[HPforGrownups] RE: Snape's grandfather, the Pure-Blood Prince (Was: Snape's Parents)

[Kathryn Jones]

No: HPFGUIDX 134973

Emily Salter wrote:

> Emily writes:
> 
> It's possible that the man was Grandfather Prince but the problem I have
> with the theory is that Snape, as a one time Death Eater, clearly has or 
> had
> a hatred of Muggles.  When he arrived at school at the age of 11 he is said
> to have known more curses than the seventh years and ingratiated himself
> with older Slytherin students like Lucius and Bellatrix, suggesting that
> this rejection of his Muggle background began at an early age.  If he had
> seen his maternal grandfather terrorising his mother at such a young age,
> surely this experience would have turned him against wizards instead of
> Muggles? He would associate magic with this looming man who made his mother
> cower in fear while he looked on, helpless and crying.  I would think he'd
> be afraid of wizards and magic and scared of going to Hogwarts instead of
> going out of his way to make himself a dark wizard before he'd hit his
> teens.

> Emily

   Kathy writes:

      In this particular case, however, I am convinced that young Snape 
knew that his mother was being abused for a) marrying a Muggle and b) 
producing a half-blood child. I am sure that Snape was also derided for 
being a half-blood by his pure-blood relatives. Probably the only way to 
win approval from his family members was to learn as much as possible to 
impress them, to be accepted as one of their own, and undoubtedly 
treated his own mother poorly as a result. Snape learned to gain favour 
at a young age and probably also felt that if he was the one with the 
power over others, he was safe. This up-bringing was probably the 
over-riding factor in pushing him into the Deatheaters. The bullying of 
the Marauders in school just served to reinforce the need for power and 
authority, and respect. He may have increased his learning of spells and 
hexes before attending Hogwarts because he was afraid.
KJ