Yes, I'm a Potthead... SEVERUS SNAPE: FRIEND OR FOE???
I started reading the books when I was in middle school, right after the third book (Prisoner of Azkaban) had been published. I had been, up until that time, pretty reluctant to start reading it. I'm a leader, not a follower. So when the tween population of the US - as well as much of the rest of the world - decided to make a four-eyed British wizard their next hero, effectively knocking Ash and Pickachu off the throne, I steered clear. (Incidently, this is exactly when I dcided to forgive Pokemon for the strage series of seizures resulting from Pikachu's flashing eyes. I began watching the show and loved it... even though Digimon is way better.) But one day I could no longer avoid it. I was something of a loner/bookworm, and since I'd read practically everything else in the school library, I was forced to consider Harry one day after school while waiting for my Mami to come pick me up.
I finished Sorcerer's Stone by the time she arrived. Luckily, I'd been smart enough to check out Chamber of Secrets, as well.
Years later, it seems like most of the world - me included this time - is waiting for the release of the very last Potter adventure. I was at the bookstore the other day, and picked up this little pamplet thing on which are written a number of questions on both sides of the Severus Snape arguement. Friend or Foe?
Well, let's see:
FOE:
1. Beginning with Sorcerer's Stone, Snape displays a great dislike of Harry. Is a childhood grudge against his father reason enough to hate Harry, or is it something more?
A: You'd actually be surprised at how long people can hold grudges, the extent of a person's hatred. And hey, let's face it. The moment Harry shows up at Hogwarts, he's got Dumbledore and Hagrid on his side. The whole place loves him and admires him because he's famous. Snape was never well liked, and he could have been envious of this auspicious start for the kid.
2. Why was Snape so set on expelling Harry from Hogwarts in Chamber of Secrets?
A: Because the little bugger broke rules, and he was going to get away with it, just because he was the "Boy That Lived". So unfair. And maybe, maybe, if you are optimistic about Snape and hope that maybe he really is a good guy, you can come to the assumption that he wanted Harry back under the protection of his own blood (Aunt Petunia). But that's a bit far-fetched, innit? We could, contrawise, assume that he wanted Harry right where the Dark Lord could find him, and away from Dumbledore's protection.
3. In Goblet of Fire, what were Snape and Kakaroff conspiring about?
A: Who knows?
No. Seriously. We know that Kakaroff is also a Death Eater, and a cowardly one, at that. (If I recall correctly, he was killed.) Snape doesn't like people like Kakaroff at all, so it's very difficult to guess what it was. We know from the last book that Snape is Voldemort's spy within Hogwarts, so he could have been sharing information or asking Kakaroff to pass information along.
4. Knowing the danger Harry faced, why did Snape continue to goad Sirius in Order of the Pheonix?
A: Let's face it. Snivellus and Sirius were never best pals. Not even being on the same side would get them to bury the hatchet. Simple as that.
5. In Half Blood Prince, what were Snape's motives for his Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa?
A: And here is the doozy. An Unbreakable Vow, as we know, is unbreakable. And what happens if you do manage to jump that little obvious hurdle? According to Ron, you die. You die. Now, if Snape is really the sneaky greaseball git that he's proven himself to be, then chances are that he's not willing to die. For anything. Now, if we assume he's really "Dumbledore's man, through and through" and double-crossing the Dark Side (I think I just make a Star Wars pun) there might be a loophole somewhere:
- Snape promises to watch over Draco as he "attempts to fulfill the Dark Lord's wishes".
Loophole: Snape has really just promised to be on the sidelines here. Nothing much else.
-Snapw promises to make sure no harm comes to Draco.
Loophole: Snape has promised to protect Draco from bodily harm. And only that.
-Snape promises to, in the even that Draco cannot, finish the task the Dark Lord set.
Loophole: None. This is pretty much set in stone. Unless Snape didnt know exactly what the task was at the moment he made the promise. But this is highly unlikely.
**Unbreakable??
In the Sectumsempra chapter, Snape is unable to protect Draco from harm. (He is, in fact, slashed by Harry with a spell created by the Half Blood Prince himself.) Since there were three parts to the vow - a tongue of flame bound each part - and Snape "stopped" at the second, does that mean the Vow was broken?
6. And of course, there is the major question of Snape and Dumbledore in Half Blood Prince...
A: http://gprime.net/video.php/pottercrash
My theory: (far-fetched? optimistic? hopeful? ridiculous? maybe) Snape did not kill Dumbledore. The whole thing was a ruse. In the next book, Dumbledore will return and everything will be explained. Good will prevail.
