FakeMoody, Snape, Legilimency, and Motives

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 132124

There is something that bothers me about Snape (well one of several 
things really). He is suppose to be great at legilimency, meaning 
that he can close his mind from others. This is an important skill if 
he is working undercover against Voldemort or Dumbledore; but, does 
this also mean that he is capable of reading the minds of others? 
I don't think so.
___________________________________

GoF, pg 517, sch
"It is Veritaserum - a Truth Potion so powerful that three drops 
would have you spilling your innermost secrets for this entire class 
to hear," said Snape viciously. "Now, the use of this potion is 
controlled by very strict Ministry guidelines. But unless you watch 
your step, you might just find that my hand slips" - he shook the 
crystal bottle slightly _ "right over your evening pumpkin juice. And 
then Potter ... then we'll find out whether you've been in my office 
or not."
__________________________________

Why would Snape need to use truth serum to read Harry's mind if he is 
a great mind reader? And did he read Moody's mind during GoF? 
_________________________________________

GoF, pg 472-474, sch
"Dumbledore happens to trust me," said Snape through clenched 
teeth. "I refuse to believe that he gave you orders to search my 
office!"

"'Course Dumbledore trusts you," growled Moody. "He's a trusting man, 
isn't he? Believes in second chances. But me - I say there are spots 
that don't come off, Snape. Spots that never come off, d'you know 
what I mean?"

Snape suddenly did something very strange. He seized his left forearm 
convulsively with his right hand, as though something on it had hurt 
him.

Moody laughed. "Get back to bed, Snape."

"You don't have the authority to send me anywhere!" Snape hissed, 
letting go of his arm as though angry with himself. "I have as much 
right to prowl this school after dark as you do!"

"Prowl away," said Moody, but his voice was full of menace. "I look 
forward to meeting you in a dark corridor some time....

... "Potter!" Snape snarled, and he actually turned his head and 
stared right at the place where Harry was, as though he could 
suddenly see him. "That egg is Potter's egg. That piece of parchment 
belongs to Potter. I have seen it before, I recognize it! Potter is 
here! Potter, in his Invisibility Cloak!"

Snape stretched out his hands like a blind man and began to move up 
the stairs; Harry could have sworn his over-large nostrils were 
dilating, trying to sniff Harry out - trapped, Harry leaned backward, 
trying to avoid Snape's fingertips, but any moment now -

"There's nothing there, Snape!" barked Moody, "but I'll be happy to 
tell the headmaster how quickly your mind jumped to Harry Potter!"

"Meaning what?" Snape turned again to look at Moody, his hands still 
outstretched, inches from Harry's chest.

"Meaning that Dumbledore's very interested to know who's got it in 
for that boy!" said Moody, limping nearer still to the foot of the 
stairs. And so am I, Snape ... very interested...." The torchlight 
flickered across his mangled face, so that the scars, and the chunk 
missing from his nose, looked deeper and darker than ever.

Snape was looking down at Moody, and Harry couldn't see the 
expression on his face. For a moment, nobody moved or said anything. 
Then Snape slowly lowered his hands.

"I merely thought," said Snape, in a voice of forced calm, "that if 
Potter was wandering around after hours again ... it's an unfortunate 
habit of his ... he should be stopped. For - his own safety."

"Ah, I see," said Moody softly. "Got Potter's best interests at 
heart, have you?"

There was a pause. Snape and Moody were still staring at each other.

... "I think I will go back to bed," Snape said curtly.

"Best idea you've had all night," said Moody.
_________________________________________________________ 

It's obvious that Snape was in no way threatened by FakeMoody during 
this conversation until FakeMoody threatened to tell DD about Snape's 
true intentions towards Harry. Why did Snape back off? Is he really 
afraid that Moody will tell DD about his true intentions towards 
Harry? Or is it something else? Did Snape realize who FakeMoody was? 
If so, why didn't he tell DD? Is it possible that FakeMoody knows 
that Snape is out for himself and not with Voldemort or DD? And what 
does Crouch Jr. know about Snape that DD would want to know?

I've mentioned this before but what if...
Snape and Crouch Jr. were both at Neville's parents house when they 
were tortured into insanity? Did Snape believe that Neville (a 
pureblood) was the "chosen one" of the prophecy, and not "mudblood" 
Harry.  If so, this would mean that Snape was working against the 
Order after he supposedly switched sides. (DD knows a lot of things, 
but he does not know what happened at GH or during the Longbottom 
attack. It makes me wonder who does know...)

I'm also uncomfortable with the way Snape treats Harry to truely 
believe that he cares in anyway for Harry's safety. If anything, I 
think that Snape hates Harry but needs Harry to do something for him. 
(Something that Snape cannot do? Defeat Voldemort perhaps?--not for 
the Order but because Snape is somehow still enslaved by Voldemort?)

So, why is Snape always trying to get Harry expelled? Is it because 
Snape cannot use Harry for his own purposes while Harry is still at 
school?  

vmonte