Dragons, Produced and Tickled, and Other Pleasantries

[pippin_999]

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Barry Arrowsmith" <arrowsmithbt at b...> wrote:

> Yes, a lot of fans have tried to get to grips with Shrieking Shack Part 1.
> Snape's phrasing is very interesting, reminding DD that a deliberate 
> attempt was made on his life, i.e. murder - and DD does not dispute
> this. In fact his response is merely that "My memory is as good as it 
> ever was, Severus."
> 
> This could have multiples of meaning:
> a) No, I haven't forgotten that they did try to kill you,
> b) No, I haven't forgotten that you believe they tried to kill you,
> or, and this one is a bit twistier
> c) No, I haven't forgotten what happened, nor that there was no
> punishment meted out, nor that you agreed not to stir up
> trouble, nor that I owe you big time because of it.  

Pippin:
d> I haven't forgotten what it seemed you  were capable of
as a young man.  I gave you a second chance just as I
gave one to Sirius before you. You got a problem with that?


Kneasy:
> 
> Any 'pact' between DD and Sevvy could have its origins with this incident.
> It's clear that Sevvy is a prideful and vengeful man, he's nursed this
> grudge - verging on vendetta - against James and Sirius for years.
> But he doesn't include DD. That's an anomaly, given his character.

Pippin:
At the time Severus joined DD, DD was looking for the spy and 
suspected it was Sirius. So no anomaly there. DD and Snape had 
common cause.

Kneasy:
> If Snape had chosen to kick up a stink, DD may well have lost his job,
> the Marauders expelled and Sevvy feted for exposing a major scandal.
> There was no potion to alleviate the effects of lycanthropy available
> at that time and parents of pupils would have gone bananas at the 
> danger posed to their little darlings of a werewolf strolling round Hogwarts.
>  

Pippin:

Presumably the school governors knew about Lupin and had approved. 
It would be far easier for them to deny everything and expel Snape for being
out of bounds, entering a restricted area after dark and making up stories
than to admit that they had agreed to harbor a monster on the grounds.
Snape was a geeky little halfblood weirdo who had about as much chance 
of making himself believed as Luna Lovegood. Dumbledore might not
be above pointing that out. Of course *he* wouldn't want Snape expelled,
but if he lost his place, he wouldn't be in a position to speak up, would
he?

And Snape had a secret of his own...not vampire ancestry but (gasp!)
Muggle. His pureblood pals would drop him like an Ashwinder egg
if that got out, a condition that would still obtain after Hogwarts.

As for the unlikely alliance, Snape, as Nora points out, is smart enough
to recognize the value to him of an ethical employer who appreciates Snape's
independent streak. Voldemort would pretend to be such, but Snape
would realize his true nature before long. And I'm sure remorse did
have something to do with it. Snape might have hoped one day 
to meet James in battle and yet still been horrified at being
party to  assassination, not only of his enemy but his wife and child
as well. The more so if Voldemort had presented himself, as he so
likes to do, as the champion of rights and justice.

Pippin