CHAPDISC: HBP30, The White Tomb

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 165772

 
> > Hickengruendler:
> > 
> > I think Hermione objected to the word evil to make Harry clear, 
> that 
> > he isn't responsible for what happened. 
> 
> a_svirn:
> That's where she turned their conversation eventually, yes. But I 
> don't see why she needed to repudiate the word "evil" for that 
> purpose. She could have said something like "you couldn't possibly 
> guess how evil he is, Harry". But she *is* remarkably restrained 
when 
> she talks of Snape. Even when Harry calls him "murderer" she 
agrees 
> as though against her better judgment, "well
 yes."  And then 
turns 
> the subject. It is almost tempting to speculate if she knows 
> something we don't.

Magpie:
I think that could be true. Not that Hermione specifically has 
information we don't, but it's very like her to have started 
puzzling things out herself and perhaps realize she's a DDM!Snaper! 
Hermione's very often the one to figure out what's really going on 
with what people are doing where Harry only looks at the surface. 
She might not know Snape well, but she's always trusted Dumbledore 
and may simply not believe Dumbledore was so fooled. Also she's got 
reason to defend DDM!Snape anyway, having always dismissed Harry's 
doubts about Snape in the past. 

I don't just mean that Hermione's pride is at stake so she doesn't 
want Harry to be right. I mean she may have given thought to this 
matter in the past just as many readers have each time Harry brought 
up his suspicions, so she's not ready to let them go. She herself 
never, iirc, called the Prince "evil" either, just a bad influence 
on Harry, and she may have begun theorizing about things she doesn't 
know regarding Snape and Dumbledore now that the shock is over. If 
Hermione's anything like me in this respect (and I get the feeling 
she is), she never wants to be wrong, so she is hesitant about 
making an extreme judgment too quickly. It's also her pattern to 
hold an opinion or say what they should do and then, when everyone 
else is convinced, suddenly question it herself.

-m