student!Snape keeping Lupin's secret (was Re: Sirius as a dog)

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 181160

> Potioncat:
> Well, Sirius could consider Snape an oddball even if members of 
> Snape's House did not. He has friends, but he could still be a loner. 
> In many ways, he reminds me of Neville. Neville is a friend of 
> Harry's, but he isn't a "friend" of Harry. Neville's often alone, and 
> in the earlier books, is frequently picked on.

Montavilla47:
I agree, Potioncat, but I think that if Neville were picked on
in front of a Gryffindor--any Gryffindor--they'd help him out.

After all, isn't that what Harry does in that first broom class?

I think Snape might have been in Neville's position during 
their first years.  But I think by SWM, with the older Slytherins
graduated, he was probably more like Luna in fifth year.  An
oddball who doesn't have anyone left to care whether he gets
pranked or not.


> The Marauders may not be watching their back in SWM because Snape is 
> the only one of his group around. He's sitting in the shade going 
> over his test while his Housemates are---[fill in the blank] 

Montavilla47:

Unless they have some definite project, they ought to be where all
the other fifth-year students are:  Near the lake, enjoying their 
break between the morning and afternoon test. (As I recall, they
take the essay portion in the morning in Harry's fifth year, and 
the practical test in the afternoon.)

> I have 
> the impression that Severus is frequently alone--or alone often 
> enough that the Marauders can take advantage of the situation.
> 
> At any rate, I'd be interested in how you would describe Neville.

>From Harry's perspective, Neville is a loner oddball, and pretty much
a loser.  However, there are plenty of clues that Harry is under-
estimating his housemate.  Neville does stick up for himself against
Draco in PS/SS, and I don't think we ever see Draco pick on him 
again.

But Draco isn't really interested in Neville, is he?  Certainly not
as interested as the Marauders were in Snape.  As Leah pointed
out, Lupin's language suggests that the Marauders attacked
him many times.

So, I would describe Neville as being like Snape in being picked 
on (in the first year), but who stops being picked on (by the 
Slytherins, anyway) once he stands up for himself.  He still 
gets targeted by Fred and George for whatever comic value
they can get.

>From what Sirius says about Snape's cursing abilities, and from
SWM, it seems that Snape stood up for himself as well.  The 
difference between their situations seems to be that in Neville's
case, his tormentors backed off.  In Snape's case, they didn't.