Eloise wrote:

"First of all, Snape has no reason to do Karkaroff any favours after Karkaroff 
at his hearing attempted to betray him in order to save his own neck. Yet he 
does. Why? Is this a glimmer of humanity?."

MMMMmm.  Well, see the passage is even more intriguing to me, because we don't know exactly who Snape means, when he said "I will make your excuses".  Excuses to Dumbledore, for abandoning the TriWizard Tournament, we assume.  But, maybe he meant Voldemort?  This would put Snape (possibly) in a higher position with V..  I could see him saying "yeah, I saw that yeller bellied Igor" (ok, he would talk Texan, but we can pretend, right?) "and he was too scared to come back at the call, but I, oh Lord, I came as soon as I could leave Hogwarts, and I told Igor that I would beg for his mercy from you".  Might put him in a better position while he's grovelling.  I think Snape dahling was planning ahead during this discussion with Karkaroff.

Rita

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