CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Prisoner of Azkaban Chapter 9: Grim Defeat

[Geoff]

No: HPFGUIDX 189694

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "AmanitaMuscaria" <amanitamuscaria1 at ...> wrote:
 
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "willsonteam" <willsonkmom@> wrote:
> > > CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
> > > Chapter 9: Grim Defeat
 
> > > Questions:

> > > 5. It wasn't till I was writing a version of book 6 myself that "teachers
> > > taking over classes for others" became a problem to me – what do you make of the
> > > class schedule for Hogwarts' students ?
> > Potioncat:
> > I think Snape took over Lupin's class for his own purpose, not that it was common practice. I don't think we ever see it done at any other time, or by any other teacher. But you'd think, with calendars and astronomy tools that Lupin's schedule would have been set up and substitute teachers arranged. Why oh why does the full moon always take the werewolf by surprise?

Geoff:
I don't read this the same way as you do. Speaking as a former teacher, it was
normal practice to have a "cover rota" by which absences by staff could be 
handled by colleagues. The usefulness of this was that we knew that if a staff
member needed to be covered, for a scheduled absence or for illness, we might
be called in for certain lessons; outside this rota, if we had non-teaching time, it was
protected for us to deal with duties other than actual teaching.

We knew that the Hogwarts staff knew about Lupin and, hence that he would be 
missing on occasions and on this occasion, Snape was detailed to cover the class.

Harry was surprised to find Snape there because (1) he didn't know about Lupin's
condition and (2) probably had never taken much notice if a staff member was
away from a lesson and covered by someone else. The minor confrontation
between them was a side issue triggered by Harry's somewhat aggressive
questioning of Snape. I don't think anyone in authority was taken by surprise;
only Harry.