Snape's minor memories (Was: Snape and Dumbledore on the Tower)

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 165390

Carol:

> I think that if he were a poor flyer, 
> we would have seen some indication of 
> that in the narrator's commentary. And 
> surely, Harry and Ron would have commented 
> on Snape's ineptitude and laughed at him.

houyhnhnm:

There isn't much commentary on the action in 
the air.  Snape awards a penalty to Hufflepuff 
because George Weasley hit a bludger at him.  
Hermione is squinting fixedly at Harry (and 
thus cannot observe anything of Snape's behavior) 
and then we are distracted by the skuffle between 
Draco and Neville.  Next thing we know, Harry has 
his arm raised triumphantly, clasping the Snitch.  
Snape's performance on the broom could have been 
nothing more than barely adequate.  

Carol:

> The spitting on the ground suggests bitter 
> disappointment ("Snape spat bitterly on the 
> ground"), not nausea from air sickness. If 
> that were the case, he'd be vomiting or swaying 
> and looking faint, not spitting "bitterly."

houyhnhnm:

I am never more suspicious of Rowling's adverbs 
than when they are applied to Snape.  (Read 
through PS descriptions of Snape, taking out all 
the adverbs as well as the references to greasy 
hair and hooked nose and you almost get a different 
character-JMO, of course)

But even if "bitterly" is an objective description 
of Snape's state of mind, and not just Harry's 
interpretation, Snape could well be bitter about 
the lengths to which his (so far mysterious) 
obligation to protect Harry has taken him--having 
to get on a broom in front of the whole school, 
for crying out loud. 

Carol:

> not at all questioning Snape's loyalty to DD, but 
> thinking that it and his courage are much better 
> illustrated when he goes off to face Voldemort at 
> the end of GoF

houyhnhnm:

Thinking that getting on a broom in front of the 
whole school for the sake of the cause, when you 
are a poor flyer, shows a great deal of courage.