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I had a stray thought today while reading the various theories of Sirius being poisoned, mostly about why I like
Personally, in case anyone's interested, I don't think Sirius was poisoned, nor do I think he was acting reckless when he died. I tend to think that line about the potion is there so that *Harry* can start suspecting Snape of doing some reckless poisoning later, if it's there for any reason at all. Or perhaps the potion will come up later. Heh. It's like fanfic. Everybody knows when Snape introduces a potion in class *somebody* will be accidentally ingesting it by the end of the fic, and it will probably lead to sex somehow.
Anyway, one thing that's been brought up with regards to Snape poisoning someone is his not eating any food at Grimmauld Place--something one might avoid if one knew the food was poisoned. I think again, that would be a little too obvious, like in We Have Always Lived In The Castle when a character is widely considered a murderer because her family was poisoned through the sugar bowl and everyone knows Constance never takes sugar. Regardless, what's interesting is how the topic of Snape's not eating has become an issue.
Technically, I don't think we know he doesn't eat anything at Grimmauld Place, though I suspect he doesn't. I think we're just told he "never stays for dinner." People have said, reasonably, that he doesn't stay for dinner because he doesn't want to socialize with these people any more than he has to. For all we know he's also got a truckload of other responsibilities somewhere. Maybe he's moonlighting at a fast food place in Hogsmeade. We don't know.
But I realized another reason I like the idea of Snape not eating at the place. I'm pretty sure there's a passage in The Count of Monte Cristo, that deals with the hero not eating. Now, I read CoMC (hmm. same initials as Care of Magical Creatures...) in French so for all I know I made up the entire scene through my bad translation and Edmund really refused to remove his galoshes indoors, but I seem to remember that what happened was the Count went to a party at the home of his former fiancé and her husband, one of the conspirators who got him sent to prison for 19 years. Mercedes, his former love, recognizes him as Edmund. She keeps the secret but gets very upset when he refuses an hors d'oeuvre. I mean, seriously upset. She's just frantic that he try her canapé--wtf?
Later it's revealed this is because refusing to eat is a point of honor--you do not accept food in your enemy's house. It appears to be something one could start a duel with if one wanted. Now, it's kind of funny to draw a parallel between Snape and Edmund, since in this story the character most like Edmund would be the guy who spent 13 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit and then broke out. Snape isn't responsible for putting Sirius in prison, though, and Sirius doesn't seem much for archaic traditions. Snape, otoh, I can definitely see holding a Monte Cristo-type grudge and privately vowing never to eat food served in the house of his enemy. Not that anyone would notice--well, other Slytherins might, but they’re not going to be invited to dinner by Molly either.
Snape is, after all, the character in canon who feels bound by a life debt because James Potter was moved to stop a prank by his best friend that never should have happened to begin with--I suspect if there were a fair court of law about such things Snape would be cleared of any life debtedness. Harry, by contrast, appears to feel under no such obligation to Snape for his protection. So if somebody were going to do something like this it would be Snape, imo. I doubt this was the author's intention, but it just seems very Snape to me.
Personally, in case anyone's interested, I don't think Sirius was poisoned, nor do I think he was acting reckless when he died. I tend to think that line about the potion is there so that *Harry* can start suspecting Snape of doing some reckless poisoning later, if it's there for any reason at all. Or perhaps the potion will come up later. Heh. It's like fanfic. Everybody knows when Snape introduces a potion in class *somebody* will be accidentally ingesting it by the end of the fic, and it will probably lead to sex somehow.
Anyway, one thing that's been brought up with regards to Snape poisoning someone is his not eating any food at Grimmauld Place--something one might avoid if one knew the food was poisoned. I think again, that would be a little too obvious, like in We Have Always Lived In The Castle when a character is widely considered a murderer because her family was poisoned through the sugar bowl and everyone knows Constance never takes sugar. Regardless, what's interesting is how the topic of Snape's not eating has become an issue.
Technically, I don't think we know he doesn't eat anything at Grimmauld Place, though I suspect he doesn't. I think we're just told he "never stays for dinner." People have said, reasonably, that he doesn't stay for dinner because he doesn't want to socialize with these people any more than he has to. For all we know he's also got a truckload of other responsibilities somewhere. Maybe he's moonlighting at a fast food place in Hogsmeade. We don't know.
But I realized another reason I like the idea of Snape not eating at the place. I'm pretty sure there's a passage in The Count of Monte Cristo, that deals with the hero not eating. Now, I read CoMC (hmm. same initials as Care of Magical Creatures...) in French so for all I know I made up the entire scene through my bad translation and Edmund really refused to remove his galoshes indoors, but I seem to remember that what happened was the Count went to a party at the home of his former fiancé and her husband, one of the conspirators who got him sent to prison for 19 years. Mercedes, his former love, recognizes him as Edmund. She keeps the secret but gets very upset when he refuses an hors d'oeuvre. I mean, seriously upset. She's just frantic that he try her canapé--wtf?
Later it's revealed this is because refusing to eat is a point of honor--you do not accept food in your enemy's house. It appears to be something one could start a duel with if one wanted. Now, it's kind of funny to draw a parallel between Snape and Edmund, since in this story the character most like Edmund would be the guy who spent 13 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit and then broke out. Snape isn't responsible for putting Sirius in prison, though, and Sirius doesn't seem much for archaic traditions. Snape, otoh, I can definitely see holding a Monte Cristo-type grudge and privately vowing never to eat food served in the house of his enemy. Not that anyone would notice--well, other Slytherins might, but they’re not going to be invited to dinner by Molly either.
