This was too long as a reply, so I thought I'd post it as a mini-essay:( Read more... )
November 8th, 2009
thoughtfulNot a response to the challenge, eh, but this jsut wanted to be written.
There is an argument that is often made by Snape detractors stating that Severus is selfish and morally degraded because he only asked for Lily's life, and not those of James and Harry as well. I was going to post a short comment regarding this argument in a discussion on terri_testing's LJ, but it turned into something a bit...longer. 7500 words longer, to be exact. I'll have to post it in parts. Usual apologies for insane length and all.
There is an argument that is often made by Snape detractors stating that Severus is selfish and morally degraded because he only asked for Lily's life, and not those of James and Harry as well. I was going to post a short comment regarding this argument in a discussion on terri_testing's LJ, but it turned into something a bit...longer. 7500 words longer, to be exact. I'll have to post it in parts. Usual apologies for insane length and all.
( Love Thine Enemy )
October 31st, 2009
I didn't have time this month to do a full essay, but here are a few thoughts about Snape and his fears...
( Read more... )
September 30th, 2009
I'm mainly a slash fan, and of Snupin in particular, so contemplating the topic of Snape and His Women is something new for me, but it was interesting looking at Snape from a different point of view...
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
August 30th, 2009
My OTP is Snape/Lupin, but as I already wrote a Snupin ship essay a couple of years ago, I won't reiterate all the same points, but will discuss the ship more briefly, take a look at a few other Snape slash pairings, and discuss how my perceptions of Snape slash changed with the release of Deathly Hallows.
( Read more... )
August 15th, 2009
All Men are Mortal, All Death Eaters are Slytherin: Logic, Observer Effects, and Snape's Spying
“There’s not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn’t in Slytherin.” Hagrid, PS
We are explicitly told that all witches and wizards who go bad are Slytherin, and rather strongly invited to infer the converse, that all Slytherins are bad. Certainly Harry seems to have little problem believing the worst of his rival house.
But let’s look at what we know of the most extreme of those who “went bad”—those who became such ardent supporters of The Most Evil Dark Wizard of All Time™ that they took his Mark onto their own flesh and bound themselves to him permanently.
Harry (and the reader) assumes that Death Eaters were almost all Slytherins. Hagrid asserts, absolutely falsely, that they were Slytherins without a single exception. But does canon actually support the contention that they were even mostly Slytherins?
( We must agree )
“There’s not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn’t in Slytherin.” Hagrid, PS
We are explicitly told that all witches and wizards who go bad are Slytherin, and rather strongly invited to infer the converse, that all Slytherins are bad. Certainly Harry seems to have little problem believing the worst of his rival house.
But let’s look at what we know of the most extreme of those who “went bad”—those who became such ardent supporters of The Most Evil Dark Wizard of All Time™ that they took his Mark onto their own flesh and bound themselves to him permanently.
Harry (and the reader) assumes that Death Eaters were almost all Slytherins. Hagrid asserts, absolutely falsely, that they were Slytherins without a single exception. But does canon actually support the contention that they were even mostly Slytherins?
( We must agree )
July 15th, 2009
Some of the comments on Oryx_leucoryx's post on who knew Severus was a Death Eater (7/30) made me realize that there are actually people out there who have not read Whitehound's excellent essay, "But Snape is Just Nasty, Right?" which examines ALL of the canon evidence on Snape's behavior....
http://members.madasafish.com/~cj_white
If you read it a while ago, she's recently updated (with a lot of good insights into the nature, particularly, of his favoritism towards Slytherin children)--and she pulled out separate essays on the questions of when/how the Potters went into hiding
http://members.madasafish.com/~cj_white
and
"Sectumsempra and the Nature of Curses," which examines what makes a spell "Dark Magic", a curse, or a jinx.
http://members.madasafish.com/~cj_white
Her other essays are very well worth reading too!
http://members.madasafish.com/~cj_white
If you read it a while ago, she's recently updated (with a lot of good insights into the nature, particularly, of his favoritism towards Slytherin children)--and she pulled out separate essays on the questions of when/how the Potters went into hiding
http://members.madasafish.com/~cj_white
and
"Sectumsempra and the Nature of Curses," which examines what makes a spell "Dark Magic", a curse, or a jinx.
http://members.madasafish.com/~cj_white
Her other essays are very well worth reading too!
