In Defense of Snape (long)

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 123265


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" 
<justcarol67 at y...> wrote:
> I know you don't agree and I'm not trying to convince you, but I've
> always read that scene as Snape reminding Lupin of who Neville is, 
a Longbottom, whose boggart ought logically to be a Death Eater, 
just as Harry's ought logically to be Voldemort. Lupin prevents 
Harry from demonstrating and confronting his boggart assuming that 
it will be too terrifying for the rest of the class to see (which 
may well be true even though it's a Dementor rather than LV). Surely 
a masked, wand-wielding DE would be almost equally terrifying?
> 
(And, yes, Snape would know that there was a boggart in the wardrobe 
and deduce that that's what the lesson would be about.)
>


Valky:
Well well, Carol another very very good analysis, you're on a roll 
today. :D

What I find most interesting, and likely to make it true, is that 
Lupin *does* react to it in the class. The possibility of it meaning 
anything else is both cleverly concealed and confirmed by Professor 
Lupin's singling out of Neville for a bit of compassionate 
encouragement. 

Remembering we are not revealed Neville's backstory until the next 
book, so the fact that we are being pulled slantways on Severus time 
after time becomes painfully obvious.

I have a love/hate relationship with when we start piecing the books 
together like this. :D