Snape again

[kchuplis]

No: HPFGUIDX 146862

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "quick_silver71" <quick_silver71 at y...> 
wrote:
>

> 
> Yet when we see Snape in Spinner's End he certainly doesn't seem all 
> that socially dysfunctional. Snape can clearly mingle with the pure-
> bloods when he needs to and Narcissa describes him as being 
> Lucius "old friend."  
>  

kchuplis:

I guess I am thinking of "social" in the ability to just mingle at will. I am very good 
when with people I'm around so much that I am comfortable with them, but not so 
good in situations like parties, organized groups (seminars at work etc.). Also, I am 
thinking of at school (which in H.S. I sucked, but college was different because I was 
with people in my own discipline. Still wasn't widely social). In Hogwarts both Tom 
and Harry have a pretty wide circle of friends (well "friends" for Tom) but not Snape. 
Maybe there are a few, but we see him completely alone at the end of semester, after 
tests, not with a group as is depicted for James and Harry.  Not being socially gifted 
does not mean you have no friends or can't get along in intimate situations. I guess I 
see that VERY much for myself and it is something I really really envy in others. Get 
more than four people around me socially and I'm not very good. However, I am a 
good leader. Wierd huh?

quicksilver:
> 
> But we've heard nothing of awards for James, the other Marauders, 
> Lily, Dumbledore, Slughorn, McGonagall, and a host of other 
> characters that are charming and/or powerful. 

kchuplis:
We hear plenty of commentary though about how brilliant these people are. James is 
referred several times to as being, well, quite the wunderkind by several people. 
Sirius too.  I'll make note as I go next time, but it really does occur more than once. 
Slughorn goes on and on about Lily, she is a prefect (we know that prefects are 
*usuallly* pretty good students), McGonagall talks about always getting applause for 
her transfiguration to a cat from third years when she introduces them to it. 
Dumbledore is referred to as genius over and over. Other than Lupin saying that not 
just anyone could brew wolfsbane and the kudos from DD over the mandrake potion, 
we don't hear a whole lot about Snape, and yet from the HBP we know he must have 
been a pretty strong student. But no one lauds him in word or award even as an adult.

quicksilver:
>nor is 
> Snape the undisputed Potions Master of the current generation (it 
> was Damocles Belby that invented Wolfsbane
recently according to 
> Lupin). 
>  

kchuplis:
He doesn't have to be the most brilliant to ever tred the halls of Hogwarts or the best 
potion maker to think he might have been better thought of at school when you 
consider what we DO hear. We see that he was probably uncommonly good at potions 
if Slughorn's praise of Harry isn't just blowing smoke up his pants. And that's a bit of 
my point too. Slughorn goes on and on about Lily, not Snape and yet, you would think 
per Slughorn's dialogue and the fact that we know (in retrospect) Harry is using 
Snape's recipes that Snape must have been at least as good as Lily.  You don't have to 
be heralded as the best of all time to want some recognition as being talented in a 
peer situation. It is magnified for the young person. How did Snape feel knowing that 
he was (probably) as talented as Lily but he wasn't prefect, he wasn't talked about by 
hid teachers (as far as we know) like Lily was? And he wasn't popular (pretty evident). I 
just think those things could have done a big enough number on his ego to make him 
vulnerable to LV.