June 30th, 2009
There's been a lot of interesting debate about the flying issue: did Voldemort teach Snape to fly, as McGonagall assumes, or was it Snape who taught Voldemort, as many Snape fans have suggested?
( Read more... )
June 9th, 2009
Werewolves. I believe that Severus' antipathy to werewolves was due to something he believed to be Remus’ betrayal. Remus had never tormented him. That would have meant a great deal Severus, as a lonely teenager. There are two times we read about Severus following someone and spying on them for his own ends. One is Lily, in the playground, (which naturally implies more such incidents.) The other is his spying on the Marauders.
The books speak of him hiding in the bushes, watching Lily with hunger. He was not a predator, but despite everything, despite planning and cunning, he was something much more innocent. He wanted a friend.
I believe it was in the same spirit that he watched the marauders. It is true, he was amongst a gang of Slytherins, who nearly all turned out to be Death-Eaters, but they were Slytherin. They were the powerful rich old families, pure-blood, wanting for nothing. The demands put on the neglected boy we see on the train must have been enormous, and they would have had to be hidden, must be demonstrated immediately even as they were developing.
How lonely he must have been, would have been, even had Sirius, James and probably others, not tormented him while their followers jeered.
He would have noticed Remus with them, shabby and poor as himself, another boy who would have been an outcast. He would have seen the apology in Remus' eyes, the awkwardness, the inability to prevent his friends, the disinclination to participate. Intrigued, he would have watched, noticed the illnesses, the absences, perhaps scratches and minor wounds. In his mind he would have conjured sympathy in Remus - not pity, but possibility of understanding, fellow-feeling, even... even friendship.
( cut for 728 words )
The books speak of him hiding in the bushes, watching Lily with hunger. He was not a predator, but despite everything, despite planning and cunning, he was something much more innocent. He wanted a friend.
I believe it was in the same spirit that he watched the marauders. It is true, he was amongst a gang of Slytherins, who nearly all turned out to be Death-Eaters, but they were Slytherin. They were the powerful rich old families, pure-blood, wanting for nothing. The demands put on the neglected boy we see on the train must have been enormous, and they would have had to be hidden, must be demonstrated immediately even as they were developing.
How lonely he must have been, would have been, even had Sirius, James and probably others, not tormented him while their followers jeered.
He would have noticed Remus with them, shabby and poor as himself, another boy who would have been an outcast. He would have seen the apology in Remus' eyes, the awkwardness, the inability to prevent his friends, the disinclination to participate. Intrigued, he would have watched, noticed the illnesses, the absences, perhaps scratches and minor wounds. In his mind he would have conjured sympathy in Remus - not pity, but possibility of understanding, fellow-feeling, even... even friendship.
( cut for 728 words )
crushedJune 6th, 2009
There are many Severus'. And each Severus has his own canon. In that of my Severus, I have made certain choices. It is certainly due to the influence of my friend's story that I have taken these positions. Since it was written the Snape-shaped hole appeared. This delighted me.
Voldemort is the only other person in the books who is mentioned as flying, and when they learn of it everyone is amazed. He is in the habit of arbitrarily punishing and rewarding. Snape had killed Dumbledore, the only person who Voldemort feared. In my world, it is not only Headmastership of Hogwarts he is granted, and a seat at the Dark Lord's right hand, but the gift of flight.
It has been argued, when I mentioned this in the Voldemort writing, that the Dark Lord was not inclined to give or to share knowledge or skills. I think, however that he was capricious, and it pleased him to act with benevolence as well as cruelty. 'A Merciful Lord,' he said, and perhaps he wanted to prove himself a generous one also. He would want to bear positive attributes, to show himself that he was a wise and good leader of men. If he had been a hard and vicious man always, I do not think he would have gained power and followers from the high old families.
