[the_old_crowd] Re: A BIAS in the Pensieve: A Batty Idea About Snape

[Charme]

> Neri:
> I personally tend to think that the vampire!Snape theory is mistaking
> a metaphor for a mystery plot. I think that JKR has certainly planted
> vampire suggestions in her characterization of Snape. All the sweeping
> around in billowing black cloaks, the black cold eyes, living in the
> cold dungeons, etc.
>
<snipped the links - thanks for the pics>

> And yet, all the attempts to link Snape to Potterverse vampires are
> shaky at best. Yes, there are several notes in the books about
> vampires as dark creatures, but not more than there are notes about
> hags, for example. There is the famous JKR rebuttal "Erm... I don't
> think so". And as Magda wrote, what would be the point, plot wise, of
> Snape being a vampire?
>
> So IMO the vampire thing is more of a characterization or a metaphor.
> JKR isn't hinting that Snape IS a vampire, but that there's something
> vampirish about Snape. What is it exactly is of course open to
> speculation. Personally, I suspect that Snape is connected with Voldy
> by some Dark Arts spell that makes Snape cold, perhaps part dead, and
> possibly in need of consuming other people's fear in order to survive.
> And such a thing would certainly be a plot point.

Charme:

Neri! How ya doin'?  How's the cure coming? ;)  You made me curious, so I 
had to check.  And please note, with the proper technology (and geeky 
Potterheads who can't wait for JKR to get off her duff and make eBooks of 
the series), this takes about 5 minutes.

Hags mentioned:  (keyword "hag" or "hags")
PS/SS - 1
CoS - 2
PoA - 1
GoF -2
OoP - 6 (a majority in describing or referring to Umbridge, and used 
especially by Hermoine)
Total  12

Vampires mentioned: (keyword "vampire" or "vampires")
PS/SS - 4
CoS - 6  (5 in reference to Gilderoy Lockhart's book title, in different 
sentences by or involving multiple major characters reading the book)
PoA - 6 (3 in different sentences referencing Snape's assignment in DADA)
GoF - 2
OoP - 2
Total  18

I think he's vampish, or somehow he's "associated" (notice, I did not say 
he's a vampire) with them. I also liked what you said about it being a 
metaphor for him, which I interpreted to be what Lyn posted. I'm still stuck 
on what threat vampires themselves were supposed to be towards wizards, 
because in my search, I also ran across this in OoP when Harry is taking his 
History of Magic OWL:
"(How was the Statute of Secrecy breached in I 749 and what measures were 
introduced to prevent a recurrence?) but had a nagging suspicion that he had 
missed several important points; he had a feeling vampires had come into the 
story somewhere."

What measures indeed? And where do vampires come into the story? If they are 
such a threat and there are such people in the WW  as vampire hunters who 
*kill* them...it's all very baffling....

Charme