murder is NOT in Snape's character

[monika_zaboklicka]

No: HPFGUIDX 133630

I quite understand that for most people verbal abuse of kids is evil 
enough. You're absoluthely right. It just happens that I belong to 
the "deeds speak louder than words" school of thought. It takes all 
kinds etc.
To make things look more like a challenge, let's assume that:
- anything Snape said etc. might be untrue, unless he was expressing 
how evil he was;
- AD was just trusting once too often and paid dearly for his naivete 
(I don't think it was the case, but never mind)*

1. Snape's a verbal abuser - agreed. Still, he's surprisingly 
indiscriminate about it. Did he treat Tonks worse than Bellatrix? Was 
he actually KIND to Pettigrew? Or to Crabbe, in chapter 32 of OoP -
"if you ever apply for a job"?
2. Snape was always fascinated by Dark Arts. Granted. He invented 
nasty spells, and... oh dear, did he ever use them successfully? The 
AK he used against Dumbledore is the first example of him casting a 
serious curse. The story of bullying Snape that Harry saw in his 
memory was confirmed by both Sirius and Remus, Black even admitted 
that tormenting Snape continued up till seventh year. It seems that 
the Marauders were better at using Snape's nasty spells than Snape 
himself.
3. Until he AK'd Dumbledore, the only evidence of Snape's physical 
violence were:
- he force-fed Trevor with Neville's potion,
- he was seen laying in his bed killing spiders. 
It's not as he had a history of doing serious damage to people.
Note: "Stupefy" used when "Crucio" can be used is no evidence of 
violence, but of moderation. DE seem to use "crucio" just for fun.
4. He went and told Voldemort of what he heard about the prophecy.. 
and Voldie went and made the mistake of marking Harry as his equal. 
Snape did the talking and Voldemort did the hurting on that occasion. 
Snape must be a truly great Legitimens if Voldemort still trusts him 
after that disaster... I just love the way he omitted the problem 
while explaining "everything" to Bellatrix :)

Shortly, up till chapter 27 of HBP Snape was an evil-mouth, not an 
evil-doer. Surprisingly enough, starting from chapter 28th of HBP he 
seems to be an evil-mouth, not an evil-doer, with all those tips he 
throws at Harry.

Monika I-hate-chapter-27-of-HBP

* The theory that AD is not to be trusted always struck me as a very 
bad tool for interpreting HP universe. Far too many things we "know" 
about wizarding world are opinions of either Dumbledore or his 
faithful followers.

P.S. don't you think it's strange: out of six DADA teachers that were 
teaching Harry, three - Quirrel, Barty Crouch Jr and Snape - turned 
out to be Death Eaters. And only one of the other three, Remus, 
seemed to be competent.