Spinner's End Confessions

[Mike Crudele]

No: HPFGUIDX 157276

  --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" wrote:
  
> I agree that Snape was *spying* for Dumbledore for about a year
> before he started teaching, but he wouldn't want to reveal that
> information to Bellatrix. He would only have wanted to mention the
> fifteen years of teaching as a means of (ostensibly) gathering
> information on Dumbledore to provide to Voldemort if and when he
> returned. 

Mike:
Ah, but Snape is the one who reported the prophesy to LV. And since
the prophesy was probably made around Halloween 1979 then looking at
it from June 1995 it has been about 16 years. Even if Bella doesn't
know anything about the prophesy, Snape would have no problem with
admitting he was spying *for* LV during that time.

> Carol continues:
> But I think that either "sixteen year worth of information" is
> one of JKR's little math/continuity errors *or* it's a slip
> that Bellatrix didn't catch. But if it's a slip, it should have
> been followed up on (an added reason for Bella's suspicion of
> Snape), and it's uncharacteristic for Snape, who is usually
> very careful about what he does and doesn't reveal and exactly
> how he words what he reveals, to make a slip of that sort.


Mike again:
Was giving you a clue! The Dark Lord, before he changed... Oh,
sorry, must have been channelling Dobby. Where was I? Oh yeah, JKR
was either giving us the clue that Snape was the one who overheard
the prophesy (for youse in the ESE!Snape camp) or she was telling us
that Snape was in with DD already but LV didn't know it (for youse
in the DDM camp). Those of you in the OFH camp, *No Soup For You*.

> Carol continues:
> And Snape *is* talking about teaching in the context of that
> remark:
>
> "'Why did you stay there [at Hogwarts] all that time, Snape? Still
> spying on Dumbledore for a master you believed dead?'
>
> "'Hardly,' said Snape,'although the Dark Lord is pleased that I
> never deserted my [teaching] post: I had sixteen years of
> information on Dumbledore to give him when he returned. . .'"
> (HBP Am. ed. 27). 

Mike again:
Um, Carol, you inserted the word "teaching" in there didn't you?
Admit it, I saw you. And if you take that word out of there, well
that sly fox Snape isn't saying he taught for 16 years. He just said
he didn't desert his *post*. And LV had got information on DD from
Snape before Snape started teaching at Hogwarts. What information
depends on whose side he was on. (I know, but I'm not saying, hehe)

The real question for us is that little part at the end, "... when
he returned...". Because LV returned in June 1995. So Snape is
admitting to Bella that he had been spying on DD since June 1979.
Not that Bella necessarily caught that, but we did. June 1979 is
before the prophesy and just before Regelus graduates. Is maybe
another clue, you think? Like maybe Snape was working in earnest for
LV as a real DE should. Then something happened...BANG(sorry
George)...Snape changes his mind and becomes a double agent. Now
what happened in 1979 that would make Snape change sides. Hmmm


> Carol, who's also confused as to how having Draco complete his
> assigned task (killing DD) would give Snape a little more time to
> spy at Hogwarts since there would be no one left to spy on except
> McGonagall and Flitwick, neither of whom seems particularly
> important to the Order

Mike again:
What I want to know is why LV wants Draco to infiltrate some DEs.
When DD is at full strength he had no problem handling, what 9, 10
of them in the DoM, and LV knows it. So LV is going to send 6-8 of
his less than Sterling DEs into Hogwarts where DD will be on his
home turf and will probably have Order and Teachers to call on.

If he expected Draco to fail at killing DD (and face it who
wouldn't) what does he expect his DEs to do? Snape wasn't part of
the plan because he was still in his office knitting tea cozies when
Draco and the DEs where on the tower. I'm not so sure LV is such a
brilliant tactician. There might be method to his madness, but all
I'm seeing so far is the madness.



 		
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