Snape and werewolves--as a Snupin shipper, this is a subject dear to my heart! I think that there are a couple of different ways you can look at Snape relating to werewolves...
In my Snape/Lupin ship essay, I wrote that Lupin's lycanthropy gives them something in common because they "are both Dark Creatures in a sense, although Lupin had no choice in his lycanthropy, and Snape voluntarily became a Death Eater." This fits in better with the pre-DH view of Snape, and was influenced by Sirius's claim in GoF that Snape knew more curses as a first-year than most seventh-years did, painting a picture of him as being obsessed with the Dark Arts. I believe there was also a question and answer session with JKR a long time ago (pre-HBP and DH), where someone asked about Snape and the DADA position, and JKR replied that Dumbledore won't give it to him because he's afraid Snape might backslide. The impression given was something akin to not offering alcohol to an alcoholic, although I don't remember if she actually made that specific comparison, or if that was just the way it sounded to me.
I also wrote that it gives them something else in common, the fact that they "both have a hidden identity: Lupin is a werewolf, and Snape is a spy. Slashcast did a great Snupin segment where they point out that both men are outcasts, in a way. Snape is despised for being a Death Eater, and Lupin for being a werewolf. They mention in the podcast that when Lupin is revealed as a werewolf, even Ron, who had liked him as a teacher, shows his prejudice and pulls away from him. And of course Lupin loses his job once it becomes public knowledge, and in OotP, laws are passed further restricting employment of werewolves. Snape isn't quite as despised as Lupin--he is at least able to hold down a respectable job, but it's also clear that many people, including some of his own allies on Dumbledore's side, regard him with suspicion."
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lupin_snape compiled a theme listing of werewolf-Snape fics, which seems to fit in nicely with this month's topic. In some, Snape is turned against his will, by Lupin or Greyback, and Lupin must help him adjust to life as a werewolf. In others, he actually wants to be turned so that he can be closer to Lupin--to be equals, so Lupin can't use the excuse of his lycanthropy to push Snape away. And one is an AU fic in which Snape was the one turned into a werewolf as a child instead of Lupin. I haven't had time to read them all yet, but there are some very good stories on the list. However, please pay attention to the individual warnings and ratings when you click on the links, as some contain themes that are not everyone's cup of tea, such as bestiality and non-con.
In the fics where Snape chooses to become a werewolf, he usually find a sense of belonging, such as In Hearts of Darkness by McKay. In the fic, Lupin is understandably upset that his wolf-self turned Snape, but Snape tells him, "Moony didn't harm me. He made me his equal." And later, Snape thinks to himself, "Mate. Pack. The words spoke of belonging as much as the marks on his body did."
Even in the Snupin fics where Snape is turned against his will, he often finds a sense of belonging with Lupin, at least during the full moon--the wolf in him responding to the need for pack companionship and/or a mating bond. It's quite natural for the human part of Snape to be angry and resentful of the bond imposed on him by the wolf--and of course it's natural that he would be upset at finding himself having feelings of friendship and/or attraction to his childhood enemy, against the will of his human self. Having already been bound to one master (and two if you count Dumbledore), Snape initially sees the new bond between him and Lupin as another chain binding him against his will. In Memories in the Moonlight by ureima, Snape thinks, "He did not want a new master. The moon had already claimed a part of his new life; he did not need another person to control the rest of it." Lupin has to work at convincing Snape that he cares about him and isn't trying to control him, and that the human part of him loves Snape, not just the wolf. In this particular story, it helps that a friendship has slowly been developing between them as Lupin looks after the injured and newly-turned Snape.
