Why does Snape wants DADA job if it cursed? WAS: Re: Snape again

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 148763

Super-long, sorry. Snape, DADA curse, Lupin, PoA...too many of my 
favorite topics!

>Lupinlore:
> Longer than 14, actually.  It would be at least 20, I would guess, 
as DD refused Voldy > the position before he ascended as Dark Lord the
> first time.  

zgirnius:
Actually, the true number is on the order of 35-40 years. If you buy 
the Lexicon timeline, Tom Riddle graduated Hogwarts in 1945. He 
worked for a short time for Borgin and Burke's, then disappeared 
after his murder of Hepzibah Smith. He next resurfaces when he 
requests the job of DADA instructor from Dumbledore, an event that 
Dumbledore states (in the "Lord Voldemort's Request" chapter of HBP) 
occured about 10 years after the murder of Smith. So, depending on 
how long exactly he worked at B&B's, it could be, say, anywhere from 
1955 to 1960, with closer to 1955 probably being the right number. I 
don't see young Tom Riddle wasting more time than he needs to as an 
assistant shopkeeper. OotP ends in 1996. By the time Snape is offered 
the position, Dumbledore has been unable to keep a teacher in that 
position for 35-40 years.

>From Snape's point of view, this means that no teacher he had for 
DADA in his seven years there managed to last the year. In his (by 
the end of OotP) fourteen years of teaching, he has never seen a 
colleague last past a year in DADA. Thus, he has seen the phenomenon 
in action personally, for 21 different school years. 

And this is in a school where we see remarkably long tenures by 
teachers in other fields. This is *exceedingly* unlikely to occur by 
chance. (OK, I may be more likely to see this than JKR 
but still. 
We're talking win-the-powerball odds here.)
 
> Lupinlore:
>  It's true if there IS in fact a curse it's hard to know why DD 
> would give  Snape the job, 

> Alla: 
> Well, there is of course an argument of Dumbledore and Snape 
> meticulously planning together for the events after UV and 
> Dumbledore knowing that Snape will have to leave at the end of the 
> year anyway, 

zgirnius:
There is actually more than one theory about Spy!Snape and why 
Dumbledore gave him DADA. I outline an alternative in my post 147014. 
(worth some laughs?) Very short form of theory-I am not happy with 
any other reason given for why Dumbledore would give Snape the job, 
so I have concluded that he gave Snape the job in order to achieve 
the one effect he is sure this move will have-to get Snape out of 
Hogwarts.

Even a DADA plan of Book 6 does not explain why Snape would seem to 
want the position in other years. Unless, I suppose, Dumbledore has 
always had the idea of exploiting the curse in mind as a way of 
getting Snape back to Voldemort if the situation warrants. But that 
would mean Dumbledore has suggested to Snape that he keep applying. I 
suppose it serves other purposes for Dumbledore and Snape as well, 
creating that impression that Dumbledore does not really trust him. 
(As Snape gripes to Bella in Spinner's End, for example).

Alla:
> Basically, from the position of DD!M Snape giving Snape a job means 
> that Dumbledore does not even PLAN on staying alive, no? 

zgirnius:
Not at all. My way, it is better if Dumbledore lives. Then DDM!Snape 
has someone to report back to from Voldie's camp without any fuss 
about proving his loyalties. Of course, the downside is Voldie is 
probably less happy with him, so he may have less of interest to 
report


> Lupinlore:
>   It's especially hard to know why he would be jealous of 
> > Lupin getting the job.  Given the situation with the prank, it 
> would  be logical for Snape to be gloating over Lupin's predicament 
and 
> > waiting eagerly for the Snape to work Lupin's comeuppance.  Yet 
> all  the evidence we have is that Snape was extremely jealous and 
> annoyed, and that he believed Lupin had received a valuable prize 
that 
> rightly belonged to him, Snape.

zgirnius:
Could you give me some canon reference, please? I agree Snape has 
negative feelings about the appointment. Annoyed, or even stronger 
words, would describe his actions IMO. But I think jealous is coming 
straight out of the mouths of Harry and Ron, who can hardly know the 
reasons for Snape's annoyance. Given Snape's personal history, he 
could just be negative because extremely unpleasant memories of his 
schooldays are being forced on him, both by Lupin's presence at the 
school, and the escape of Sirius Black (who once tried to murder Me! 
says Snape). 

And I think there is a very strong, very logical, and also deeply 
personal reason for Snape to be less-than-thrilled with the idea of 
Lupin in a cursed DADA position, however much he may wish to see 
Lupin suffer. After all, if one tries to think of disastrous things 
that could happen to Lupin/with Lupin as a result of the curse, what 
is the first thing that comes to mind? Actually, only one thing comes 
to MY mind. Lupin is a calm, reasonable, kind person who simply WON'T 
mess up the way a Lockhart or an Umbridge would. But he is, alas, a 
werewolf. Snape standing over Lupin exhibiting his best bedside 
manner (HA!) trying to get the guy to down the potion when Snape can 
SEE it was never, in my opinion, about resentment, or trying to 
embarrass Lupin, or anything like that. It was simply wanting 
reassurance that he would not be seeing werewolf!Lupin again. Also 
likely why he agreed to brew the potion so perfectly every time all 
by himself
he slept better nights knowing it was done right.