HBP post DH look Chapters 1-2.

[tommy_m_riddle]

No: HPFGUIDX 184300

> Carol responds:
> I had my doubts, too, pre-DH, about whether he knew about Draco's
> mission or was bluffing. I knew, of course, that he didn't know about
> Draco's Vanishing Cabinet Plan, but it became clear that he knew that
> Draco was trying to kill someone (and whom he was trying to kill) when
> Snape confronted him during Slughorn's party.

Sarah: 
Oh yes, it was clear that he knew it later.  He was acting like he
didn't know it up until the moment when (pre-DH I thought that) he
performed Legilimency upon Narcissa and found it out.  After that, he
clearly knew it, but I thought (pre-DH) he knew it because he found it
out from Narcissa at Spinner's End in that one moment where it was
clear to me (at the time) that he had read it from Narcissa's mind. 
 
> Sarah:
> >  It's reasonable to assume that he knows Narcissa to be no
> Occlumens, since his guess is that it was Bellatrix who taught Draco.

> Carol:
> I think you mean "no Legilimens."

Sarah:
No, I meant "no Occlumens."  I thought that Snape was reading
Narcissa's mind at Spinner's End.  And Bellatrix was the one who
presumably taught Draco Occlumency, not Legilimency, which it's not
clear that Draco knows, and I doubt he does.  I wasn't referring to
any paranoia that Snape might have about Narcissa turning the tables,
and reading Snape's mind instead of Snape reading hers, but there's
evidence that he knows that she doesn't know the defense version so he
probably safely assumes she wouldn't know the offense either. 

Snipped stuff about why would Bellatrix learn Occlumency, because I
didn't have a very big reply to it, but that's a good point.  She
doesn't seem to need it.  As for why Snape wouldn't try to break
through Draco's Occlumency, I can think of two reasons:  1.  He kind
of is supposed to be getting Draco to be his buddy at this point, and
tell him what he's up to.  Brute forcing his way into his mind is
another option, but this might have an adverse affect on some
relationships.  2.  Snape is a superb Occlumens, but I don't know if
he's that great of a Legilimens on anyone who has clue #1 what they
are doing with Occlumency.  Harry Potter doesn't, so Snape can use
Legilimency on him.  Narcissa doesn't, so he can use it on her.

> Carol:
> And I wouldn't use
> "heartily" to describe his agreement.

Sarah:
That may have been poor phrasing on my part.  What I meant was that he
utterly and completely changed his attitude right in that second.  He
went from "I can try." to "I shall make the Unbreakable Vow."