Snape, Apologies, and Redemption--Lupin vs. DD

[lanval1015]

No: HPFGUIDX 152671


Irene: 
> So if someone is only mean to two people, it does not
> make him mean, right? Did I get your argument
> correctly?


Lanval:
No, you did not. I'm not talking about 'someone', I'm talking about 
Sirius, and only Sirius, and about two very specific cases in Sirius' 
life. Actually, come to think of it, there are also Kreacher and Mrs 
Black. He's mean to them, too. The poor things. Make that four cases. 
Must I get into details here? 

Then there is Snape. Sirius and Snape haved loathed and fought one 
another (as JKR says, the loathing was entirely mutual) since they 
were kids; put them in one room, as in OotP, and they'll start going 
at it like two tomcats. 

The other case I recall is Harry, on one occasion ONLY. Sirius makes 
a rather hurtful remark about Harry not being like his dad. 

All this hardly makes Sirius the owner of a mean streak. Yet this 
charge that he is a superbly mean, aggressive person pops up with 
monotonous regularity. 

But I may be wrong, perhaps there are scenes I've forgotten.


Irene:
> Brilliant, because that should close all the "Snape
> the mean teacher" arguments forever. He is only mean
> to Harry and Neville, ergo, he is not mean. ;-))))
>


Lanval:
Uh, are we still in Potterverse here? 
Snape is only mean to Harry and Neville, you say? 

Yes, to all others he's a regular little ray of sunshine, is our 
Sevvie... 
*picks herself up from the floor* Thanks for the laugh. :)

 

> 
> >  
> > Nope, Snape does not end up in the Shrieking Shack
> > because he 
> > worries about dear Remus taking his potion. Nor is
> > he there to 
> > protect Harry. His purpose is to catch Black and
> > Lupin.
> 
> And what is wrong with that? Black is a convicted
> criminal on the run, and Snape suspects Lupin of
> aiding him (quite justified in his suspicions too;
> Lupin was in fact helping Black, by witholding
> information).
> 
> Irene
> 
Lanval:

I was responding to claims that Snape went to the Shrieking Shack for 
other reasons than vengeance -- such as reminding Lupin to drink his 
potion.
Nothing is wrong with Snape's actions, from a WW legal point. He had 
every right to go after Sirius and try to catch him. Though I would 
object, again, to the word 'convicted criminal'. 
I can't even get all that upset at Snape's obvious glee at catching 
Black and Lupin. Lord knows Snape can hold a grudge, and I would 
certainly not have very cuddly feelings toward two people whom I 
suspect of once having conspired to kill me -- because I DO believe 
that Snape is truly convinced that Sirius tried to kill him as a 
teenager. 
I simply, as an outsider, happen to disagree with that assessment. 
That he refuses, foaming at the mouth, to listen to ANY 
sort of reasoning from anyone, that Sirius MAY be innocent, however --
 that's what I find morally questionable, to say the least.