Patronage and Snape's Role

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 180957

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Mike" <mcrudele78 at ...> wrote:
>
> > 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.

a_svirn:
Well, Percy welcomed Harry and Hermione to the Gryffindor's table. It 
doesn't mean that they started their days in Hogwarts as Percy's 
underlings. 

> Mike: 
> 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. 

a_svirn:
Yes, indeed, Dumbledore's relationship with Snape was rather like 
patronage. Just like his relationship with Lupin, Hagrid and probably 
Fletcher. They all needed his influence and political clout even to 
survive as free members of the WW, let alone to advance. 


> > 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.

a_svirn:
And what it has to do with patronage?  If anyone is a patron in this 
situation (though I don't think it is a correct term) it is 
Voldemort, not Lucius or Bellatrix. And of course Snape was in charge 
of the Carrows – he was a headmaster, after all.  If you remove the 
word patronage out of the argument it would still be valid. Lucius 
was a prefect, and perhaps, unlike Percy a popular one, Snape was a 
headmaster and the Carrows were his subordinates. Narcissa came to 
Snape out of desperation, and because he was an old friend and, 
perhaps owed Lucius a flavor or two. It all can be easily explained 
without this patronage business.