[HPforGrownups] Re: Snape spy timeline in VW1

[Christine Maupin]

No: HPFGUIDX 175942

> zgirnius:
 > I was a proponent of the idea that Snape spied for Dumbledore for a 
 > considerable amount of time, in the neighborhood of a full year, in 
 > VW1. > in HBP. > 
 > Now, I turn to my tidbit...(emphasis mine).
 > 
 > > DH, "The Prince's Tale":
 > > he stood on a hilltop, forlorn and cold in the darkness, the wind 
 > whistling through the branches of a few *leafless* trees.
 
 > So it took place in the Fall or Winter of the previous year, months 
 > before Harry's first birthday in mid-summer.
 
 allthecoolnamesgone 
>Do we know exactly when the prophecy was given? We know that Snape 
>overheard it in part and reported it to V. I wondered whether at the 
>time he reported it that he was unaware of Lily's pregnancy. It would 
>give added weight to his horror if he only subsequently discovered 
>that this gem of info he had delivered did not refer to some unknown 
>and 'inconsequential' child but to the child of 'his' Lily. In fact I 
>even speculate that the provision of the prophecy was the price of 
>Snapes admission to the inner circle of 'marked' Death Eaters. That 
>would be truly ironic, the price of his coveted entry to 'the club' 
>is likely to be the life of the only person he has ever cared for.

In OOTP, before Christmas (which would be 1995), Trelawney tells Umbridge that she has taught at Hogwarts "[n]early sixteen years." (p. 313)  Snape tells Umbridge that he has taught at Hogwarts fourteen years. (p. 363).

At the end of OOTP (which would now be 1996), Dumbledore tells Harry that he interviewed Trelawney "on a cold, wet night sixteen years ago..." (p. 840).  We know that Dumbledore hired Trelawney after she gave the prophecy -- the prophecy which says, "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...".  I interpret "approaches" to mean he hasn't yet been born.  Harry was born July 31, 1980.  I think we can assume that the prophecy was given either in the winter of 1979 or winter/early spring of 1980 and that Snape told Voldemort of the prophecy as soon as he could.  Snape probably wouldn't know that Lily was pregnant since they had gone their separate ways long before.

If in the fall/winter of 1995 Snape has been teaching 14 years, he began teaching in 1981. James and Lily were killed October 31, 1981.  He might have started teaching September 1 or the term after they died.  I suspect he started September 1, which would help explain why he was in Dumbledore's office as he mourned Lily.

I can't help but think that Peter told Voldemort that Lily and Alice Longbottom both had given birth at the end of July.  They were all in the Order so he was in a position to know.

Its late, I'm tried, so I won't be offended when someone checks my math (which generally is not as good as JKR's).

Christy
 
       
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