It is true, he punished his followers, either with immediate Crucio, as with Thorfinn, or with long-term elaborate harm such as turning Draco into a murderer in vengeance against Lucius. Nevertheless, I believe that the service Severus rendered him, of that he believed Severus rendered him, was significant enough to warrant significant reward.
In my canon, Severus is aware of what price he paid for his gift. He knows it is blood money or meant to be blood money. On the one hand, when he flies he thinks of Dumbledore, of killing him. On the other hand, flight is wonderful, and the physical feeling is free, the control and solitude - all are at once triumphant and peaceful even in the midst of war. It is a beautiful miracle. It is another tool in an array of personal tactics. It allows him to... escape, to literally rise above. Wonder and horror.
( cut for length and more prosaic details )
words: 1019
warnings: none
Voldemort is the only other person in the books who is mentioned as flying, and when they learn of it everyone is amazed. He is in the habit of arbitrarily punishing and rewarding. Snape had killed Dumbledore, the only person who Voldemort feared. In my world, it is not only Headmastership of Hogwarts he is granted, and a seat at the Dark Lord's right hand, but the gift of flight.
It has been argued, when I mentioned this in the Voldemort writing, that the Dark Lord was not inclined to give or to share knowledge or skills. I think, however that he was capricious, and it pleased him to act with benevolence as well as cruelty. 'A Merciful Lord,' he said, and perhaps he wanted to prove himself a generous one also. He would want to bear positive attributes, to show himself that he was a wise and good leader of men. If he had been a hard and vicious man always, I do not think he would have gained power and followers from the high old families.
It is true, he punished his followers, either with immediate Crucio, as with Thorfinn, or with long-term elaborate harm such as turning Draco into a murderer in vengeance against Lucius. Nevertheless, I believe that the service Severus rendered him, of that he believed Severus rendered him, was significant enough to warrant significant reward.
In my canon, Severus is aware of what price he paid for his gift. He knows it is blood money or meant to be blood money. On the one hand, when he flies he thinks of Dumbledore, of killing him. On the other hand, flight is wonderful, and the physical feeling is free, the control and solitude - all are at once triumphant and peaceful even in the midst of war. It is a beautiful miracle. It is another tool in an array of personal tactics. It allows him to... escape, to literally rise above. Wonder and horror.
( cut for length and more prosaic details )
words: 1019
warnings: none
conflictedMay 30th, 2009
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...
( Read more... )
April 27th, 2009
Written for the April 2009 challenge, "Severus as a Squib." This essay plays a bit fast and loose with the topic, but it also features a classic Elton John song, so dive right in...
April 26th, 2009
I proposed the Squib Snape challenge, but to be honest, I find it very hard to picture Snape as a Squib. Maybe that was why I suggested it, to get other people's viewpoints on the subject. It's just that, for me, magic seems such an intrinsic part of Snape that it's difficult to separate the two.
( Read more... )
April 3rd, 2009
In response to ![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
00sevvie's response to my Severus and Voldemort post.
00sevvie is a brilliant name, by the way. I am all admiration.
I hope I've answered some of your questions. Again - its really too long for comments. And again, I ramble on and on and on... I love to talk about Snape.
( cut for 2500 words of rambles )
He is the perfect adjutant - capable, with nothing to lose and nothing to gain. To want - anything - is to be cheated, to lose. From Voldemort's point of view, love can turn to hate, belief can turn to a feeling of betrayal. Severus is useful. Usefulness does not fail. Usefulness is what he gains from Dumbledore, why he serves him as well, and there are the years of use teaching and perhaps spying on his young charges during the time in which Voldemort was vanquished. Usefulness is what he gains from Voldemort. That is why he is valued by Voldemort, because it is pure and it is hunger, even terror that he will fall into nothingness.
