Did you LIKE Snape?

[pea22407]

No: HPFGUIDX 183149

Just felt I would weigh in on what seems to be a well-hashed out
matter of opinion.

I gloated terribly in Book 7.  Because I called it from Book 3 or $
-whichever one had Petunia mentioning the "greasy-haired boy" visiting
the house.  Oh I was all on top of that and I ranted for years,
fanatically pulling out one defense after another until I was perectly
manic at the end of Book 6.

Book 7 was a BIG vindication for me - but not as much as I thought -
Snape's aversion to the word mudblood - could easily be a carry-over
from that conversation with Lily - and Snape's determined support of
Harry as well - however there are a few things that have already been
mentioned here, and I think the number one favorite of mine is Snape
interfering with the Weasley twin's attacker and making the kid "holey."

He didn't have to interfere, his inaction could easily have gone
unnoticed, and it was entirely irrelevant to the goal of keeping Harry
safe.  But he saved the boy (sans ear) and would have been content to
never reveal his role - had he lived.  I say this because Snape didn't
intend to die, he scrabbled for his life as top-ranked DE, and was
killed for carrying out his promise to Albus.  Snape had never in all
those years gave and inkling at his role in helping to keep Harry on
his broom while Quirrel did his best to create a nasty fall.  I could
allow him a moment of blind insanity in the Shrieking Shack - and I
think that is because I have been tortured by kids at school - dragged
around the playground by my hair, ostracized, kept like a Pettigrew by
bullies, etc.  The difference being that I became independent and
wise.  I have friends now, I don't call them often, but then again I'm
27.  I saw an old alum from high sol who marveled that I could be a
mom because I was such a b**** years ago.  abuse and torment at the
hands of one's peers during such a delicate age can seriously warp the
mind of the most decent and persevering human being.  

I identify with Snape, and considering his upbringing, I am a big fan
of the person he'd become.  I believe that we would be pals.  I see
nothing at all wrong with his teaching style - I view him as a hard
taskmaster who is to be respected.  He always speaks up in defense of
the children where violence is concerned, while he may do it in
derisive tones, he still speaks up.  My sense of humor and ability to
kowtow to other people's feelings is probably as deficient as Snape's
at times.  All in all, he remains my favorite character, the most
intense, the one with most decisions to make.  And the one with the
hardest mistakes to correct.