Snape vs Lupin (was:Werewolves and RL equivalents...

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 170434

Betsy Hp:

> Though, I don't think Lupin sees Snape as Persecutor 
> or Harry as his victim at this time. In a sense the 
> only one who doesn't change in this scene *is* Lupin. 
> The power of being the enigma I suppose. <g> Also, 
> I've never gotten the sense that Lupin actually 
> distrusts Snape. So I'm not sure what Lupin would 
> have thought he was protecting Harry from.

houyhnhnm:

The power of being the enigma is a good way to put it.  
The power of passivity.

Lupin may not have distrusted Snape in the sense 
of being an ESE!Snaper, but he had plenty of reason 
to doubt Snape's goodwill towards himself.  Snape 
surely made no secret of the fact that he disagreed 
with Dumbledore's decision to hire Lupin and that 
would be enough motivation, it seems to me, to set 
up a game in which he is Harry's rescuer and Snape 
is Harry's persecutor.  He'd already done it once 
with Neville as the Victim.  

Then, too, right after Harry came into his office, 
Lupin offered to make tea, apologizing for the fact 
that he only had teabags. "--but I daresay you've 
had enough of tea leaves?" Lupin added, his eyes 
twinkling.  In other words, he's there to protect 
Harry from ALL his bad teachers.

Snape's appearing in his office when he did couldn't 
have come as a total surprise to Lupin.  He knew what 
time of the month it was.  I think Lupin was in a gamesy 
mood and I think he would have "won" if Snape had been 
provoked into saying something cutting to Harry.  But 
Snape is not so easily played as he once was.  The 
episode ended as a stand-off, though I have the feeling 
it was Lupin who was inwardly smirking and Snape who 
was fuming after they parted.