[HPforGrownups] The Many Faces of Snape was: High Noon for OFH!Snape

[P J]

No: HPFGUIDX 149565

Betsy Hp:
>Why would OFH!Snape seriously care what happened to Draco Malfoy?
>I'm not sure why I should take OFH!Snape at his word when he says
>he'd willing defy one all powerful wizard to help a young boy try
>and kill another all powerful wizard.  It seems to go against
>the "out for himself" code of behavior.


PJ:
Ok, let's try this...  Let's make a sliding scale with "DDM!Misunderstood 
Angel" on one end and "ESE!Nastier than Voldemort" on the other.  That 
leaves us with LOTS of room in between for various perceptions of DDM!, OFH! 
as well as ESE!Snapes and none have to be exactly like the others even while 
sharing a common designation.  Tammy and SSSusan have already made this 
quite clear regarding DDM!Snape so I don't feel I'm off the mark at all, but 
even they may not agree on *all* facets of DDM!Snape.

So what have we got?  We've got about 200 different opinions of who Snape is 
and what he's up to but who all use the *same* *3* *designators* to define 
their man.  Then, as if the situation weren't bad enough, we have LID 
weaving it's way through any and all designators seamlessly.  All this is 
bound to create *some* confusion.  :-)

While there are many variations of OFH!Snape, I don't believe my version is 
anywhere *near* ESE! on the Snape sliding scale since, as Carol has pointed 
out, she's a DDM!Snaper and we still agreed on quite a bit regarding the UV.

So who is *my* Snape and why do I cubbyhole him as OFH!?  My Snape is 
emotionally immature and takes his considerable frustration out on those 
around him.  He's snarky and a bully and much too caught up in his own 
brilliance for his own good.  He respects brains and cunning and has the 
Slytherin idea that "the end justifies the means".  Respect is a major 
factor for him and he insists on receiving it while not considering many 
others deserving of it.  Friendship for him is a matter of "standing" and 
respect - in both directions.

I believe he came to Dumbledore of his own free will after being 
disillusioned by Voldemort and I think he felt a certain respect and 
closeness to Dumbledore and felt respected in return.  But all this changed 
for Severus when Harry came to school.  As Harry got rewarded for breaking 
the rules it reminded Snape too much of his own school days where, rather 
than be expelled for being part of "the prank", James is made Head Boy.  And 
I believe that the old hates and jealousy ate Snape alive.  That's when 
Dumbledore lost Snape's loyalty...

I feel Snape chafes at the bit of both his "Masters" and wants to go his own 
way, make his own decisions, but finds himself trapped.  He has been 
(literally) branded by one, and saved by the other (even a gilded cage is 
still a cage) and now, as *he* sees it, *both* regard Snape as their own 
pawn to be used in the chess game of war.  Neither feel him worthy of 
sharing their thoughts/reasons with him but they both put him in grave 
danger to further their own plans.

He resents both Voldemort and Dumbledore and doesn't care which side wins as 
long as *he* survives intact.  He wants his quiet life filled with his 
books, his potions, his spells and his grudges to enjoy for many years... He 
wants out of the tug of war between Dumbledore and Voldemort but will go 
along with the charade of being loyal to both in order to be rewarded at the 
end by which ever side he helps to win.

That uncharming fellow is *my* OFH!Snape and while I'll bet he doesn't look 
exactly like any other on this list, I'm also willing to bet my last nickle 
that almost everyone can see one or two bits and pieces of their *own* Snape 
in him regardless of what classification they give him.   He's a slippery 
little devil.  :-)

PJ