The Continuing Tragedy of Severus Snape: Reflections on Books 1-5

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 164543

> Cassy V: 
> c) I don't *blame* Snape for his behaviour in the Shack but it did
> seem to require more of an explanation than we received. It's 
> Harry's suggestion that does Snape the biggest disservice, 
IMHO: "YOU'RE
> PATHETIC! JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T
> EVEN LISTEN--" (POA19) Clearly, we haven't been told everything.

zgirnius:
This is after Lupin has made the same charge. I think Snape has 
already denied it, when he yells to Hermione "DON'T TALK ABOUT THINGS 
YOU DON"T UNDERSTAND!", earlier in that same scene.

It seems to me HBP has supplied the clues to Snape's reactions in 
this scene. He is so angry at Sirius, because he, Snape, regretted 
telling the prophecy to Voldemort, and became a spy at 'great 
personal risk' (GoF) in part to try and avert the danger. And then 
Black, he believes, betrayed them anyway, wasting all thast effort. 
(If Snape had any special feelings for Lily, this would only make his 
reactions even more understandable).

Cassy V:
> and b) seems to have been
> (the only one?) to suspect Sirius * before* the events at Godric's
> Hollow? 'You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe 
you
> might be mistaken in Black –' (POA19). Now what was *that* about?

zgirnius:
Personally, I think Snape may have warned James personally, or 
through Potter, that Voldemort had subverted his Secret Keeper. Peter 
was, apparently, the SK for a week, so Voldemort did not act 
immediately, which leaves more time for leaks (hypothetically) to 
have happened. I don't think Snape had specific information about 
Sirius: I think it was more that he knew 1) the Fidelius had been 
cast, and 2) Voldemort was convinced he could find the Potters, and 
deduced 3) Sirius was a traitor, because the whole point of the 
switch was to tell everyone Sirius was the SK.