[HPforGrownups] Re: CHAPDISC: HBP24, Sectumsempra

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 161341


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "k12listmomma" <k12listmomma at comcast.net>
To: <HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2006 6:50 PM
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: CHAPDISC: HBP24, Sectumsempra


>> k12listmomma
> Maybe I didn't make my case clear. We know Snape is a double agent- 
> helping
> Dumbledore, and leading the Dark Lord to think he's still loyal to him at
> the same time. Yes, it was widely known that Snape HAD BEEN a Death Eater,
> but it was NOT known to everyone that he was acting as a double agent 
> since
> then. The official word to the "public" is that Snape turned good, period,
> that he had "forsaken" all that was loyal to Voldemort. I think the
> revelation of this book, and the spells that Snape developed, would have
> cast a new light on Snape, a new suspicion on Snape that maybe it was
> Snape's nature to be "dark", not merely that he was a follower of the Dark
> Lord. Thus, someone close to Snape might have watched his actions more
> carefully- something that he didn't need at a time when he was tailing
> Draco.

Magpie:
But I still don't see where any of this is suggested as having anything to 
do with Snape.  That sort of distinction has never been much of an issue in 
the books, particularly with him.  His interest in the Dark Arts while still 
at school was told to us by Sirius Black before we even saw it as something 
that was generally known (the bigger shock to him seemed to be that he'd 
been a DE).  We've never heard anything about Snape's turning good depending 
on the idea that he was never really bad to begin with.  Once it was 
revealed that Snape was a DE it didn't seem like anyone thought he was one 
of the pushed-into-it people.

But even apart from that, what would healing Draco help, since it doesn't 
erase what happened? Snape doesn't do anything to the three witnesses who 
saw the spell in action.  As far as we know Harry reports the spell to his 
friends (after Snape identifies it to him as Dark Magic) including Hermione 
who identifies it as a Dark Spell and Pansy reports whatever she knows all 
over the school.  When he sees the spell Snape knows Harry has the book and 
demands it, but doesn't do much to get it when Harry doesn't give it up and 
pretends he didn't have it--and by asking for it and letting Harry know 
Snape knows where the spell came from, he's given Harry or someone a 
potential clue to his identity.

So I'm still left thinking that Snape doesn't act like his primary 
motivation in healing Draco is covering up his teenaged career, especially 
since I don't see how healing Draco is the difference between Snape being 
outed as the HBP or not.  While on the other side it seems like Snape's 
often taken care of hurt students as a teacher, HBP suggests he's especially 
experienced at healing and he's made a deadly vow to protect Draco from 
harm.

-m