"revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face"

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 135543


> zgirnius:
> I agree with you that 1) "cry-baby" and such are generic insults, 
and 
> 2) Snape is *not* a coward. (He may do things which are not the 
bravest 
> possible choice in a given instance, but overall we have 
definitely 
> seen enough risky actions to suppose he is not completely lacking 
> courage.)
> 
> However, the Marauders had, in theory, many other things they 
could 
> have chosen to use to insult Snape. The greasy hair, the 
impoverished 
> background, the half-blood status, and so on. It seems clear to me 
that 
> they stuck with Snivellus as the insult of choice because that was 
the 
> one which seemed to *really* get under Snape's skin. This is what 
I 
> meant well up-thread when I said courage seems to be an "issue" 
for 
> Snape. I did not mean he lacks it. I meant he values it, but is 
prone 
> to doubt that he lives up to his own expextations in this area.
> 
> I feel this is one reason for the pride he sometimes displays 
regarding 
> his double-agent role, it's clearly a dangerous job, it proves 
he's 
> brave to be doing it. And I think it is why Harry's calling him a 
> coward at the end of HBP gets to him.

Oh, I quite agree that courage may be an issue with Snape. However, 
I still think that it is unadvisable to treat Sirius's insults as 
any kind of evidence. Insults are always misleading. For instance, 
he also called Snape "Lucius's lapdog" or some such thing. Now, I am 
sure Lucius/Severus shippers (if they exist) had a field day with 
that one, but would you take it seriously? Personally I wouldn't. 

Moreover, while we are on the subject of insults: during their 
kitchen altercation Snape implied rather strongly that Sirius was a 
coward. And it sure "got under Sirius's skin". So much so in fact, 
that Harry believes (and so do I) that it was the crucial factor 
contributed to Sirius's recklessness during the battle and 
consequently his death. Does it mean that Snape was justified in his 
malicious hints? Hardly. Sirius had many faults but cowardice was 
not one of them. 

a_svirn