CHAPDISC: HBP8, Snape Victorious

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 146639

 
> 5.  I just noticed this when working on this chapter and actually 
reading it
> in braille instead of hearing audio where I can't tell how a 
sentence is
> punctuated.  Snape tells Tonks that Harry is 
> 
> "quite--ah--safe in my hands."  
> 
> Is there any implication in his words here, or is it just done for 
emphasis,
> to add some sharpness, for Harry's benefit?  Or for Tonks?  Just 
curious
> about how this was written.  Any thoughts?

Potioncat:
Snape does like to act. I think he was playing Vincent Price this 
time.
> 
> 6.  Later in HBP, we learn that Tonks' patronus is now a wolf, and 
we're led
> to suspect it has changed because of her love for Remus.  But here 
at this
> point, we don't know any of that yet.  Why do you think Snape made 
these
> comments about her patronus?  He hasn't seemed to have any 
particular
> feelings one way or the other about Tonks previously; in fact, did 
we ever
> see them interact before?  Why does he say that her patronus is 
weak?  What
> do you think about the whole significance of the changing 
patronus?  Does it
> foreshadow events yet to come, or are there implications about 
Lupin in
> Snape's comments?

Potioncat:
Well, up till now Tonks was Snape's lover and he's just seen proof 
that....never mind.

It would be really, really nice to know what her previous Patronus 
was. I'm sure the strength of a Patronus has more to do with the one 
who casts it than what its form is. So even a butterfly would still 
be a strong Patronus. It's hard then to tell if he's making a dig at 
her condition or at Lupin. But I think it's at her. 

He calls her Nyphadora (please excuse spelling) Who else does he call 
by first name? Some old friends and Draco. I suggest that Tonks was a 
Slytherin and he was her Head of House. Whether or not I'm right, 
he's also worked with her in the Order and I think he's giving her 
some harsh truth.
> 

> 
> 8.  Ok, I've been dying to ask this question for months.  It's come 
up once
> or twice before with no response.  Did Snape see that Harry's face 
was
> covered in blood?  He did have a lantern with him, and when they 
entered the
> school there was a lot of light.  If he did see it, why didn't he 
comment or
> why didn't he realize that Harry had not been late on purpose, that
> something must have happened to Harry on the way?  If you believe 
he didn't
> see it, why not, how could he not see it?  With all the extra 
security and
> all that going on in the wizarding world, why didn't he ask Harry 
how his
> face got bloodied?  Were his snarky comments to Harry on the walk 
up to the
> castle just the usual routine, done to keep up appearances, or does 
he still
> seriously hate him so much?

Potioncat:

My honest reaction was "why didn't Tonks or Snape remove the blood?"
I'm not sure if Snape was trying to get the truth out of Harry or 
avoid getting the truth. I agree with Shaun that Snape wouldn't have 
wanted to know too much about what happened. 

I also think that someone with Snape's healing skills would be able 
to tell if there was a significant injury behind all that blood. As 
someone who has seen blood...a little goes a long way. So between 
Tonks bringing him calmly up to the gates, and his own skills of 
observation, I'm sure he knew Harry was OK. (The man could stand to 
take a class on Universal Precautions, however.)

Of greater interest might be the conversation after dinner in the 
Staff Lounge. "For heaven's sake Severus. What did you mean by 
bringing Potter to dinner in such condition? Half of Hufflpuff 
upchucked their supper on the table!"
> 
> 9.  Hermione tells Harry that Hagrid was only a few minutes late, 
yet Snape
> had said that Tonks' message to Hagrid couldn't reach him, because 
Hagrid
> was late, and that was why, he, Snape, had taken the message 
instead.  Was
> this true?  Do you think Snape intercepted the patronus message 
before it
> could reach its intended recipient?  How long do Patronuses take to 
arrive
> with a message?  Did it arrive when Hagrid was not there? Did Snape
> intercept the message because he was supposed to protect Harry, or 
just to
> have another golden opportunity to give him a bad time?

Potioncat:
 Unless Snape's Dark Magic is greater than DD's magic, he couldn't 
have improperly intercepted it. My guess is that Tonks sent the 
Patronus expecting Hagrid to see it first, but Snape did.

I'm leaning toward this being a red herring to mislead us into 
thinking Snape is bad. (Silly idea, that.)



> 
> 13.  Here is one of my favorite parts in the book, for surprise 
value,
> Dumbledore announcing Slughorn as Potions teacher.  How did you 
react when
> you read Dumbledore's announcement of Slughorn as potions master?  
Were you
> shocked?  Did you expect it at all?  When Harry and Dumbledore were 
going to
> meet Slughorn, did you think it was to hire him for DADA?

Potioncat: 
Does a dance and chant to show how great she thinks she is because "I 
knew it! I did!" There was something in the wording that clued me 
into it. I thought it was great!
> 
> 14.  I have racked my brains and can't remember any place in the 
books where
> it is stated as fact that Dumbledore did not trust Snape and that 
is why he
> has never given him the DADA post before.  Is this a case of rumor 
and
> gossip becoming fact over time?  Why indeed did Dumbledore give or 
not give
> Snape the job?  Has Snape really wanted it all these years?  Did 
you think
> about the DADA curse when you heard that Snape had the position?  
Was Harry
> correct in detecting the look of triumph on Snape's face?  He hates 
him so
> much, that every expression must be well known to him, yet his 
hatred may
> not make him a very reliable judge of such things.

Potioncat:
Surely the entire WW knew it was cursed? My theory is that Snape 
applied for it according to LV's orders. And as he and DD expected LV 
to return, Snape continued to apply for it, making it look as if DD 
preferred anyone (cough#Lockhart#cough) to Snape. I've no idea which 
course he'd rather teach. He seems pretty skilled in both subjects.

DD knew all along about the curse, knew that LV wanted Snape there, 
and finally--in DD's own time---put him there. 

It's hard to say what his expression really was. It's possible he 
didn't fully understand the nature of the jinx. Or he thought he'd be 
the one to break it.


> 
> 15.  How do you feel about Harry's savage comment that at least it 
means
> Snape will be gone by the end of the year?  Did Harry's comment 
about
> keeping his fingers crossed for another death disturb you?

Potioncat:
Well, his wording was like a prophecy wasn't it? Maybe there'll be 
another death...and there was. Just not the way he expected. But I do 
think it was anger speaking and Harry didn't really mean it. 
> 
This was a very nice summary and discussion Sherry. Nice job! And 
I'll say I read all the posts before posting mine, trying not to 
repeat comments, but hopefully to add something new or slightly 
different.
>