GoF CH 27-29 Post DH look

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 182152

Alla wrote: 
> <snip> Yes, it is indeed quite simple. And I am asking the same
question which I asked Potioncat, but a little different. Say Harry
would have run away anyways. I did not notice Snape using any magical
compulsion on him. What would have happened then?

Carol responds:
Probably exactly what happened at first. Snape would have ordered him
back. But Harry doesn't want to run off; he wants to explain why he
needs to see Dumbledore. He's just not doing a very good job of
convincing Snape that it's an emergency.

Carol earlier:
> 
> Step 1) Call him back from going the wrong direction.
> 
> Step 2) Detain him by questioning and seeming to doubt him.
> 
> Step 3) Inform him subtly that DD is in his office and prevent him
from running off on a wild goose chase.
> 
> Step 4) Step aside when the job is done and DD comes out.
> <SNIP>
> 
> Alla:
> 
> OR do ONE step, if you really want to help.
> 
> Really simple one - **give Harry the password**

Carol:
As Zara has brilliantly explained, Snape has no reason to give Harry
the password because all Harry has done is to tell him that Mr. Crouch
is in the forest and needs to see Dumbledore. For all Snape knows, Mr.
Crouch can come there himself. It's only when Harry finally gets
around to saying that Mr. Crouch is not in his right mind that Snape
has reason to believe that there's a real emergency (and a reason for
Harry to see Dumbledore). And just at that point, Dumbledore himself
arrives.

I still think that Snape knew that he was coming, but whether he did
or not, as Zara has already shown, he was behaving responsibly in
questioning Harry rather than giving him the password just because
Harry demanded it.

The delay is, in fact, very short (Read the words aloud to see just
how short), and could have been shortened further had Harry said, at
first, "I need to see Dumbledore right away, sir. Mr. Crouch is in the
forest and he's not in his right mind." Snape might have used a touch
of Legilimency at that point to see what was going on and to determine
that Harry was telling the truth, in which case he could have informed
Harry that DD was on his way downstairs and would be there in a
minute. (I don't think he would have given Harry the password; there
was no need to do so with DD no more than two minutes behind Snape.)

As it was, Snape saw no need to do anything more than determine why
Harry was shouting at the gargoyle (Because Mr. Crouch is in the
forest and wants to see Dumbledore?? What kind of reason is that to
panic?) and keep him from running off in the wrong direction again in
case it really was important. Had he realized that Harry was talking
about a madman, he would almost have informed Harry that DD was on his
way downstairs, but Harry doesn't provide that information until the
third attempt to explain himself. 

Carol, agreeing with every word of Zara's post (upthread) except one
that she doesn't understand, "modulo"