Are appearances important to Snape?

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 142173


>    KJ:
>      <snip> 
>       While Snape seems to resent anything which ridicules him or 
> lessens his authority, like Gilderoy,  Neville's boggart, or the 
vulture 
> hat in the Christmas cracker, he also runs out to protect the 
school in 
> his night shirt. So much for appearances. I would expect Snape to 
get 
> dressed so he wasn't forced to confiscate cartoons of himself in 
his 
> night wear. As well, he seems to harbour no particular resentment 
when 
> the Trio knocked him out in the shack. He defended them admirably 
to 
> Fudge. Why?

  Surely to avoid the most uncomfortable question: just why did they 
knock out a teacher that had hastened to defend them from a 
dangerous criminal? Snape did not want the minister to inquire into 
this business too particular. What he wanted is to silence the kids 
and Sirius. Sirius was to be silenced forever and preferably before 
he could give his version of the events to Dumbledore. He was very 
anxious to feed him to a Dementor without further ado. About as 
anxious as later Fudge was to silence Barty in the same fashion if 
not as successful. 

a_svirn