Now, of course, we know that the DADA position was cursed, so Dumbledore couldn't give it to Snape as long as he wanted Snape to remain at Hogwarts. (Although perhaps Dumbledore also wanted to keep temptation away from Snape as well?) And the picture painted of the young Snape in "The Prince's Tale" in DH doesn't really strike me as that of a young man fascinated by the Dark Arts. He obviously takes pride in being a wizard, but the only fascination that pre-Hogwarts Snape seems to show is for Lily. It's not like he's showing off Dark spells in order to try and impress her. It's only later, when the teenage Lily and Snape are arguing, that she brings up his friends like Mulciber who practice the Dark Arts. Of course, we only see small glimpses of the young Snape's life, but the impression I got was that of someone who began learning curses not so much out of a personal obsession, but in order to fit in with his Housemates and to defend himself from and/or get revenge on the Marauders. So that does put a bit of a damper on my theory about Snape relating to Lupin as a Dark creature. (Not to mention the Snily thing putting a bit of a damper on the Snupin theory as well--not that I ever thought Snape and Lupin would actually turn out to be a couple in canon. ^_^)
Up until HBP came out, I had suspected that Snape was the one who had invented the Wolfsbane Potion. After all, we're told that it's an extremely difficult potion to brew, and Snape is one of the few people with enough skill to do so. It's only a small step further to assume that he has the necessary skill and talent to have invented it in the first place. In a Snupin universe, his the motive for doing so is obvious: he wants to help the man that he loves.
But it still could have worked out in canon if JKR had wanted to go that route. Even if Snape sincerely loathes Lupin, he could still have been motivated to invent the potion. The experience of having nearly been killed by a werewolf must have been extremely traumatic (another obstacle to the Snupin ship, incidentally), and Snape might have wanted to do whatever he could to prevent that from happening to anyone else--particularly the students of Hogwarts, if Dumbledore is going to insist on bringing Lupin to the school, first as a student and later as a teacher. It's the same reason why I assume that he brewed the potion for Lupin throughout Harry's third year, aside from Dumbledore probably having ordered him to do so: he wanted to keep the students safe from Lupin.
In fact, that theory could still fly if we say that Snape let Belby take the credit for inventing the potion. Maybe it was something he and Dumbledore agreed on, to keep Snape's cover among the Death Eaters. The werewolves are their allies, but the blood-conscious DEs probably look down on the werewolves for not being completely human--it's pointed out in DH that Greyback doesn't have a Dark Mark, which is given only to Voldemort's inner circle. So maybe Snape wouldn't want to be seen as being in line with Dumbledore's bleeding heart notions of trying to treat werewolves as equals. Or in a Snupin-verse, Snape doesn't want anyone to suspect that he's in love with Lupin--including perhaps Lupin himself, if Snape believes his love to be unrequited.
Going along with the idea of Snape wanting to help werewolves, there's a very fascinating, although unfortunately unfinished Snupin WIP by![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
innerslytherin called "Bound Souls" (Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five Part Six), that shows an interesting depiction of Lupin's life as the alpha in a werewolf camp post-war. Warning: dark themes, as in the first chapter, Snape kills a dying Harry in order to save Lupin's life. Lupin, naturally, is horrified, and for obvious reasons, has difficulty forgiving Snape even though he knows Snape did it to save him. However, he does eventually ask Snape to help him with a feral-werewolf Draco who had been turned by Greyback and his pack. (The series does leave off at a fairly good stopping place, with Snape and Lupin finding some resolution.)
I also wrote that it gives them something else in common, the fact that they "both have a hidden identity: Lupin is a werewolf, and Snape is a spy. Slashcast did a great Snupin segment where they point out that both men are outcasts, in a way. Snape is despised for being a Death Eater, and Lupin for being a werewolf. They mention in the podcast that when Lupin is revealed as a werewolf, even Ron, who had liked him as a teacher, shows his prejudice and pulls away from him. And of course Lupin loses his job once it becomes public knowledge, and in OotP, laws are passed further restricting employment of werewolves. Snape isn't quite as despised as Lupin--he is at least able to hold down a respectable job, but it's also clear that many people, including some of his own allies on Dumbledore's side, regard him with suspicion."
