Snape and Karkaroff

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 161706

Potioncat wrote:
<snip>
> "Then flee," said Snape's voice curtly. "Flee--I will make your 
> excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts."<<<
> 
> I know we've discussed this before. But reading this situation after 
> having read HBP, things seem different. Is this DE!Karkaroff
speaking to DE!Snape? Is this DD-redeemed!Karkaroff speaking to
DDM!Snape. 
> Regardless of who Snape is, who is he pretending to be in this scene?
> 
> It crossed my mind that Snape, who told Bella he stayed at Hogwarts 
> to be of use to LV, may be playing that game with Karkaroff. I
wonder if Karkaroff was at Drumstrang on LV's orders? Could he have
been there before he was captured by Moody? 
> 
> I always thought that Snape was saying he would stay at Hogwarts
near DD's protection, as if Karkaroff should do that too. But now I'm
not so sure. It sounds more like Snape is saying he will stay at his
post until he hears from LV. <snip>

Carol responds:
I think your first instinct is correct, only I always read it as an
act of courage and loyalty on Snape's part rather than the desire for
DD's protection, whereas Karkaroff is clearly a coward. "Flee, then!
Flee!" to me shows Snape's contempt, and "I will make your excuses" is
just "Don't worry. I'll cover up for you."

Karkaroff is clearly terrified of Voldemort and the DEs he betrayed
(even though only one, Rookwood, actually was arrested because of
him). I doubt very much that he's at Hogwarts on Voldemort's orders;
Dumbledore invited him as part of his attempt to unite the three
schools against Voldemort. Voldemort refers to him in the graveyard
scene (not by name, but who else can he mean?) as a coward who must be
punished (as he certainly is--killed within a year). And Karkaroff
flees the moment he's summoned by the Dark Mark after Harry and Cedric
disappear from the TWT.

So I seriously doubt that Snape is posing as a loyal DE for Karkaroff.
I think that Karkaroff appeals to him for help for the opposite
reason; he knows (as, I think, does Barty Jr.) that Snape is loyal to
Dumbledore. And I think that Barty has mentioned where Snape's
loyalties lie in his communications with LV (the eagle owl, remember?).

Of course, Snape explains it all away after he "returns" to Voldemort,
but I see no reason why he'd pretend to be a loyal DE for Karkaroff's
benefit since Igor is a traitor himself.

Carol, who hopes this is coherent as she's in a hurry