[the_old_crowd] Snape's Remorse

[Susan Albrecht]

pippin wrote:

---------------------------------
Something jumped out at me on 3rd re-read.
In the final confrontation between Snape and Harry,
Snape's words are almost bantering when Harry calls 
him a coward  the first time, though he has to shout 
as there's so much other noise.

<snip>

But then Harry says, "Kill me like you killed him, you

coward--" and we get a reaction we've *never* seen
before...

"DON'T--" screamed Snape, and his face was suddenly
demented, inhuman, as though he was in as much pain
as the yelping, howling dog stuck in the burning house
behind them --"CALL ME COWARD!"

Now, Harry is only thinking of Dumbledore when he
says "like you killed him," but Snape has been talking
of James. Could it be that the "DON'T--" is our first
glimpse of Snape's remorse for his part in James's
death, an interpretation reinforced  by the hellish
image of the dog burning alive, and the word
'demented' which calls up worst memories?

Then, realizing he's giving himself away, Snape
finishes with "CALL ME  COWARD!" 

What do you think?


SSSusan:
Wow, Pippin, as I read this along with you, here, I
could see *right* where you were going, and I thought
to myself, "Snape thinks Harry's talking about JAMES!"
 Yes, I think you're definitely onto something with
that.  

OTOH, I don't think Snape caught himself up short and
switched him statement in midstream as you've
suggested.  Rather, I think his *whole* response is
about James -- the "DON'T" and the "CALL ME COWARD."  

I think Snape did something very, very risky or very,
very brave in attempting to warn James about Voldy,
and Harry's calling Snape a murderer (of JAMES) just
really pissed him off, bec. Harry has no idea what he
risked back at that time.

Just my two knuts. 

Siriusly Snapey Susan, still firmly in the Good!Snape
Camp with Dungrollin