Snape vs Quirrell

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 122671


Juli wrote: 
> We all know that during PS/SS Professor Quirell had
> Voldemort in his body, sharing it. Voldemort was
> trying to get Quirell to steal the Philosopher's
> stone, he tried to steal it out of Gringotts and
> failed by only a few hours (or minutes), then as
> punishment he decided to "join" him in order to keep a
> close watch on him. <snip>

Carol responds:
My question here has nothing to do with Snape (surprise). It has to do
with Voldemort and Quirrell. Voldemort was not yet inside Quirrell's
head when Quirrell tried to steal the Philosopher's Stone. He entered
it when Quirrell failed in order to supervise and punish him. So how
did Quirrell get past the goblins, dragons, and enchantments in
Gringotts without Voldemort inside his head to help him overcome the
obstacles and increase his power? Where *was* Vapormort, anyway, and
how could he control Quirrell without possessing him? I know he had
obtained his loyalty, mentally seducing him, but how? Was he
possessing an animal or did he have the form of a monstrous infant as
he did later with Peter Pettigrew? I just don't get it.

Juli wrote:
> We all know what happens at the end, Harry realizes
> it's Quirell who's after the Stone, and he learns that
> Voldemort is hiding behind his turban, and Snape was
> actually trying to save the Stone -and Harry.
> 
> So, my question is if Snape faced Quirell a few times
> and told him to stop chasing the Stone, to decide in
> whom is his loyalty, then why didn't Voldemort also
> know about it? He was already sharing Quirell's body
> and soul, so he must have known and heard all their
> conversations, right? So how come Snape does not know
> that Snape has changed sides? that he is actually
> working for the Order and Dumbledore?
> 
> Juli- always obsessing about Severus Snape

Carol responds:
First, Snape is an Occlumens. The whole point of his learning
Occlumency is to conceal his thoughts. And I think, given the scenes
where his eyes resemble tunnels, that he often uses Occlumency to
conceal his thoughts and emotions even when he's not in danger of
being seen by Voldemort. Obviously he doesn't do so *all* the time,
but in a situation where he sensed danger--Quirrell as an agent of a
Voldemort who is regaining power and attempting to return--that he
would use Occlumency to make it appear that he suspected only
Quirrell. It may be that he really thought Quirrell was trying to
obtain the Stone for himself, but I don't think so. Quirrell is a bit
young to be concerned with immortality, and Snape's "where your
loyalties lie" remark suggests a Voldemort/Dumbledore dichotomy rather
than Dumbledore or Quirrell himself.

As I see it, the incident planted a seed of doubt about Snape in
Voldemort's mind, but as he doesn't know that Snape is an Occlumens,
he wouldn't know that Snape was blocking certain thoughts from
reaching the conscious level. That doubt, IMO, was increased when
Snape failed to show up for the DE meeting in the graveyard (and
perhaps by messages from Barty Jr. that led to Voldemort's belief that
snape had left him forever). As I've said before, Snape must have
explained to him (possibly through Lucius Malfoy) that you can't
apparate from Hogwarts and it was impossible for him to attend the
meetings.

Either Voldemort's doubts have been partly alleviated or he finds
Snape useful in some way. (Those who believe in the double agent
theory think he's passing information about Dumbledore to Malfoy--with
Dumbledore's full knowledge and permission. I'm not sure I believe
that, but I don't know of any plausible alternative. Fortunately for
Snape, he's clever and he understands the Slytherin mentality. But if
Voldemort starts to suspect that he had anything to do with sending
the Order members to save Harry, he may be in very grave danger.)

Carol