Snape-the Hero -- Snape-the Abuser

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 143318

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > > <snip> 
> > > <Because when [Snape] does visibly suffer, his suffering is   
> > > described as matching Fang's suffering.  And no one sane      
> > > writes about a beloved and innocent pet being burned alive    
> > > expecting the audience to *not* sympathize with the animal.

> >>Lupinlore: 
> > Except when it's Trevor and Snape is trying to poison him?      
> > Sorry, couldn't resist that one.

> >>hekatesheadband:
> I'm with Lupinlore on this one, and I'll go a bit further. The     
> burning hut scene cost Snape the last shred of sympathy or trust   
> he could have hoped for from me. Betsy's right: anyone should     
> sympathise with "a beloved and innocent pet being burned alive."   
> Snape doesn't - he's completely oblivious to Fang. 
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Heh.  You both took my response in a totally different direction 
than I was going.  I was more answering the question, does JKR care 
for Snape, by saying that she *described* his suffering as being the 
same as the suffering Fang.  IOW, JKR must have felt sympathy for 
Snape to describe him in such a manner.

However, this is an interesting tangent, so I'll bite <g>.  First 
and foremost, Snape *never* tried to poison Trevor.  If he had 
attempted to do so, Trevor would be dead (or sporting a third 
eyeball or whatever the poison was meant to do).  *Neville* was the 
one preparing to poison his pet.  Snape was standing by with the 
antidote.  And Snape's instructions to Neville were *not* on how to 
create an effective poison.  The potion Snape assigned to the class 
would not have adversely harmed Trevor at all.  As we saw when 
Trevor took it.  There was a bit of psychological pressure being put 
on Neville, but Trevor came out unscathed.

As to Fang, like Harry, Snape was more worried about human victims 
before the animal.  As Pippin pointed out, Harry wasn't quick to 
abandon Snape and rush to Fang's rescue.  And when Snape *does* 
leave, Harry is worried about *Hagrid's* safety.  It's only after 
Hagrid is shown to be safe that Harry feels relief that Fang is safe 
too.  If Snape had tried to rescue Fang, Harry would have either 
killed or incapacitated him.  Both would have had dire concequences, 
IMO, since I'm DDM!.

I'd also point out that it's Snape who draws the Death Eaters away 
from Hagrid, allowing Hagrid to rescue Fang.  Plus, Buckbeak is 
still alive.  If Snape is such an animal hater, why didn't he take 
the opportunity to kill Buckbeak?  I don't believe hippogriffs are 
all that hard for a wizard of Snape's caliber to kill, or at least 
harm quite badly.

Betsy Hp