Regulus and Snape

[Little lama]

No: HPFGUIDX 139731

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cdayr" <cdayr at y...> wrote:
<snip>
> Your post tied two characters together in my mind for the first 
> time- Regulus and Snape. It occured to me when reading your 
> post that Regulus would have been just one year younger than 
> Snape (and all the Marauders, confirmed by Lexicon) and a 
> Slytherin. One of the issues that is still unresolved for me is 
why 
> Snape and Sirius loathed each other so very much as adults- it 
> still seems ridiculously extreme when based only on teenage 
> dislike of each other. Now I'm wondering if Snape and Regulus 
> weren't Slytherin buddies (hard to imagine Snape as anyone's 
> "buddy" but who knows?). If so, and Sirius tied both his brother's 
> descent into DE status and his death to his friendship/alliance 
> with Snape, it could account for some of the loathing on his part. 
> On Snape's side, if he felt that Sirius had abandonned his 
> brother and his "toujours pur" blood-line, it could explain some 
of 
> Snape's issues with Sirius (although frankly the "worst 
> memory"-style bullying would explain it as well). I like the idea 
> that Snape's only real "friend" was Sirius's brother, who went off 
> and got himself killed, and neither of them has forgiven the other 
> for it. Can't pull any canon yet (probably isn't any), but I'll 
keep 
> looking. Please let me know if this idea has been discussed 
> before- I'd love to read the thread.
> 
> I'm pondering the idea of a RAB/Snape team effort on the horcrux 
> in the cave, as you suggested. If Snape had been helping 
> Regulus and then escaped from Voldy while Regulus was killed, 
> it would definitely add another dimension to Snape's shifting 
> loyalties. However, I'm still not convinced 
> myself...do you have further thoughts on why Snape might have 
> helped? It seems to me at that point in time he is pretty 
> committed towards Voldy. Could be interesting though...

Lama:

I so agree with you, I have been thinking this as well.  Clearly 
Snape and Regulus would have known each other quite well, being in 
Slytherin together and a year apart.  And if they were friends, no 
doubt the doings of 'my warped brother in Gryffindor' would have 
been a regular topic of conversation, and probably the origin of 
Snape's dislike of Sirius.  I don't subscribe though, to the idea 
that Regulus (or anyone else) was Snape's *only* friend; however 
much he might have looked like a loner in the Worst Memory scene, 
remember, Sirius said in PoA that Snape was 'part of a gang of 
Slytherins who nearly all turned out to be DEs..'  I suspect he 
might have been good mates with Wilkes & Rosier, both now deceased. 

As for Snape being involved in a team effort with Regulus to hide 
the horcrux in the cave ... well, I'd say he was in it at least up 
to his elbows.  Who else was likely to have made the potion that 
protected the locket?  I'm certain that from an early stage in his 
DE career, Snape would have had his most spectacular talent pressed 
into service as Potionmeister to LV.

A further thought about the locket is that Regulus may have been 
entrusted by LV with the task of hiding it, and may have been able 
to switch it with the fake one - perhaps with help from Snape or 
another accomplice - before it was ever hidden in the potion on the 
island, which would have been a lot easier.  LV was reportedly a 
little careless in leaving his horcruxes lying around or entrusting 
them to the care of his minions, and might well have given the task 
of securing the locket to a keen young DE project team.  Perhaps 
even as a test of their ability.  Or ... 

Hang on, another thought coming through...  LV begins to suspect 
Regulus is a less than enthusiastic DE, or maybe Regulus slips up in 
some way that annoys him; LV decides to punish Regulus for this by 
setting him a task whose successful completion he is unlikely to 
survive.  And threatens to kill him if he doesn't succeed.  But then 
his old school mate Snape offers to help with the task ...

Yeah, that might have possibilities  ;-)

Lama