CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chamber of Secrets Chapter 18: Dobby's reward

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 189471

sile_dubhghlase wrote:
<snip> When Flitwick calls the time and collects the papers, Snape's the first one out of the hall, but he lingers in the shadows to hear what James Potter and his friends have to say about it. They're obviously aware that Snape's listening in because they're tossing the answers to the questions around like they're child's play, knowing DADA is a subject Snape struggles with. <snip>

Carol responds:
My apologies for the belated response. I've been rather busy and haven't had a chance to post for awhile.

I interpreted this scene very differently. Severus is not eavesdropping on MWPP (though Harry does when he enters Snape's memory without permission). He's studying his own test questions (a la Hermione) and probably rethinking his own answers, wondering whether he forgot anything. But notice that, even though his handwriting is tiny, he has written longer, more detailed answers than anyone else, whereas MWPP are laughing off the exam, joking about the werewolf questions since one of them happens to be a werewolf. (Wormtail, IIRC, somehow managed to forget two of the five traits that distinguish a werewolf from a true wolf. I doubt very much that Severus missed any of them.) They're not yet aware of Severus's presence, as shown by Sirius's later exclamation, "Look who it is!" Nor is he aware of them, or he'd have drawn his wand before they approached him. Instead, when they attack him, he's still studying his exam notes, which he hastily drops to draw his wand in self-defense.

At any rate, in my view, the long, detailed answers are evidence of Severus's expertise, even then, in DADA. We also see his skill in Potions an at inventing spells at an early age. I wouldn't dismiss his abilities in any of those subjects (DD didn't)--or as a duelist, as both Lockhart and Harry learned to their cost. (Well, Lockhart didn't learn anything from the experience, but he should have.)

Regarding the question of werewolf cubs under Hagrid's bed, which, of course, is a lie intended to slander Hagrid (regardless of whether Harry survives), I think that many Wizards might have believed it considering the apparently widespread belief that werewolves lived in the Forbidden Forest.

Carol, who can't recall whether that belief was mentioned again after SS?PS