Snape's canon opposite/ Proving loyalty (Re: Hearing from the Great Middle)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 140182

> >>vmonte:
> > Something that I find interesting in the Snape debates is that
> > nothing JKR says in her interviews about Snape is ever considered
> > as canon evidence.
> > <snip>

Betsy Hp:
For me, it's because interviews are *not* canon.  If it's not in the 
books, then it's commentary.  And *especially* when we're talking 
about something the mystery element in the story hinges on, I really 
start taking JKR's words with a whopping grain of salt.  So yeah, I 
tend to ignore the interviews when it comes to Snape.  Because at 
this point, JKR isn't trying to clarify anything.

> >>Jen: 
> Or canon interpreted differently? 
> If JKR wants readers to view Snape as pure evil, she has shot 
> herself in the foot by introducing his opposite into canon.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I totally agree with everything you've said here, Jen.  JKR has 
shown us true evil, true sadism far too much for me to lump Snape 
under those catagories, myself.

> >>Jen:
> When JKR tells me Snape is a deeply horrible person, abuses his 
> power, is culpable in a way Voldemort is not, isn't 'too nice', 
> well, I get it: He's a Very Mean Person.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
This is where I'm aware I'm kind of on my own, but honestly?  I've 
yet to Snape behaving as a "deeply horrible person".  He's certainly 
never struck me as sadistic (where do folks get that idea? I 
seriously wonder), and I've not really seen him abuse his powers.

Oh sure, he plays the big bad to Harry, but frankly, Harry usually 
deserves it.  And yeah, I think Snape *did* seriously worry that 
Harry may become evil himself.  The temptations were certainly 
there, and Snape would be painfully aware of how far a silly little 
boy could go if he started to believe his press.
 
> >>Jen: 
> <snip>
> I really believe we will see an *unmanipulated fact* to prove why 
> Dumbledore trusted Snape. 
> <snip of great examples of forms of proof>
> But I do think while Snape's reason for changing sides earned him 
> a second chance, they did not gain Dumbledore's complete trust    
> until backed up with irrefutable proof. 

Betsy Hp:
I think there will *need* to be irrefutable proof for fandom to be 
satisfied.  And I think JKR, clever as she's been in creating 
ambiguous!Snape, realizes it.  Harry will need it as well.  And that 
proof will be the final(?) step in his transition from boy to man.
 
> >>zgirnius:
> > <snip>
> > (Yes, the timeline is off, it may not have been made official by 
> > then, but DD was thinking about bringing in Sluggie at Potions. 
> > Maybe the curse reads minds...)

> >>Jen: 
> I love the idea of the DADA curse at work for the UV, but also 
> wonder about the timeline. Like you said, Dumbledore wasn't       
> certain he could convince Slughorn to teach potions at the time of 
> the UV.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Wasn't he?  I thought the only thing that surprised Dumbledore about 
his vist to Slughorn's was the *speed* of Slughorn's acquiescence.  
I base that on this exchange between Molly and Dumbledore when he 
and Harry arrive at the Burrow.

"Gracious, Albus, you gave me a fright, you said not to expect you 
before morning!"
"We were lucky," said Dumbledore, ushering Harry over the 
threshold.  "Slughorn proved more persuadable than I had expected." 
(HBP scholastic p.81)

I'm under the impression that Dumbledore was going to stay with 
Slughorn until he got the "yes" he was after.  So I do think Snape 
knew, at the time of Spinner's End, that he was going to be DADA 
professor. 

Betsy Hp