Inconsistencies in the DADA position

[John Kearns]

No: HPFGUIDX 131581

> JLV:
> I think Snape /does/ want to be DADA teacher and /does/ apply for 
> the DADA position every time it's vacant – this is not disputed in 
> any way by JKR in the Royal Albert Hall interview quote most 
> relevant to this discussion:
<SNIP of the quote which could be read UPTHREAD)
> The interesting question is *why* Dumbledore thinks that DADA will 
> bring out the worst in Snape, and JKR indicated that this is 
> something BIG and important to the plot as it would spoil the next 
> two books somewhat to reveal it.  Presumably the reason is related 
> to Snape's desire to take the post on. The mind boggles.


John K:
Sorry, that was a lot to clip in.  I did not become a HP fan until 
after the fifth book was already out, and so in my first reading I 
read all five books at once.  I have a theory that I think was how I 
originally made sense of the situation when I read the books.

Let's assume for a minute that Snape is a double spy; both 
Dumbledore and Voldemort think he's on their respective sides.  This 
is, I think, probably the most widely held theory regarding Snape.

Now, look at the perspectives of Voldemort and Dumbledore in this 
teaching situation.  Voldemort: "I want my minion to be DADA teacher 
because then my enemies won't be trained to fight me and/or I'll be 
able to recruit followers."  After all, the trio has remarked that 
they learned nothing from Quirrell.  Now Dumbledore: "I don't want 
our double agent to be put in the position Voldemort wants, even if 
I trust him completely, because this will put him into some very 
sticky situations (deciding what to teach/not to teach and to 
whom... remember Drumstang's curriculum) and he has quite enough of 
those to be going on with as it is."

Thus, I always assumed that Snape regularly applied for the post to 
appease Voldemort, with the mutual understanding that Dumbledore 
wouldn't give it to him because it would force him to walk an even 
thinner tightrope.  And though he doesn't share this part with 
Snape, the fact that Dumbledore probably knows of the students' 
fears of Snape, and the fact that he seems to consider DADA the most 
important class in Hogwarts, probably had something to do with it 
too.

In other words, it would bring out the 'worst' in Snape not becuase 
he would become an even nastier teacher (though that may be part of 
the reason as well), but because it would be the worst situation 
Dumbledore could put him in on a daily basis.  Bring out his 
connection to Voldemort, perhaps?  I can't make this fit JKR's quote 
very well, though I'm sure somebody can as it makes sense in my head.

Does this make sense or am I just making up senseless rationales?

John K