Sadistic!Snape?

[nrenka]

No: HPFGUIDX 140282

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> wrote:

<snip>

> Pippin:
> He's also protecting Harry, Ron and Hermione from punishment for
> attacking him - an offense, together with being out of bounds after
> dark, which would surely demand expulsion, at least for Ron who has
> no celebrity to protect him.

I'd be more inclined to believe that explanation if it were not for 
Snape showing some real first-class Taking!It!Personally! (tm TWoP 
forums) both in that scene, and later.  Now, you may want to argue that 
*that* is where Snape is being insincere, but I find that to be a 
harder sell.  It's very much about "You can't possibly believe Black 
and the kids over *me*, can you, Headmaster?"  (And in the original 
quote which I have here paraphrased, JKR was kind enough to provide the 
emphasis for us.)

I think.  But then I also see that 'me me me!' tendency as one of the 
keys to Snape's personality, and that may turn out to be an incorrect 
reading of what we've gotten so far.  It's not the only thing at work--
for sure--but it's certainly very prominent.

-Nora runs off to get ready to give her kids a quiz...they just have to 
take it, she has to *grade* them