CHAPDISC: HBP24, Sectumsempra

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 161327

Cyril wrote:
> 
> IMO, Snape is probably one of the few people who can *reverse* the
> impact of Sectumsempra, because it is his own spell. However, IMO,
> that does not necessarily mean that he had knowledge of ancient (or
> even modern) healing magic, which could counter such damaging magic.

Carol responds:
As indicated elsewhere, I'm not sure whether Snape invented the
counterspell or researched it, but we do know that he's an expert in
healing wounds created by Dark magic. He saves both Dumbledore and
katie Bell in HBP. And the resemblance of the counterspell to
Gregorian chant interests me. The only fairly other complex
incantation I can recall from the books is the three-part
bone/flesh/blood spell that Wormtail recited when he added those
ingredients to the Voldie-restoration potion, and there's no
indication that his spell was chanted or sung. Snape's also appears to
be in a language Harry doesn't understand, perhaps Latin, which Snape
clearly knows (see his spell names) and Harry doesn't (see his
ignorance of what the spells did until he actually cast them--lesson
to young readers--learn your Latin roots!)
> 
Cyril:
> The reason for this opinions was the following examples:
> 
> Why was Snape not able to heal himself when he was presumably (as it
> is Harry's assumption about the cause) bitten by Fluffy in SS/PS.
> While there is no canon (other than Harry's assumption) about the
> cause, Snape clearly was limping, and should have been able to heal
> himself.

Carol responds:
Good question, and one I've wondered about myself. First, JKR's
characters are at the mercy of her plot--she needs to have Harry see
Snape failing to get past the Three-Headed Dog and having him injured
and talking to Filch is one way to bring that about. But also it
appears that Snape's expertise relates to Dark spells and their
countercurses more than Dark creatures. (As an aside, I do think he
knows a lor about Dementors and Inferi, but perhaps less about
Cerberuslike dogs--or minor nuisances like Kappas.) It's also rather
surprising that he didn't have some sort of healing potion on hand,
but again, I think that character was sacrificed to plot in this
instance, and also JKR was playing her cards close to her chest with
Snape and was not ready to reveal his many gifts so soon.
> 
Cyril:
> Again, Snape was not able to help Arthur Weasly when he was bitten
by Nagini, and the wounds were not healing for quite some time.

Carol:
When did Snape have an opportunity to treat Arthur? Arthur was in the
MoM and taken immediately to St. Mungo's. Snape wouldn't even have
known about it until Arthur was in his hospital bed.
<snip>

> Cyril, totally agreeing with Carol and other posters on the view
that Snape used advanced, complex magic to help heal Draco, but does
not seem to show the same capability in some other instances.

Carol:
I'm not so sure that we "totally agree." My view is that JKR mostly
kept Snape's abilities as a Healer under wraps until HBP, when we also
learn what a brilliant student he was. However, we've had glimpses of
Healer!Snape in the antidotes he always has ready for his Potions
students in the earlier books and in his making the Wolfbane Potion
for Lupin in PoA. It seems likely that he also made the Mandrake
Restorative Potion administered by Madam Pomfrey in CoS: Professor
Sprout only grew the Mandrakes. I don't recall either her or Madam
Pomfrey actually making a potion, and Snape says to Lockhart, who
volunteers to make it, "I believe I am the Potions master at this
school." (It's only in the film that Dumbledore asks for a round of
applause for Sprout and Pomfrey.)

Carol, who never said that Snape didn't "show the same capability in
other instances" but thinks that his healing powers were intended as a
revelation in HBP