of interesting points about
what degree of horribleness Snape exhibits. I'd
like to point out a few more bits of canon that
shed some light on his character.

For instance, OotP, Chapter 32:

-------------------------------------
"You wanted to see me, Headmistress?" said Snape,
looking around at all the pairs of struggling students
with an expression of complete indifference.

"Ah, Professor Snape," said Umbridge, smiling widely 
and standing up again. "Yes, I would like another 
bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please."

"You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter," he 
said, surveying her coolly through his greasy curtains 
of black hair. "Surely you did not use it all? I told 
you that three drops would be sufficient."

[snipping Umbridge's increasingly rude attempts to get 
a truth-telling potion from the Potions Master]

"I have already told you," said Snape smoothly, "that I 
have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish 
to poison Potter -- and I assure you I would have the 
greatest sympathy with you if you did -- I cannot help 
you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast 
to give the victim much time for truth-telling...."

[snipping Harry's attempts to get his message across]

"I have no idea," said Snape coldly. "Potter, when I 
want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling 
Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little, if 
Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious 
paperwork, and I am afraid I shall have to mention it 
on your reference if ever you apply for a job."

***

Back to Deeble:

Now, how many people think Snape had no more 
Veritaserum in his stores? Anybody? Bueller?

This is a masterwork of misdirection ("You took
my last bottle") and subtle attempts to help
disguised as sarcasm. In fact, it's only by
cloaking everything he's said with an air of
"complete indifference" that he could hope to
deal with the situation without appearing to
be a Dumbledore loyalist. As it is, he's still
accused of being purposely unhelpful.

It's particularly noteworthy, I think, that he
took the time to ensure that Neville would get
through this situation when all appearances
would suggest that he thinks the boy is a waste
of oxygen.

Part of what makes Snape so intriguing is that
you get the feeling that you need to listen
to what he's not saying every time he opens
his mouth.

Also, I think we're given a good reason to believe
that the teaching staff considers Snape to be 
One of Them. Just take a look at CoS, Chapter 16,
one of the few times we see Snape when he doesn't
know he's on Harryvision:

----------------------------
Snape stepped forward. 

"Just the man," he said. "The very man. A girl has 
been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into 
the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come 
at last."

Lockhart blanched. 

"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout. 
"Weren't you saying just last night that you've known 
all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"

"I -- well, I--" sputtered Lockhart.

"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was 
inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.

"D-did I? I don't recall--"

"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you 
hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was 
arrested," said Snape. "Didn't you say that the whole 
affair had been bungled, and that you should have been 
given a free rein from the first?"

[snipping more Lockhart bashing, ending with Lockhart 
leaving]

"Right," said Professor McGonagall, whose nostrils were 
flared, "that's got him out from under our feet."

***

Perhaps the best clue we get that Snape and McGonagall
are friends of at least the bickering sort is his 
reaction when she returns from the hospital in OotP.

"Professor McGonagall!" said Snape, striding forward. 
"Out of St. Mungo's, I see!"

This is unusual for him -- the man who speaks softly
unless he's worked up about something deems her worthy
of two exclamation points. And he strides toward her,
no less. AND he offers nothing more biting than a
"oh -- well -- I suppose ..." when she suggests that
Harry and company deserve 50 points apiece.

It would be difficult enough to see the true Snape
through, say, McGonagall's eyes. It's impossible to
see him through Harry's.

Cheers,
Deeble