Snape's childhood memory

[bawilson at citynet.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 146938

"Alla
<snip>
Eileen was a witch, so isn't it possible that that scene which we all saw in Snape's memories was ONE incident when Tobias learned that his wife is a witch and his son is a wizard? <snip>It does NOT IMO necessarily show that Snape had an abusive past. He may have 
witnessed ONE altercation between his parents during his childhood and 
remembered it well, because it was UNIQUE."

BAW:
Also, Severus was very small when it happened.  To a child, Tobias' anger would have looked more apocalyptic than it really was.
BAW