You can laugh now.
FRIEND:
1. In Sorcerer's Stone, why did Snape attempt to protect Harry from Professor Quirrell?
A: Dumbledore claims that Snape just wanted to pay back James for that time when they were kids, and maybe that's true. However, since we now know that Snape is a Death Eater, then we can come to the conclusion that Snape probably wasn't very happy about Voldemort choosing Quirrell to parasite. Perhaps he felt Voldemort would be drawing unwanted attention to himself at a time where he is semi-vulnerable.
2. Why didn't Snape go to the graveyard immediately upon being summoned by Voldemort in Goblet of Fire?
A: Snape most likely wanted Dumbledore to keep thinking that he was being loyal to the Order. Likewise, Voldemort wouldn't be too upset, especially if it meant having one agent of his close to his target.
3. In Order of the Pheonix, why did Snape alert the Order that Harry was facing danger at the Ministry?
A: Well, once again, to prove himself to Dumbledore. That is, assuming that he really isn't a good guy (and it looks that way). He could have also been knowingly sending the members of the Order to their deaths.
4. In Order of the Pheonix, why did Snape agree to teach Harry Occumency?
A: Dumbledore placed his trust in Snape to help Harry. However, Harry and Snape don't get along at all. He should have known that Harry would get frustrated with the lessons and give up. And maybe Snape was aware of that, and aware that Harry wouldn't tell anyone, that he would pretend he had mastered it. That way, his mind would be all too easy for Lord Voldemort to get into.
5. Dumbledore tells Harry that he trusts Snape in Order of the Pheonix and again it is implied in Half Blood Prince. Would Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard of his time, misplace his trust in Snape?
A: Despite his amazing mad magic skills, the truth is that Dumbledore is human. (He saw himself holding a pair of socks in the Mirror of Erisd!) It wouldn't be surprising if he really was that naive about Snape. However, this is an excellent question because it raises a number of points:
-Dumbledore knew Tom Riddle's parentage, even before he went to fetch him from the orphanage.
-Dumbledore was aware of the ways Tom was willing to manipulate his own magic - and other people - to get what he wanted.
-Dumbledore knew that Snape was a Death Eater.
If Dumbledore was able to see through Tom Riddle, the most evil wizard of his time, then surely knowing Snape's true intentions wouldn't be that much harder? (And this is where my theory comes from.)
6. Why does Snape spare Harry's life in Half Blood Prince?
A: Being loyal to Voldemort, the answer would of course be that he spared Harry simply because it is Voldemort's greatest wish to kill Harry. He wouldn't have anyone else do it. If some form of my theory is correct, it is because Snape knows that only Harry can destroy Voldemort.
I finished Sorcerer's Stone by the time she arrived. Luckily, I'd been smart enough to check out Chamber of Secrets, as well.
Years later, it seems like most of the world - me included this time - is waiting for the release of the very last Potter adventure. I was at the bookstore the other day, and picked up this little pamplet thing on which are written a number of questions on both sides of the Severus Snape arguement. Friend or Foe?
Well, let's see:
FOE:
1. Beginning with Sorcerer's Stone, Snape displays a great dislike of Harry. Is a childhood grudge against his father reason enough to hate Harry, or is it something more?
A: You'd actually be surprised at how long people can hold grudges, the extent of a person's hatred. And hey, let's face it. The moment Harry shows up at Hogwarts, he's got Dumbledore and Hagrid on his side. The whole place loves him and admires him because he's famous. Snape was never well liked, and he could have been envious of this auspicious start for the kid.
2. Why was Snape so set on expelling Harry from Hogwarts in Chamber of Secrets?
A: Because the little bugger broke rules, and he was going to get away with it, just because he was the "Boy That Lived". So unfair. And maybe, maybe, if you are optimistic about Snape and hope that maybe he really is a good guy, you can come to the assumption that he wanted Harry back under the protection of his own blood (Aunt Petunia). But that's a bit far-fetched, innit? We could, contrawise, assume that he wanted Harry right where the Dark Lord could find him, and away from Dumbledore's protection.
3. In Goblet of Fire, what were Snape and Kakaroff conspiring about?
A: Who knows?
No. Seriously. We know that Kakaroff is also a Death Eater, and a cowardly one, at that. (If I recall correctly, he was killed.) Snape doesn't like people like Kakaroff at all, so it's very difficult to guess what it was. We know from the last book that Snape is Voldemort's spy within Hogwarts, so he could have been sharing information or asking Kakaroff to pass information along.