Snape is, after all, the character in canon who feels bound by a life debt because James Potter was moved to stop a prank by his best friend that never should have happened to begin with--I suspect if there were a fair court of law about such things Snape would be cleared of any life debtedness. Harry, by contrast, appears to feel under no such obligation to Snape for his protection. So if somebody were going to do something like this it would be Snape, imo. I doubt this was the author's intention, but it just seems very Snape to me.
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"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' Hippogriffs is they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone and Harry had a nasty feeling they were plotting how best to disrupt the lesson.
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But yes, as if James' instincts were always the kindest (and not to be cruel, but as if Harry would have any idea what James would have done!)
I mean, I can't quite picture James, even Ghost!James being particularly forgiving of Peter, if he was anything like his 15 year old self or had any similarities with adult!Sirius and Remus.
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And he never said the word.
For the pensieve scene, I even had the impression that Snape was near to be really violent (when he grabs him and begin to shout) and then, he push Harry far of him, and out of his sight.
Like if he knew that he'll be really dangerous and restrain himself just enought to let Harry far of him, of the danger.
At least, he know that he could be dangerous and try (a little) to stop himself before it's too late. But he doesn't managed to do it, so he just gain time and explode when he's alone.
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Having just reread it, I realize that I misremembered the point totals (actually *over*estimated them). Also, since it's set the next day, the actual conference is off-stage, but you pick up the main points of what was said. Most of this author's HP works are connected, so there are various references to things explained elsewhere (especially the one long fic, "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit"), but reading it alone shouldn't be a problem.
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There's a big difference between a classroom situation like this one, particularly involving a young person, and an adult aggressively deciding to do something stupid. Though frankly, even when an adult does it sometimes it's okay to have sympathy. I recently read a story about this guy who made one stupid mistake after another in going out kayacking. He almost drown. He was far stupider than Draco and had far less excuse for being so, yet why feel satisfaction if he had actually drowned? I can understand feeling that way *affectionately* or because you are upset that he put himself in that kind of danger, but not coldly. Draco's real crime in PoA is exposing Hagrid's major flaws as a teacher and for that there is no forgiveness. Saving Buckbeak appears to be the same as validating that Hagrid did a great job, which would never fly in the real world.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for this. It really does seem to be something that many a fan has forgotten- as mean and cruel as Snape can be, his responsibility is for the over all safety of the students.
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But is that what we? JKR will reveal more, I think, but given that we see Snape being bullied by these people as children- a gang of four-sudeenly Sirius assertion of Snape being "Mr. Dark Arts" takes on the ring of Snape being a Star Trek Fanatic. In other words, a dork.
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On the other hand, looks how the events of how Voldemort was cominbg after the Potters played out. Dumbledore did not trust Sirius to be an effective secret keeper- and with good reason. I don't think that Dumbledore trusted Sirius that much, and i bet that whole incident taught Dumbledore a bit about Sirius recklessness and foolishness.
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Not to seem like a xenophobic jerk, but this is something that seems to have been part of British makeup until relatively recently- ignoring cruelty even as it happens in front of your face, and dimissing terrible events in the past as 'oh well, that was then and this is now." That these people act this way, and that they are surprised at the turn that life does to them, is very Victorian British era attitude.
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This is precisely what Severus tells Harry at the begining of the Occulemency lessons- that his feelings and anger over his memories was used as a weapon against him, and that he was seduced into thinking the Dark Lord would make him feel better.
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I just had to reiterate, again, that it is Remus and Sirius saying this to Harry. Harry is inherently warm and gentle-souled; he would have wanted Peter to see true justice, and not vengence, which is what Remus and Sirius were about to do.
And again, Severus did not earn Remus' respect that year, and he never has it from Sirius. These are people who werre golden boys, and their lives has takebn a terrible turn. There is real disrespect and resentment on the fact that the greasy little boy that they used to make fun of now has a better life, and proven to be useful.
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I'm not saying Hagrid's a great teacher or anything like that, only with the Buckbeak situation I have no sympathy for Draco, he was the one who screwed around in class and didn't pay attention and it came back to bite him the ass or arm in this case.
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And i think that JKR is pointing that out. Remember, the chamred circle is broken- even Harry sees it in that picture that Moody gives to him- all these smiling people, and their lives came crashing down on them. Now, they are ina wacky, dirty house, with many of the 'old gang' really not able to do much.
JKR is saying the old, 'arent we so precious and cool' attitude is not going to work. And all that shit you did to people, and never had the decency to admit to, or even be contrite about? Comes back like a tornado. I realluy think that for the adults at least recognition and forgiveness will be very important.( It has started already at the end of OOTP, with Dumbledore realising that he misread Snape quite a bit.)
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That's a fairly steep punishment (and rules out not only most everyone I know in RL, including me; but almost everyone in the HP!verse, except perhaps Hermione.)
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I definitely see that he bears a large portion of responsibility, but to me, calling it his own fault simplifies the situation and whitewashes both Hagrid and the creature's own choices.
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(No evidence as of yet for active participation, but JKR's "he would have seen things..." is awfully suggestive.)
:)
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