Eeevil!Snape was Snape in Shrieking Shack

[nrenka]

No: HPFGUIDX 142380

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> wrote:

<snip>

> Eevil!Snape could become interesting and thematically relevant, but 
> so far Rowling hasn't given us any hints about how that could 
> happen, IMO, whereas there are a number of hints that Harry's 
> conclusions about Eevil!Snape are in error.  

What about all the hints of resentment, and the theme of obsession with 
the past and practically Nietzschean _ressentiment_?  It's certainly 
been foreshadowed that Snape has something of a hard time dealing with 
some of Dumbledore's decisions, but he manages to keep a lid on them 
(to varying degrees).  Then very thematically relevant becomes how one 
*deals* with lingering pain and anger and grudges.  If we go with the 
Harry in temptation theme, then Snape could be a powerful 
counterexample--how *not* to deal.  This could operate even if Snape is 
genuinely evil, in that Harry needs not to be caught up in his anger 
and resentment and let it govern his actions.

IIRC, you like a scenario where Harry finds out that Snape 
is 'innocent' (or at least not as culpable as Harry thinks), and then 
Harry has to deal with this shocking knowledge.  I can think of a 
scenario as also possible wherein Harry catches up with Snape who is 
indeed guilty, but Harry needs not to kill him/get caught up in dealing 
with him, but go on to deal with other things.  This is more 
immediately personal and thus harder than dealing with Wormtail, and 
the reasons for the actions of the eeeevil party are of considerable 
interest in both cases.  I can't see how this would be thematically 
irrelevant.  Not what's been hinted at in some parts of the hints, but 
there are those other ones which shouldn't be ignored.

-Nora wouldn't bet on it, but holds it eminently open as both possible 
and interesting