[HPforGrownups]To the Extreme/Snape, Lily&Potions

[julie]

No: HPFGUIDX 164874


> 
> Alla:
> But please tell me honestly did you at all expected DD death by 
Snape's hand 
> before book 6?  Not while you were reading HBP, because I know some 
people 
> figured it out since Spinner end, but after OOP, did you think of 
that at 
> all?
> 
> What hints in the story showed to you **that** possibility, or 
probably what 
> beats?
> 
> So, I am not sure that HBP connection with Harry is not a red 
herring, that 
> is all.

> Magpie:
> Now you're making me totally want to see this Dark!Lily. She really 
is more 
> interesting than the Sainted one--and Harry sure has overlooked her.
> 
> I didn't see Snape killing DD at all before HBP--didn't see that 
coming at 
> all! I've no idea how the next book will go either. I guess the 
reason I 
> feel like the Potions book can't be a red herring is that it was 
the 
> solution to a mystery already. It's like saying that it turns out 
Faux!Moody 
> wasn't really Barty Crouch when that was a mystery brought up and 
solved in 
> GoF.

Julie:
I think that's the difference between Snape killing Dumbledore/
Moody really being Barty Crouch Jr, and HBP notes being Lily's.
The first two revelations explain things that went before and
we fully see the clues and motivations. Snape took the UV and
promised to complete Draco's task. We knew Draco had to do
something for Voldemort, to murder someone--Dumbledore as it
turned out--so it makes narrative sense when Snape kills
Dumbledore, even if it still took us by surprise. Same with
Fake!Moody. It explained some of Moody's actions when we
learned that he was really Barty Crouch Jr. It made sense. 

But the HBP notes really being Lily's doesn't explain anything
nor does it make any narrative sense. Why would Lily make
up spells for enemies (really, what enemies did a schoolage
Lily even have)? Makes lots of sense for teenage reject Snape 
though. And why would Lily's handwriting be small and cramped,
just like Snape's? She'd have to be forging his script, or  
narrating the spells and he was writing them out? Which 
seems unnecessarily complicated.

Furthermore, if Snape is taking credit for Lily's work, how
does that even fit in with his seeming respect for her as
indicated by the fact that he's never once mentioned her
name in any derogatory way to Harry (despite the fact that
he's willing to point out even the minor perceived faults of
James'--"Your father was too stubborn to listen to me"...)?
A boy who stole someone else's work isn't going to like or
respect the person he stole from. To cover himself, he's
going to do exactly the opposite, denigrate that person's
abilities. Yet, again, Snape never says a word against
Lily. 

Or what of Snape in a fury, his face "suffused with hatred"
shouting "You dare use *my* own spells against me, Potter? 
...etc...like your filthy father...etc." He takes credit
here, while he's barely containing his rage. Has he fooled 
himself so well that the lies come out of his mouth so
easily? 

No, it just doesn't fit with what's gone before. And it
doesn't serve any purpose for JKR to show how much Snape
excels at magic--both Potions and DADA--and then do a
switch where he's really not that good after all. And
she *has* shown Snape's skill throughout the books, most
especially in HBP. 

Julie, who thinks Lily might have made a fine Potions
Master if she'd wanted it (and had lived), but that 
doesn't take away in the least from Snape's clear
mastery of the subject.