Recently,
lupin_snape compiled a theme listing of werewolf-Snape fics, which seems to fit in nicely with this month's topic. In some, Snape is turned against his will, by Lupin or Greyback, and Lupin must help him adjust to life as a werewolf. In others, he actually wants to be turned so that he can be closer to Lupin--to be equals, so Lupin can't use the excuse of his lycanthropy to push Snape away. And one is an AU fic in which Snape was the one turned into a werewolf as a child instead of Lupin. I haven't had time to read them all yet, but there are some very good stories on the list. However, please pay attention to the individual warnings and ratings when you click on the links, as some contain themes that are not everyone's cup of tea, such as bestiality and non-con.In the fics where Snape chooses to become a werewolf, he usually find a sense of belonging, such as In Hearts of Darkness by McKay. In the fic, Lupin is understandably upset that his wolf-self turned Snape, but Snape tells him, "Moony didn't harm me. He made me his equal." And later, Snape thinks to himself, "Mate. Pack. The words spoke of belonging as much as the marks on his body did."
Even in the Snupin fics where Snape is turned against his will, he often finds a sense of belonging with Lupin, at least during the full moon--the wolf in him responding to the need for pack companionship and/or a mating bond. It's quite natural for the human part of Snape to be angry and resentful of the bond imposed on him by the wolf--and of course it's natural that he would be upset at finding himself having feelings of friendship and/or attraction to his childhood enemy, against the will of his human self. Having already been bound to one master (and two if you count Dumbledore), Snape initially sees the new bond between him and Lupin as another chain binding him against his will. In Memories in the Moonlight by ureima, Snape thinks, "He did not want a new master. The moon had already claimed a part of his new life; he did not need another person to control the rest of it." Lupin has to work at convincing Snape that he cares about him and isn't trying to control him, and that the human part of him loves Snape, not just the wolf. In this particular story, it helps that a friendship has slowly been developing between them as Lupin looks after the injured and newly-turned Snape.
Now, of course, we know that the DADA position was cursed, so Dumbledore couldn't give it to Snape as long as he wanted Snape to remain at Hogwarts. (Although perhaps Dumbledore also wanted to keep temptation away from Snape as well?) And the picture painted of the young Snape in "The Prince's Tale" in DH doesn't really strike me as that of a young man fascinated by the Dark Arts. He obviously takes pride in being a wizard, but the only fascination that pre-Hogwarts Snape seems to show is for Lily. It's not like he's showing off Dark spells in order to try and impress her. It's only later, when the teenage Lily and Snape are arguing, that she brings up his friends like Mulciber who practice the Dark Arts. Of course, we only see small glimpses of the young Snape's life, but the impression I got was that of someone who began learning curses not so much out of a personal obsession, but in order to fit in with his Housemates and to defend himself from and/or get revenge on the Marauders. So that does put a bit of a damper on my theory about Snape relating to Lupin as a Dark creature. (Not to mention the Snily thing putting a bit of a damper on the Snupin theory as well--not that I ever thought Snape and Lupin would actually turn out to be a couple in canon. ^_^)
Up until HBP came out, I had suspected that Snape was the one who had invented the Wolfsbane Potion. After all, we're told that it's an extremely difficult potion to brew, and Snape is one of the few people with enough skill to do so. It's only a small step further to assume that he has the necessary skill and talent to have invented it in the first place. In a Snupin universe, his the motive for doing so is obvious: he wants to help the man that he loves.
But it still could have worked out in canon if JKR had wanted to go that route. Even if Snape sincerely loathes Lupin, he could still have been motivated to invent the potion. The experience of having nearly been killed by a werewolf must have been extremely traumatic (another obstacle to the Snupin ship, incidentally), and Snape might have wanted to do whatever he could to prevent that from happening to anyone else--particularly the students of Hogwarts, if Dumbledore is going to insist on bringing Lupin to the school, first as a student and later as a teacher. It's the same reason why I assume that he brewed the potion for Lupin throughout Harry's third year, aside from Dumbledore probably having ordered him to do so: he wanted to keep the students safe from Lupin.
