POA, territorialism and the pecking order (Snape's dirty past uncovered )

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 170547

> Jen: But I do agree Dumbledore has indeed included Snape and Hagrid
> in the ever-growing group of people, beings and beasts under his 
> protection at Hogwarts. I just wouldn't say DD does this because he
> sees them as more loyal so much as feeling more responsible for 
> protecting and defending them.

> Magpie:
> Even if it's his feeling more responsible for protecting and 
> defending them, I think that's part of his being more intimate with 
> them. They are mistrusted by others but Dumbledore always gives his 
> personal assurance that he trusts them.
> 
> And that's not just about how Dumbledore feels about them but how 
> they feel about Dumbledore--I would actually say that in PoA I get 
> a little territorialism from Snape with Lupin at Hogwarts as well. 
> Does that ring true for you at all? 

Jen: Territorialism does ring true for me, very much so in a book 
about people turning into animals!  There's almost a feral sense in 
POA with a pecking order in the works and Snape ending up at the 
bottom of the hierarchy again like he did after the Prank (in his own 
mind at least).  And he's worked so hard all year to establish his 
authority because Hogwarts *is* his territory, only to be passively 
snubbed by Lupin and overtly crossed by Harry-as-a-proxy-for-James.  
Then to top it off, alpha dog-Dumbledore nips at his pup Snape and 
puts him back in his place when he attempts to move above it!  Ah, if 
only there weren't emotions involved everyone would have accepted the 
hierarchy and moved on. ;)

Seriously though, I'm thinking of POA in a whole new way since you 
made that comment, Magpie.  It ties back to the intimacy you talked 
about Dumbledore having with Snape and Hagrid over Lupin and Sirius
(who have created their own intimacy with the Marauders).  There's 
another dog metaphor circling in my mind: Snape and Hagrid are part 
of Dumbledore's pack just as the Marauders have their own pack and 
that leads to an intimacy and trust between the three of them.  It's 
similar to how the Marauders built their own trust and intimacy with 
each other and Lily, although different in scope because Dumbledore 
will always hold a place above Snape and Hagrid.  But I understand 
more clearly what you were saying now.  Before I thought you were 
saying Dumbledore didn't *really* trust Lupin or Sirius but now I 
think you were talking about the...depth of trust, if that's the 
right way to phrase it?

One other funny thought since we're all rambling in these days of 
waiting, eh?   Wouldn't it be ironic if JKR plays *some* of the Snape 
stuff with Harry similar to Sirius with Harry, in that Snape is 
jostling the favored son from a sibling rivalry for Dumbledore's 
attention as much as anything else.  Yeah, he's an adult and teacher 
and *should* be more mature than that but he's also stunted in his 
emotional growth in a way very similar to Sirius if for different 
reasons.  It would make me rethink some of the scenes like Snape 
stopping Harry from seeing Dumbledore in GOF when he was so desperate 
to talk to him and also Snape's attempts to get Harry expelled so he 
can establish his own place with Dumbledore again.  

I don't know if this would end up the case but I'd personally enjoy a 
Snape parallel with Sirius.  I think of them as being much more alike 
than they care to admit or maybe they are flip sides of the same 
coin?  I haven't quite worked it out but there's something attaching 
the two characters in my mind even though they appear very different 
to Harry.

Magpie:
> I do think that Snape's outing Lupin to the Slytherins could have a
> part in his leaving--but his leaving, not Dumbledore's firing him. 
> He didn't ever want Lupin there, and I think was probably driven 
> crazy by Lupin's easily ingratiating himself with everyone. I think 
> that's probably part of the reason that it's so satisfying for 
> Snape to see that he's "right" and Lupin is indeed helping Sirius. 

Jen:  I agree with this interpretation.  Lupin is so self-contained 
it's difficult for me to imagine anyone *making* him do something he 
wasn't planning to do; he's got a will of iron under that pleasant 
facade, fired over the years by hardship and survival.  Whatever 
Snape's motive, Lupin understands Snape's actions have just made his 
life even harder and I'd guess he's pissed under that wry smile.  Or 
maybe he's just resigned to what's ahead?  I'm not sure.  At any 
rate, the exchange with Harry about the letters arriving is just the 
tip of the iceberg for what Lupin will face when leaves the 
protection of Hogwarts and he knows it.

Jen