CHAPDISC: HBP30, The White Tomb

[Goddlefrood]

No: HPFGUIDX 165710

<SNIP> exemplary summary by a_svirn, and selecting a few choice 
questions:

> 4.	It has been discussed extensively, but still. Is Harry right 
> in thinking that Snape followed the same pattern as Voldemort? Does 
> proclaiming oneself a Half-Blood Prince mean renouncing one's 
> muggle heritage?

Goddlefrood:

In respect of the adoption of the name by Snape. My view is that it 
was a name he called himself and that was only known to him. It seems 
unlikely that he would have drawn too much attention to his heritage 
with the Slytherin crowd he hung around with and it is also unlikely, 
judging by his popularity with other members of his year, that he was 
called anything else but Snivellus or Snape when same fellow students 
were being kind.

Having said that there are parallels with LV, but then the Half-Blood 
Prince is hardly a name that might one day inspire terror within the 
wizarding community, now is it. It is actually rather the reverse in 
may ways as Snape is seemingly only referred to as Snape, Professor 
Snape or Severus when being referred to by any other than his 
enemies, and the name Snape is the muggle name.

It is, thinking about it, actually quite bizarre that Snape actually 
may have convinced his fellow DEs in particular that he was a full 
blood. It would not seem likely that they would be unaware that Snape 
has not appeared as a wizarding name for some time, and, therefore, 
it would not take too huge a leap by his fellow DEs to become aware 
that Severus was a half-blood. (I know what this means even if no-one 
else can follow).

> 5.	Do you agree with Hermione that Snape held his peace about 
> the book only because by exposing Harry he would inevitably expose 
> himself? 

Goddlefrood: 

No, what would it benefit him to not be found out? He was not the one 
using the book, after all.

> 10.	This has been discussed a lot, but must be asked again here. 
> What about that white smoke taking the shape of a phoenix? Was it 
> Fawkes? Was it the essence of Dumbledore, for want of a better 
word? 
> Or something (-one) else? 

Goddlefrood:

I believe this will be Dumbledore's last message to Severus. It is 
too curiously like a Patronus and is very similar to the very first 
description of one (in GoF after Barty Crouch's body is found).

> 13.	Why is Scrimgeour so adamant about Stan Shunpike's fate? 
> Surely his release is a small price to pay for Harry's cooperation? 

Goddlefrood:

The Ministry, although possibly misguided, as Harry thinks, 
especially relative to Stan Shunpike, might also actually have some 
evidence against Stan. It may well turn out, and I put this forward 
here for further discusssion if anyone is interested, that Stan had 
been doing illegal or illicit jobs for LV or a Death Eater. 

If I am right then I further conject that he did so under the 
influence of an Imperius curse, a la Madam Rosmerta. However, 
whatever he may have done must have been extremely serious and his 
claim to have been acting under Imperius may have been disbelieved, 
hence his continued detention.

Goddlefrood, who will leave it at that for now, but would be happy to 
expand if this last point is thought worthy