Snape's dirty past uncovered WAS: Re: Werewolves and RL equivalents

[wynnleaf]

No: HPFGUIDX 170480

> > Mike:
> > LOL. But of course, had Lupin only known a particular thing from 
> > Snape's past, I think he would have been holding the trump card.
> > 
> > Magpie:
> > LOL! And it's so Snape to probably not even think of that--I mean, 
> in his
> > mind it's probably completely different. Although I don't think it 
> would
> > have been a trump card, to be honest. I think Snape would be 
> prepared to
> > weather the reaction to his being a DE in ways Lupin was not ready to
> > weather the reaction to his being a werewolf.
> <SNIP of the whole post basically>
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Too bad we would never know now most likely. But I think that by the 
> way Snape reacts to fake Moody making jubs at his past, he would not 
> have much defiance indeed.
> 
> Just my opinion obviously, but I do not believe Snape would want 
> anybody know about his past if that can be helped - for whatever 
> different reasons depending on Snape you support.
> 
> I mean, you mention earlier that he outs himself to Fudge. Did he 
> though?
> 
> I was under impression that Fudge was perfectly aware of Snape being 
> former DE, just did not know about Dark Mark or did I always read that 
> scene wrong?
> 
> 
> But even if Fudge had no clue, outing himself towards the Minister, 
> whom Snape has all the reasons IMo to believe would do what Dumbledore 
> say, is not the same as to show himself to general public IMO.

> I do not see Snape outing himself towards Rita Skeeter for example. By 
> the way, why does she not say anything, what do you think?

wynnleaf
Sorry, but I don't understand this discussion at all (not just this
post, but all these posts that assume Snape's being a Death Eater was
some deep secret).

In GOF, when Harry went into Dumbledore's pensieve, he landed in the
courtroom at the MOM.  

Please note this passage at the beginning of Harry's entrance into the
memory:

<<Breathing hard and fast, Harry looked around him.  Not one of the
witches and wizards in the room (and there were at least two hundred
of them) were looking at him.>>

This is the *same* memory where Karkaroff is brought in and questioned
by Crouch Sr.  At the end of Karkaroff's evidence he accuses Snape of
being a Death Eater.  Dumbledore got *to his feet* (no he didn't just
leaning over and whisper to Crouch) and made this statement:

"I have given evidence already in this matter,"  he said calmly. 
"Severus Snape was indeed a Death Eater.  However, he rejoined our
side before Lord Voldemort's downfall and turned spy for us, at great
personal risk.  He is now no more a Death Eater than I am."

Please note:  two hundred witches and wizards heard this.  This wasn't
just a little private chat between Crouch, Dumbledore and Karkaroff.  

I simply cannot understand why anyone would think that Snape's having
been a Death Eater remained a secret following that.  Certainly, it
makes sense that Sirius (in Azkaban at the time) had never heard about
it.  But certainly there were plenty of people in the midst of that
group of 200 who were quite aware that Snape was currently holding
down the Potions position at Hogwarts.  

Sure, Snape got pretty touchy when Barty Jr confronted him as
fake!Moody.  Snape seemed sort of insecure regarding Dumbledore's
trust, as though any comments by Moody made him really defensive.  But
that certainly doesn't mean that no one knew he'd been a Death Eater.  

And Fudge was certainly bound to know as well.  It's pretty certain
this is the sort of gossip that would come up now and again.

Two hundred people.  No, the students may have known nothing about it,
but you can bet lots of adults were quite aware of Snape's past.

wynnleaf