In fact, that theory could still fly if we say that Snape let Belby take the credit for inventing the potion. Maybe it was something he and Dumbledore agreed on, to keep Snape's cover among the Death Eaters. The werewolves are their allies, but the blood-conscious DEs probably look down on the werewolves for not being completely human--it's pointed out in DH that Greyback doesn't have a Dark Mark, which is given only to Voldemort's inner circle. So maybe Snape wouldn't want to be seen as being in line with Dumbledore's bleeding heart notions of trying to treat werewolves as equals. Or in a Snupin-verse, Snape doesn't want anyone to suspect that he's in love with Lupin--including perhaps Lupin himself, if Snape believes his love to be unrequited.
Going along with the idea of Snape wanting to help werewolves, there's a very fascinating, although unfortunately unfinished Snupin WIP by
innerslytherin called "Bound Souls" (Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five Part Six), that shows an interesting depiction of Lupin's life as the alpha in a werewolf camp post-war. Warning: dark themes, as in the first chapter, Snape kills a dying Harry in order to save Lupin's life. Lupin, naturally, is horrified, and for obvious reasons, has difficulty forgiving Snape even though he knows Snape did it to save him. However, he does eventually ask Snape to help him with a feral-werewolf Draco who had been turned by Greyback and his pack. (The series does leave off at a fairly good stopping place, with Snape and Lupin finding some resolution.)
And the picture painted of the young Snape in "The Prince's Tale" in DH doesn't really strike me as that of a young man fascinated by the Dark Arts. ... the impression I got was that of someone who began learning curses not so much out of a personal obsession, but in order to fit in with his Housemates and to defend himself from and/or get revenge on the Marauders. So that does put a bit of a damper on my theory about Snape relating to Lupin as a Dark creature.
That's exactly the impression I came away with, as well. Or as I said a long time ago, Severus is "more snark than dark." He's a sarcastic, defensive young man using a hard shell to protect his considerable sense of vulnerability, not someone with a truly "dark" orientation. As you said, his interest in the Dark Arts is as a tool to be understood, used, and/or defended against. I personally think it stems from his sense of vulnerability: as a child from the wrong side of the tracks in an unstable home; as the ongoing target of two of the most popular students in the school; and as a poor half-blood of no important lineage living in pureblood-obsessed Slytherin.
I also think that people that scoff at so-called "woobie Snape" tend to be long-time fans who harbored either a Personal Snape who was Really Dark or a Personal Snape who was Secretly Suave, and who were disappointed to find out that the real Severus was just a human being with a good heart and a defensive, unpleasant outer shell. And then they turn around and say, "Oh, Snape is complex"--even as they over look the complexity of being a good person who got lured into some really bad circles for a while!
Finally, I think you make a really good observation about how Severus inventing the Wolfsbane Potion would make perfect sense in light of his self-protecting nature and motivation for his magical interests. I think it was just a case of Rowling not being "into" Severus enough to think of fleshing out his character in this way.
And I'm still convinced that Snape was the inventor of the Wolfsbane Potion! ^__^
Altho' I think with the addition of Fenrir, she could even have given him an 'evil' reason for inventing it - so Voldy's werewolves could retain their minds and remember exactly just whom they were supposed to attack on the full moon.
One thing I find very interesting in canon - with the later books, it does not appear as if Snape actually 'fears' werewolves. The main basis for that belief comes from the scene in PoA when he delivers Remus' potion and wants to watch him drink it.
Fenrir on the Tower (a werewolf one OUGHT to truly fear) is actually described as 'cowed' when Snape enters the scene - more as if Snape is the Alpha. And then we find that youngSnape was already sure that he would face a werewolf (albeit probably a caged one) when he went down the tunnel in 5th year? That doesn't sound like someone who feared werewolves. As long as he believed he was appropriately prepared.
