CHAPDISC: DH30, THE SACKING OF SEVERUS SNAPE

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 184531

 
> Carol responds:
> I agree that he wanted to get away without harming anyone (even 
though
> he again *looks like* a coward. Poor severus!). If he fought in the
> Hogwarts battle, he would have done the same thing, casting harmless
> spells or even Protegos to protect the Order and the students. But
> Harry didn't see him fighting and no one else mentions seeing him, 
and
> he couldn't be a masked DE because he was wearing his ordinary
> headmasters' or teachers' robes (black, to be sure, but probably
> different from DE robes), and where would he have found a mask?

Potioncat:
I don't think Snape would have any trouble conjuring a mask and 
robes. If he "had" to fight at Hogwarts, surely he would hide his 
identity and would, of course, do no harm to the Hogwarts army.
But I'm going to set this idea aside until we get into that section 
of the book.


>Carol: 
> I think that one thing and one thing only was on his mind, as
> evidenced by his agitation, his looking around for Harry while he
> talked to McGonagall, <snip> 
 
> At any rate, I think his one concern from the moment he learns that
> Harry will be coming to Ravenclaw Tower and Voldemort will be
> following is to get to Harry and give him that message before it's 
too late. 

Potioncat:
I have a new thought about the Snape/McGonagall conversation. First, 
McGonagall with an invisible Harry and Luna, is hurrying---I don't 
know where, or why---when she stops at the sound of other foot steps. 
Snape comes from behind a suit of armor. (I have to imagine that he 
was coming up behind them, then ducked behing the armor when they 
stopped. Otherwise it doesn't make much sense.)

But if they could hear his normally quiet steps, he could surely hear 
that there more feet stepping than just McGonagall's. Knowing that 
Harry had arrived at Ravenclaw Tower, and has an IC, he must believe 
Harry's invisible feet are with McGonagall. 

Snape seems very calm to me, very cool, in a distant sort of way. He 
asks about the Carrows. McGonagall thinks he is asking about their 
welfare, but really he's asking about their status. (Out of 
commission or on the loose.)

He also says he didn't know it was her night to patrol the halls. I 
always thought that was a hint that Snape had the Heads patrolling 
the halls to protect the students from the Carrows. While that's 
still true (IMH) Now I see, his question may have been because he was 
surprised to find her; he hadn't been expecting to have to deal with 
her as he looked for Potter. I'm sure now, that he's hoping to find 
Potter and tell him the tale.

She asks how he knows about an intruder, and he gestures with his 
arm. What a dolt! Why couldn't he have said, "I'm on your side, I 
have to tell Potter something." As it is, he tries Legilimency and 
then all hell breaks loose.

I've forgotten who suggested this, but by leaving Hogwarts, he 
couldn't be made to open Hogwarts. And I suppose he couldn't yet 
reveal his loyalties to McGonagall.

> 
> Carol, preferring to interpret Snape's motives and actions her own 
way
> rather than having JKR's "definitive" version!

Potioncat:
You know, you have a very good point there.