[HPforGrownups] Re: DDM!Snape clue

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 148429

> Carol responds:
> It just seems to me that the unidentified speaker of the spell is one
> puzzle piece and Tonks hearing Snape say words that she doesn't
> understand is a second piece and that they fit nicely together if
> Snape is the speaker of the spell. (Harry mixes up the pieces by
> providing what I believe is a plausible but mistaken solution--a form
> of misdirection that we've seen over and over again in the books, and
> not just from Harry. Mistaking Draco's movement behind the bookshelves
> in the library for Madam Pince's, which I mentioned in my previous
> post, is just one of many examples.)
>
> I'm not saying that I've proven Snape cast the spell, but it seems odd
> to me that JKR would have Tonks say that she didn't understand Snape's
> words unless those words were more important than "It's over" (which
> essentially duplicates his order to the DEs on the tower). Possibly
> JKR is emphasizing his repeated orders to the DEs to get out of
> Hogwarts (which he gives yet again after the big DE Crucios Harry and
> which are finally obeyed at that point), but why emphasize something
> that the reader can pick up on without help?


Magpie:
Wow, Carol.  I have to say--good catch.  Like you said, it doesn't prove 
Snape cast the spell, but from a writer's standpoint this is a really good 
case.  I would expect Harry to know who had petrified Fenrir, and Tonks 
specifically saying she couldn't understand what Snape said, with Harry's 
handy answer there ready for her, makes me very suspicious as well-is that 
convo there so that we hear again that Snape said it was over, or to call 
attention to Snape saying something Tonks didn't catch that was a spell? 
It's the type of thing that highlights a moment without seeming to highlight 
it.  It really does sound like exactly the type of thing JKR would set up in 
plain sight, with nobody taking credit for petrifying Fenrir or knowing who 
did it, yet having Harry absolutely saved by it, and this talk of what Snape 
was saying that Tonks didn't understand but Harry did. Harry could certainly 
not recognize Snape's voice with a werewolf breathing in his face, 
especially when he wouldn't expect Snape to be protecting him.  (And moments 
later we do see Snape protecting him, so it's not like if Snape did this it 
would go against his behavior in the rest of the scene.)

I can't think of any reason that this *must* be true (that Snape did it), 
but it does seem like it could be a set up for something to come of it 
later.  Actually, if we didn't have the reference to Snape's speaking later 
I might think it was interesting to wonder if Draco did it--since he was 
linked to Fenrir throughout the book (using him as a threat, then being 
horrified when he showed up, plus he used petrificus totalis earlier) but 
Tonks' lines about Snape do seem to point to Snape--plus Snape is protecting 
Harry later.  I'm interested to see if this is just a throwaway or if it 
pans out!

-m