The handwriting in the book (Was: Lily and Snape)

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 140389

> Valky:
> My thoughts on it are this. Snape's chiefest interest, his pet
> subject, is not potions, it's DADA. 

zgirnius:
Do we really know this? I suppose his constanly reapplying for the
DADA position is *a* reason to suppose this...but there are other
possible reasons which also suggest themselves. Voldemort may have
wanted him to apply for that position, for example. Or, he might view
it as some sort of public show of trust from Dumbledore to get that
position. Or, it may pain him beyond bearing to watch dunderheads muck
up his favorite Potions recipes year after year...


Valky:
> Now I don't know about you, but the words subtle and aesthetic?
> fitting words to describe the notations in Snapes book, but Snape?
> Goodness! Snape know aesthetics? even if it was staring hard into his
> greasy face, the answer is NO no no! 

zgirnius:
Well, actually I don't find it odd to ascribe either quality to Snape.
For aesthetics, I'd cite his first ever speech in Potions class.
Poetic, that. As far as subtlety, well, I find his brand of sarcasm is
sometimes quite subtle (when it is necessary that his victim be
unaware she's being victimized, as in my very favorite Snape scene.
Towards the end of OotP, in Umbridge's office where she's trying to
get him to help her out by providing some Veritaserum.) 

Valky:
> It's not his area to add a sprig
> of peppermint to improve a euphoria potion, is it? Surely not. Why
> would Snape even *care* about "Euphoria" potion of all things? Let
> alone whether it smelled nice or if the dunderhead who bothered to
> take it tweaked his nose and burst into foolish song all over the place.


zgirnius:
I can agree that it is not a potion he necessarily has any use for.
But if Potions is a favorite subject if his, then the making of that
potion would be an intellectual exercise. (It is in the NEWT-level
text out of which he was apparently taught.) And eliminating a known
side-effect of it an interesting challenge. 

Valky:
> These things are indeed, above all, the marks of someone with
> aesthetic class, someone subtley bewitchingly beautiful, someone who
> is most interested in giving to others, a very popular and special
> young lady, it fits. Just IMO.

zgirnius:
So if you are right and I am wrong, maybe the poetic Potions
introduction is really a veiled tribute to someone very special?