So, why the impression of fear in the potion drinking scene? Or have we misread it? After all, PoA is ALL about misdirection. We come away originally believing the Shrieking Shack is all about a schoolyard 'prank' - one that is hardly a true prank, but could have cost him his life - and yet the truth (in the end) seems to be more about his anger at Sirius for his betrayal of the Potters.
Perhaps the potion-drinking scene is also less about 'fear' and more about distrust. He believed Remus was in cahoots with Black. And we now know that Snape's entire reason for continuing to live was to protect Harry. Is it more about fear for Harry? Or some kind of warning to Harry? -- Hwyla
That's interesting--I guess I didn't really notice that before. Certainly he outranks Fenrir in the DEs, but that Fenrir actually acts cowed is pretty interesting. Maybe in the past, Snape demonstrated to Fenrir that he's someone not to be trifled with.
I'm not quite sure about the potion-drinking scene. In hindsight, I lean towards it signaling distrust more than fear. And I think he'd fight hard not to let the fear control him. Even if he did fear werewolves, that may have given him even more incentive to prove himself the alpha to Fenrir, so as not to appear weak and vulnerable.
Voldemort and werewolves: I don't think the non-Marking of Fenrir was necessarily because werewolves were considered inferior by Voldemort (though they very well may have), but because it wasn't pragmatic to do so: It would mean Voldemort couldn't summon the Death Eaters on full moon nights. I just can't see Voldemort allowing for such a restriction on his actions.
Wolfsbane and the place of werewolves in wizarding society: There were few people who could brew wolfsbane. Who were their clients? Not Fenrir's werewolves. Those reveled at their status of outsiders, believed they were owed blood. Maybe parents of turned children get it for them so they can live safely at home (and be tutored at home, I don't believe Dumbledore repeated the experiment of having a werewolf at Hogwarts)? Maybe adult werewolves who tried to keep their condition relatively secret? I suppose they would owl-order it?
One thing Rowling completely ignores is that according to Fantastic Beasts, Muggles bitten by werewolves can also turn. So logically the great majority of werewolves should be Muggles of origin - because there are a lot more Muggles than wizards and Muggles aren't warned against werewolves. Is there an arrangement whereby the Ministry provides Muggle werewolves with wolfsbane in order to contain the spread of lycanthropy? There should be a huge population of werewolves, since each werewolf who isn't on Wolfsbane or locked up can make more. Maybe there are a couple of brewers who completely specialize in the brewing of Wolfsbane.
I don't imagine that there are many Wolfsbane clients--just the few werewolves who are lucky enough to come from wealthy families that are able to pay for it. I don't think that the Ministry would spend a lot of money to pay for the Wolfsbane--they have such contempt for werewolves, even depriving them of the ability to hold a job and support themselves. They don't seem far-sighted enough to realize that distributing the Wolfsbane free of charge or at a reduced price would help prevent lycanthropy--just as they don't see that depriving werewolves of basic human rights is more likely to drive them over to Voldemort's side.
Post-DH, when things are supposed to have improved at the Ministry under Kingsley (and I think Hermione was working there too?), then I could see them setting up some sort of Wolfsbane distribution program.
A lucky few might get taken under the wing of a veteran werewolf, although the term "lucky" is relative. I recall a Snupin fic where Greyback had turned some Muggle children and taken them into his pack.
Werewolves post DH
Indeed, Hermione is supposed to be at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. I can see her contacting werewolves and offering them Wolfsbane, in combination with some kind of employment or business opportunities - maybe as outside contractors to the Ministry (the way the twins sold Shield Hats to the Ministry in HBP).
What I would like to see is the wizarding version of special education programs. A school that offers a full curriculum to werewolves who were turned in childhood and rehabilitation programs for adults - to get them used to taking Wolfsbane regularly, to help those who had been living outside society to acquire job skills, to help some of the others adjust to a lifestyle that makes them unavailable on certain nights (maybe encourage self-employment). such a school can become the hub of a positive werewolf subculture the way schools for the deaf and other similar institutions are sometimes in our world. From there they may also become more socially acceptable over time.