Patronage and Snape's Role

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 180952

> hp_fan_2008
> 
> This idea seems to shed some light on the whole Draco/Snape/Bella
> relationship in HBP:
> 
> Snape, although really belonging to Dumbledore's patronage, had
> been pretending to belong to Lucius's. We see evidence of this in
> the way he treats Draco, in Draco's suggestion that Lucius get
> Snape to be headmaster, and in Umbridge's statement to Snape in
> OP that Lucius thinks a lot of Snape.

Mike:
I definitely agree with your assessment of the Lucius-Severus 
dynamic. In fact DH just confirmed it for me when we see how Lucius 
welcomed Severus to the Slytherin table. Lucius undoubtedly learned 
from his father how this system works and was on the lookout for new 
recruits. Clearly, Snape started out his DE days as a Lucius 
underling, and continued that ruse even as a spy.

Lucius seemed to have an eclectic group under him. Crabbe and Goyle 
seemed to be more like muscle men, whereas Lucius was a money man, 
looking to buy favors at the Ministry. I think his "spot of Muggle 
torture" was the fun Voldemort allowed him. LV certainly wasn't 
opposed to it and why not combine making Lucius happy with creating 
some terror for the Ministry to deal with? Perhaps Crabbe and Goyle 
enjoyed it too.

As for Snape being in Dumbledore's patronage, in a broad sense that 
seems to be true. He even admits having Dumbledore's protection to 
Bella, of course telling her that it's part of a ruse. It's only 
because of this relationship being undercover that makes it look like 
it doesn't have that feel of a true patronage. It almost seems to be 
more mentor-student, but then again, who says that can't exist within 
this system?


> hp_fan_2008
> 
> After Lucius was arrested, his position as Patron seems to have
> been picked up by Bella. When Narcissa goes to Snape to get him
> to help Draco, Bella comes along to allow her to decide if she
> wants to keep him.

Mike:
I have a slightly different take on this. I do think Bella had her 
own sub-cell before she went to Azkaban. Her cell members probably 
got absorbed by other cell leaders or were imprisoned with her. So 
she saw Lucius's imprisonment as her chance to take over an 
established patronage.

But, but, I think Snape, as Lucius's top lieutenant, has become the
de facto leader of his patronage. He may not want the job, but like 
the problem with Kreacher, he can't let it go to Bella. Before DH,
I wouldn't have believed that Dumbledore would sacrifice the life of 
an Order member to consolidate Snape's position here with Voldemort. 
After the seven Potters set-up, I now believe it was entirely 
possible that Emmeline Vance gave her life for just that purpose.

Bella wants Lucius's old leadership position, so she has to discredit 
Snape. She does her best in "Spinner's End" in front of Narcissa. She 
has probably already started to work on Draco. Hence the reason Draco 
sees Snape as trying to supplant his father. Bella has planted that 
conclusion in Draco's mind, and armed him with some rudimentary 
Occlumency so Snape doesn't think it's anything other than Draco's 
idea. "Draco blames me, he thinks I have usurped Lucius's position." 
<DH p.682, US> 


> hp_fan_2008
>
> <snip> [Bella] convinces Draco that Snape is
> trying to take over Lucius's position with Voldemort.

Mike:
Which Snape hasn't yet, at the start of HBP, but certainly has after 
HBP. Poor Bella could see the writing on the wall and had no way to 
erase it. <eg>


> hp_fan_2008
> 
> Draco, although convinced that Snape is trying to take over
> Lucius's position, probably doesn't really trust Bella - and
> that's why it's so important for him to be Voldemort's favorite.

Mike:
Also, since patronages are often handed down from father to son, 
Draco probably wants his father's patronage back in the family. He 
figures the "glory" he'll get from killing Dumbledore will restore 
the family name and the family patronage. I'm sure he's willing to 
use Auntie Bella's help and advice to that end. But I agree with you, 
he probably doesn't trust her all that much and doesn't want to see 
his inheritance lost to his mother's sister.



> hp_fan_2008
> 
> The disagreement between Bella and Lucius over who calls Voldemort
> in DH, when Harry and his friends were caught, may be a question
> of who is in charge of the patronage - Lucius believes that "all
> will be forgiven" - and so he will be Voldemort's favorite again;
> Bella is unwilling for this to be.

Mike:
Oh, good catch! I'd bet that when Snape was given Hogwarts, he was 
put in charge of the Carrows and had to relinquish any control of the 
Malfoy cell. Not a real problem for even a true DE, since obviously 
Snape has become Voldemort's number two.

But that left the newly released from prison Lucius and the looking 
to regain her position Bella to fight over who was going to be in 
charge of Lucius's former cell.