Snape in the Shrieking Shack, was Re: Are appearances important to Snape?

[spotsgal]

No: HPFGUIDX 142239

I figured it was past time to change the thread title, since we're
wayyyy off the topic of the original post.

> a_svirn:
> 
> Not only that. Lupin also mentioned the Marauders' nicknames and we 
> know from the books 4-6, that Pettigrew is known among the DEs as 
> Wormtail. Even if Snape had only seen him hooded and masked before, 
> and had never guessed his true identity, after the Lupin's 
> explanations all the pieces must have fallen into place. 

Christina:

I think that Snape knew the Marauders' nicknames back from his school
days (judging from his reaction to seeing the names on the map and the
loose way in which they used them), but even if that is true, it
doesn't matter.  Yes, we know that the Death Eaters all know who
Wormtail is....*from the books 4-6*.  PoA is before all of this.  We
do have canon for the fact that Voldemort does not tell all his Death
Eaters everything.  There is no reason to believe that Snape knew who
Wormtail was.  Not to mention the fact that throughout Lupin's speech,
there is *nothing* that suggests that Peter was the spy instead of
Sirius.  Snape suspects Sirius.  He's going to listen for things that
support his view.  He fixates on the information Lupin gives about
Sirius (which *does* make him look culpable).  He doesn't hear
anything about "the rat" being guilty until he's already pulled off
his cloak and is threatening to take Sirius away.  Sirius's pleas for
Snape to "look at the rat" sound like a man desperate to evade the
dementor's kiss.

> a_svirn:
> 
> Well, he did listen to the Lupin's tale, didn't he? For a good hour 
> I should think.

Christina:

A good *hour*?  Snape enters on page 352 (US Hardcover) and reveals
himself on page 357.  That's five pages.  Act it out; Snape was
listening to Lupin for less than 10 minutes.  During that time, there
was no special mention of Pettigrew's guilt, nor of the fact that he
wasn't dead.  Yes, Lupin says that Pettigrew was an Animagus, but he
says the same thing about Sirius, which, since it confirmed Snape's
beliefs, was undoubtedly what he was paying attention to.

> a_svirn:
> Now, why? Evidently because he was interested in 
> what Lupin had to say on the subject.

Christina:

Right.  And what he heard was Lupin talking about how guilty he felt
about never telling Dumbledore about *Sirius's* Animagus form.

> a_svirn:
> Since he interrupted where he 
> did, I think it's logical to conclude that he knew the rest. 

Christina:

I think he was planning on interrupting when Lupin made what Snape saw
as a "confession" on page 356, but then his name came up and he
listened to see what Lupin and Sirius would say about him.  As for the
exact moment he chose to reveal himself, well, Snape *is* a Slytherin
after all, and they do love their dramatic entrances.
 
> a_svirn:
> How he was supposed to do deliver Sirius to the Dementors, if they 
> had been driven away by Harry's Patronus? He couldn't very well 
> leave the unconscious kids at the lake and go in search for a 
> Dementor. Had there been a Dementer close in hand I have no doubt 
> whatsoever that he would have made good on his threat.

Christina:

As Colebiancardi said, Snape is not dead-set on bringing Sirius
directly to the Dementors.  He expresses a good deal of fairness in
the "Two more for Azkaban" and "Give me a reason" comments.  As a
matter of fact, I'd say that Snape's actions are more merciful than
Lupins and Sirius's.  Snape might *threaten* to give Sirius to the
dementors directly, but he clearly mentions handing him (and Lupin)
over to the authorities first.  What to Lupin and Sirius do when they
are in the exact same situation?

(PoA, pages 373 and 375)
...the ghost of a grin flitted across [Black's] gaunt face.  He, too,
began rolling up his sleeves.  "Shall we kill him together?"

"Yes, I think so," Lupin said grimly
<snip>
"You should have realized," said Lupin quietly, "if Voldemort didn't
kill you, we would.  Good-bye, Peter."
(end quote)

Sirius and Lupin don't even do the favor of giving Peter over to the
dementors- they plan on killing him outright!  It is *Harry* that
suggests the alternative of taking Peter back to the authorities.  And
I do think that the two situations are exactly alike- whether he's
right or not, Snape has *every reason* to believe that Sirius is
guilty.  Just because Snape hates Sirius doesn't mean that his belief
in Sirius's guilt is unreasonable.  Even Dumbledore gave Fudge
testimony that Sirius was the Potters' Secret-Keeper.


Christina