Eileen & Tobias was (What is poetic justice? WAS: Re:

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 143551

 
> Ceridwen:
> I thought the fact that Tobias appears to be a Muggle was the 
kicker 
> in that one.  After the memory scene, who would have dreamed that 
> Papa Snape was a Muggle? 

Potioncat:
Oh, you're right Tobias being a Muggle was a kicker. Now working out 
the shouting scene is the trick!
 
> Ceridwen:
> If it's my scenario, which I do love but haven't married, then it 
> would explain a cringing, sobbing Eileen.  She does love her 
husband, 
> and cringes at the thought of something driving a wedge between 
> them.  It doesn't make her magic weak from love.  It's a situation 
> where magic is the culprit, as well as a situation that magic just 
> can't solve.  

Potioncat:
I like this idea, and hadn't thought of it before, but it does bring 
up the rather unpleasant vision of Samantha cringing before Darren.  
I know! It's JKR's satire on that old  US sitcom "Betwitched" now 
it's the WW drama, "Ensnared." 

> 
> Ceridwen:
> It could have been the Princes' finances which dictated the size of 
> the announcement.  When I got married the first time, all we could 
> manage was the tiny announcement.  Eileen *apparently* married a 
> working-class Muggle, from everything we can glean, which isn't 
> much.  It's possible the Princes were from the same or similar 
social 
> background.

Potioncat:
I think it's very likely they were from a similar background. I'm not 
sure if marriage announcements are charged by the word or not. And 
I'm sure it varies. My hometown paper prints whatever is submitted by 
the bride's family...within certain guidelines. Nothing submitted, 
nothing printed.


In Post 143542

> colebiancardi:
> One of the ideas I had on why little Severus knew so much about the
> dark arts when he started Hogwarts was that Eileen taught him, but 
not
> because she was a Voldemort supporter.  She went to school with
> Riddle, perhaps was in the same house(we don't know what house she 
was
> sorted in - another mystery).  She would have seen his rise to power
> and the way he fought those who opposed him.  My thought is that she
> taught her son not only to defend himself against the dark arts -
> which would explain why he knew so much about them - but also to use
> them - as a means to fight fire with fire, if he was ever attacked.

Potioncat:
I'm not sure how many people understand that LV was Tom Riddle. But 
you're right, Eileen would have overlapped TR at school and may know 
it's the same person...assuming she was still alive when he rose to 
power.

Slughorn was fairly indifferent to Dark Arts if you ask me. He 
commented that wizards of a certain calibre were drawn to them. He 
states that DD is adamant that certain magic not be taught. If Eileen 
was a Slytherin, she probably had ample opportunity to learn Dark 
Arts.
> 
Colebiancardi:
> At any rate, I don't know if that
> scene means that Eileen or Snape were ever abused by Tobias.  Snape
> makes no mention of his mother or father, of course that would give
> too much away.  

Potioncat:
It looks possible that it was one of many times, since this is a book 
and the scene has to be important. On the other hand, we're all 
looking for reasons for Adult Snape to be the way he is. Abuse is one 
possible explanation. JKR may have had a very different reason to 
show us that image.

Colebiancardi:
It would be interesting to find out what happened to
> his parents, which I don't believe it is the librarian, nor do I
> believe that Flitch is his dad either.  I wonder if they were killed
> or died tragically - come on Hermione, keep digging thru the old
> copies of the Prophet! - and Snape found himself alone and that is 
why he joined Voldemort initially - he had no friends other than 
those who were in slytherian and they joined up.

Potioncat:
Not the librarian, not Filch. Agreed. I will eat a copy of a HP book 
if Irma is Eileen. (Not one of mine, though.) There's an idea, what 
if something did happen to his parents and that caused him to end up 
with the DEs? Or what if he joined up but was always DD's spy? OK, 
sorry, I really am speculating now!