4. Knowing the danger Harry faced, why did Snape continue to goad Sirius in Order of the Pheonix?
A: Let's face it. Snivellus and Sirius were never best pals. Not even being on the same side would get them to bury the hatchet. Simple as that.
5. In Half Blood Prince, what were Snape's motives for his Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa?
A: And here is the doozy. An Unbreakable Vow, as we know, is unbreakable. And what happens if you do manage to jump that little obvious hurdle? According to Ron, you die. You die. Now, if Snape is really the sneaky greaseball git that he's proven himself to be, then chances are that he's not willing to die. For anything. Now, if we assume he's really "Dumbledore's man, through and through" and double-crossing the Dark Side (I think I just make a Star Wars pun) there might be a loophole somewhere:
- Snape promises to watch over Draco as he "attempts to fulfill the Dark Lord's wishes".
Loophole: Snape has really just promised to be on the sidelines here. Nothing much else.
-Snapw promises to make sure no harm comes to Draco.
Loophole: Snape has promised to protect Draco from bodily harm. And only that.
-Snape promises to, in the even that Draco cannot, finish the task the Dark Lord set.
Loophole: None. This is pretty much set in stone. Unless Snape didnt know exactly what the task was at the moment he made the promise. But this is highly unlikely.
**Unbreakable??
In the Sectumsempra chapter, Snape is unable to protect Draco from harm. (He is, in fact, slashed by Harry with a spell created by the Half Blood Prince himself.) Since there were three parts to the vow - a tongue of flame bound each part - and Snape "stopped" at the second, does that mean the Vow was broken?
6. And of course, there is the major question of Snape and Dumbledore in Half Blood Prince...
A: http://gprime.net/video.php/pottercrash
My theory: (far-fetched? optimistic? hopeful? ridiculous? maybe) Snape did not kill Dumbledore. The whole thing was a ruse. In the next book, Dumbledore will return and everything will be explained. Good will prevail.
You can laugh now.
FRIEND:
1. In Sorcerer's Stone, why did Snape attempt to protect Harry from Professor Quirrell?
A: Dumbledore claims that Snape just wanted to pay back James for that time when they were kids, and maybe that's true. However, since we now know that Snape is a Death Eater, then we can come to the conclusion that Snape probably wasn't very happy about Voldemort choosing Quirrell to parasite. Perhaps he felt Voldemort would be drawing unwanted attention to himself at a time where he is semi-vulnerable.
2. Why didn't Snape go to the graveyard immediately upon being summoned by Voldemort in Goblet of Fire?
A: Snape most likely wanted Dumbledore to keep thinking that he was being loyal to the Order. Likewise, Voldemort wouldn't be too upset, especially if it meant having one agent of his close to his target.
3. In Order of the Pheonix, why did Snape alert the Order that Harry was facing danger at the Ministry?
A: Well, once again, to prove himself to Dumbledore. That is, assuming that he really isn't a good guy (and it looks that way). He could have also been knowingly sending the members of the Order to their deaths.
4. In Order of the Pheonix, why did Snape agree to teach Harry Occumency?
A: Dumbledore placed his trust in Snape to help Harry. However, Harry and Snape don't get along at all. He should have known that Harry would get frustrated with the lessons and give up. And maybe Snape was aware of that, and aware that Harry wouldn't tell anyone, that he would pretend he had mastered it. That way, his mind would be all too easy for Lord Voldemort to get into.
5. Dumbledore tells Harry that he trusts Snape in Order of the Pheonix and again it is implied in Half Blood Prince. Would Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard of his time, misplace his trust in Snape?
A: Despite his amazing mad magic skills, the truth is that Dumbledore is human. (He saw himself holding a pair of socks in the Mirror of Erisd!) It wouldn't be surprising if he really was that naive about Snape. However, this is an excellent question because it raises a number of points:
-Dumbledore knew Tom Riddle's parentage, even before he went to fetch him from the orphanage.
-Dumbledore was aware of the ways Tom was willing to manipulate his own magic - and other people - to get what he wanted.
-Dumbledore knew that Snape was a Death Eater.
If Dumbledore was able to see through Tom Riddle, the most evil wizard of his time, then surely knowing Snape's true intentions wouldn't be that much harder? (And this is where my theory comes from.)
6. Why does Snape spare Harry's life in Half Blood Prince?
A: Being loyal to Voldemort, the answer would of course be that he spared Harry simply because it is Voldemort's greatest wish to kill Harry. He wouldn't have anyone else do it. If some form of my theory is correct, it is because Snape knows that only Harry can destroy Voldemort.