DDM!Snape clue

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 148378

Carol:
> Here we have, or we may
> have, a variation on the device of mistaking one thing for another,
> with "It's over" as a kind of red herring to distract us from
> "Petrificus Totalus." And I can't think of any other reason why JKR
> would have had Tonks not hear what Snape said except to call our
> attention to his speaking at exactly the point when the spell would
> have been cast.
> 
> At any rate, the speaker of the spell cannot be Harry and the
> evidence suggests that it's Snape. And if it is, we can be sure 
that
> we'll hear from Snape's own mouth in Book 7 that he saved Harry's 
> life yet again with no reward but "cheek." 

Jen: I'm not completely disagreeing as you make a case for Snape 
being a person near the scene who could have cast the spell, but it 
*would* be odd to me if he did it verbally instead of nonverbally. 
That would be a clear threat to his cover. Or he could have used the 
same excuse he did for the Crucio to Harry, that Harry must be saved 
for the Dark Lord, instead of casting a very loud verbal spell 
(since Harry heard it clearly when Fenrir was practically covering 
his face as he went for his throat and was breathing loud).

Also, it reads like Snape and Malfoy were already around the corner 
and Fenrir detached himself from the group battling, the same group 
Snape/Malfoy had already passed through before rounding the corner. 
I think it just as likely someone unseen by Harry cast it and that's 
why there was no specification. DDM folks already know he saved 
Harry by getting the DE's out of Hogwarts and not killing or 
torturing Harry on the way, so casting that one spell doesn't make 
the case much stronger. It wouldn't necessarily be the thing in need 
of an answer like other more obvious actions Snape took that night, 
is what I mean.

Jen R.