What joy, you ask? Memory. And the things he always loved. Spells, potions, Slytherin House, learning, understanding from wizards. The hope for a fleeting, momentary look or hand of approval, praise, trust. A striving for redemption through service, penance through work.
00sevvie's response to my Severus and Voldemort post.00sevvie is a brilliant name, by the way. I am all admiration.
I hope I've answered some of your questions. Again - its really too long for comments. And again, I ramble on and on and on... I love to talk about Snape.
( cut for 2500 words of rambles )
He is the perfect adjutant - capable, with nothing to lose and nothing to gain. To want - anything - is to be cheated, to lose. From Voldemort's point of view, love can turn to hate, belief can turn to a feeling of betrayal. Severus is useful. Usefulness does not fail. Usefulness is what he gains from Dumbledore, why he serves him as well, and there are the years of use teaching and perhaps spying on his young charges during the time in which Voldemort was vanquished. Usefulness is what he gains from Voldemort. That is why he is valued by Voldemort, because it is pure and it is hunger, even terror that he will fall into nothingness.
What joy, you ask? Memory. And the things he always loved. Spells, potions, Slytherin House, learning, understanding from wizards. The hope for a fleeting, momentary look or hand of approval, praise, trust. A striving for redemption through service, penance through work.
thinkyMarch 31st, 2009
There are a lot of unanswered questions about Snape and Voldemort...was Snape really the Dark Lord's right hand man, and if so, was he always, or did this only occur after Voldemort's return post-GoF? And how did Voldemort manage to recruit Snape and the other Death Eaters in the first place? I've seen it pointed out in other posts that what we see of Voldemort doesn't paint him as a particularly cunning or charismatic leader. It seems that aside from Bellatrix, most of the Death Eaters are serving him mainly out of fear.
( Read more... )
All right, since it’s the end of March and I apparently have time to write insanely long responses to other people’s challenge entries, I might as well go ahead and attempt to put my thoughts on Sev and Voldie into some kind of order. J Be warned that this is not a proper essay arguing a point, but merely a long (very long!) ramble about my thoughts on different aspects of Sev and Voldemort’s relationship. Tangents, long detours, etc. may be ahead.
Sorry to make a separate post for this, but for some reason the site won't recognize my attempts to comment on the original post at any length (it keeps giving me an error message). However, I found the essay interesting and thought-provoking, and wanted to respond somehow. So I'm writing a separate post - I hope this is ok.
Janus:
As I said in my short comment to your post, this is a very interesting essay, with a perspective I haven't come across before. On a number of points I agree with you, particularly about using real emotions as a method of occluding, creating a 'face' for the legilimens to see. It accords pretty closely with my understanding of Sev's Occlumency. And yes, he is a complex man full of contradictions - verbally brutal to his students, yet willing to charge into danger when he thinks they're hurt, full of resentment and hate but also deeply loving, a DE and a member of the Order, etc.
However, I do have real questions/confusion on some points. Please don't feel attacked - I agree with you on some things, and for the rest I honestly am interested in hearing your response. I guess I'm trying to get a better understanding of your Sev's psychology. Please correct me where I misinterpret things!
This might be pretty long.
Janus:
As I said in my short comment to your post, this is a very interesting essay, with a perspective I haven't come across before. On a number of points I agree with you, particularly about using real emotions as a method of occluding, creating a 'face' for the legilimens to see. It accords pretty closely with my understanding of Sev's Occlumency. And yes, he is a complex man full of contradictions - verbally brutal to his students, yet willing to charge into danger when he thinks they're hurt, full of resentment and hate but also deeply loving, a DE and a member of the Order, etc.
However, I do have real questions/confusion on some points. Please don't feel attacked - I agree with you on some things, and for the rest I honestly am interested in hearing your response. I guess I'm trying to get a better understanding of your Sev's psychology. Please correct me where I misinterpret things!
This might be pretty long.
( My questions: )