Snape's involvement in the murder of Sirius

[leslie41]

No: HPFGUIDX 169223

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "phoenixgod2000" <jmrazo at ...> 
wrote:

> I really, really don't understand the attraction to Snape. I mean, 
> I get the bad boy thing, because I have a bad girl thing :) but 
> aren't they supposed to be devastatingly handsome bad boys and not 
> someone who doesn't shower on a regular basis?

Handsomeness and showering have nothing to do with it, most likely.  
It has to do with intelligence, capability, talent, and a masterful 
sense of control.  Or, more succinctly, Snape is "cool".

He is at his most unattractive when he loses his cool.  He is at his 
most attractive when he keeps it.  When he does, he has complete 
control over whatever situation he's in.

Plus, well, there's that British actor, and the movie interpretation 
that puts him in a ridiculous frock coat with innumerable buttons 
that the real Snape would never tolerate.  The real Snape wears 
robes.  Only robes.  

Snape is actually supposed to look more like Wormtongue from LotR.  
My guess is if he appeared like that in the movies, far less women 
would be salivating over him.  

> I think that proves just how small, petty, and 
> evils Snape can be.  Sirius is an escapee from the worlds worst 
> prison, wrongfully accused, and is now locked away a second time.  
> Snape meanwhile, has lived a pretty good life, while actually being 
> a criminal, and never sent away to where he probably belongs.  

Well, I understand that point.  And I certainly don't think Snape 
deserves major points here for being a great guy. It's not a very 
kind thing to do. But I understand Snape's motivations.  He's 
witnessed Dumbledore protect Black yet again. And Black, you might 
recall, has absolutely no regret over the prank.  None whatsoever.  
Snape knows this.  So do I grant Snape the leeway to taunt Sirius 
without judging him too harshly?  Yeah, I do.  

And Snape, lest we forget, is doing some very dangerous spying for 
Dumbledore.  I'd hardly call spying on the Death Eaters "a pretty 
good life."  It's his job.  And it's probably the most dangerous one 
in the wizarding world besides Dumbledore's.  
 
> Sirius held it together for fifteen long years, held it because of 
> love for Harry and loyalty to his dead friends.  Sirius may be 
> broken (although a characterization I don't like from OOTP, it does 
> fit) but I don't think he should ever be characterized as pathetic.

But I think he is, and it's not a slur on his character to say so. 
He's in sad shape, and I feel for him.  It's through no fault of his 
own, though.  He's been through hell.

> Snape on the other hand...

Snape, I would grant, is often pathetic as well.  I don't mean the 
scornful, disgusted sort of definition of the word with either of 
these men.  But they make me sad sometimes.  And sometimes I feel 
sorry for them.  Snape, in the incident in the pensieve, comes off as 
extremely pathetic.  And his inability to put the past behind him 
(something Sirius is also guilty of) renders him pathetic as well.

Again, none of that makes Snape any less admirable or brilliant or 
capable.  It's part of who he is. He's extremely complicated.