Snape's pensieve (again...)

[Mistress Siana]

Ever since I read book 5, I've had a strange feeling about Snape's pensieve, and now I think I've figured out why...

I had the feeling that using a pensieve in front of Harry's eyes was totally out of character. I mean, wouldn't you say that taking this very personal kind of thoughts out of your head is quite an emotional action? Not only did Snape show that there were thoughts he didn't want Harry to see, he also gave Harry the impression that he was afraid of what he (harry) could possibly discover. So...Snape getting emotional in front of Harry Potter's eyes?? NEVER!!
In addition to that, the most stupid thing he could have done was leave Harry alone with the pensieve. Locking it away would have taken no time, so it is no excuse that he was in a hurry. You can't tell me that Snape, of all, didn't expect Potter to be curious and dare a look into the pensieve.
This behaviour just doesn't fit. The Snape that JKR presents us in the first four books would never have risked letting Harry find out about thoughts he desperately wants to hide, never, and I just can't believe Joanne has become that careless. For that reason, I think that Snape might have planned what happened....from the first occlumency lession on he acted in a way that made it impossible for harry to ignore the pensieve, and the outcome was not exactly inconvenient for Snape:
It gave him the opportunity to stop teaching Harry and made Harry reconsider his opinion about Mister Nice Guy Sirius and his glorious Dad...
possible??

[highsorcerer]

It's possible, but I think a pensive may be a way to take memories out of your mind you don't want to relive, except during certain circumstances. The trials Dumbledore attended were not happy ones, and Snape's worst memory might have been his way to try to get his worst one out of his mind, in a vain attempt to separate James from Harry.

[Mistress Siana]

I don't disagree on that point, but like you said, the memories you hide in a pensive a always very emotional ones, and even the process of taking them out would be quite personal. It just doesn't seem very much like Snape to me to do it in front of Harry's eyes

[Jotomicron]

Hey... You have here a good good point, Mistress...

I'd say Snape would be certainly hoping to show Harry what have happened and that would certainly be one way of telling him without even need to talk.

I don't remember why Malfoy appeared there, but Snape could have asked him to appear and call him...

Good point...


~Just wonder about ev'rything... It's good to your mind~

[Gower]

I like this idea. It would be an excellent way for Snape to:

1. Throw Harry around his office.
2. Stop teaching him
3. Upset Harry by making him think his dad was a bully.

Maybe Snape wanted Harry to see that memory because it was the one that most portrayed James as a bully. Maybe if Harry had seen other memories he would have seen that James was in fact not that much of a bully.
Could this mean Snape is on the dark side? He probably knew the consequences of Harry not learning occlumency, and maybe he wanted Harry to see Sirius being tortured and go to the department of mysteries to rescue him.

PS I hope you approve Choki

[Violet]

I just reckon that snape wanted harry to see his dad in a different light, but i dont think that he's really on the dark side. i mean there was nothing to suggest at that poing that sirius was going to be killed really.
And as snape has saved harry on various occassions i really dont think that snape wants him killed

[Gower]

This is basically what Ron and Hermione spend all their time at hogwarts arguing about... I think you are right, although in the time between book 1 and book 5 he could easily have changed sides.

[Violet]

Yeah i suppose he could have done. i just cant tell with snape, i mean sometimes he says thinks that suggest that he is working for DD and spying on snape, but others he's just so horrible it makes u wonder how he can be on any side other than Voldermorts

[Gower]

Yeah i suppose he could have done. i just cant tell with snape, i mean sometimes he says thinks that suggest that he is working for DD and spying on snape, but others he's just so horrible it makes u wonder how he can be on any side other than Voldermorts

This is precisely the reason why he is my favourite character! I just can't tell what he is up to.

[Mistress Siana]

I think you are right, although in the time between book 1 and book 5 he could easily have changed sides.

That's what I've been wondering...in book 1, he seems to hate Harry but is quite evidently on the good side. At least I think it's obvious because of the way he treats Quirrell. But in the last books, I more and more get the feeling that there is something else...that maybe he's playing a double game.
There is something I said in a thread some time ago: I don't really think he has changed or is gonna change sides again just for the sake of power. After all, he turned to DD when Voldie had his greatest power. Could it be possible that he is forced by either Voldie or the DEs to help them against his will? Maybe blackmailed? Because they know DD trusts him or because he is useful in any other way?

[Violet]

Could it be possible that he is forced by either Voldie or the DEs to help them against his will? Maybe blackmailed? Because they know DD trusts him or because he is useful in any other way?

That sounds quite possible... i'm not sure what they could be blackmailing him with, but yeah it's a good theory.
I dont think that they would be able to force him in another way because seeing as he is skilled in Occlu... then he could probably shake off the imperius curse, and if they were threatening him he could turn to DD and i'm sure he would be able to protect him to some extent.

[Mistress Siana]

JKR never told about the teachers' private life...if Snape had a family, Voldie could use them easily to blackmail him...

ok, maybe I've watched too much "24"...hehe...but still...

[Violet]

JKR never told about the teachers' private life...if Snape had a family, Voldie could use them easily to blackmail him...

ok, maybe I've watched too much "24"...hehe...but still...

Lol Maybe, i guess it's just the JK hasnt mentioned Snape having any family yet, but well i guess that doesnt mean he hasnt got any!
Maybe he does have family, but never gets to see them?

[Holly Golightly]

Just from the initial thing, I just wanted to say, I don't think that Snape wanted Harry to see the stuff inthe Pensive. I jsut cant' see Snape wanting to let Harry see him humiliated. It doesn't really fit hjis character I think...

But anyways, about Snape having a family, and blackmail etc. Very awesome idea. I just can't bring myself to beleive that Snape has a family, but maybe they are blackmailing him with something else... ie, maybe when Snape changed sides to DD, he told DD most of the evil things that he did, but left out the worst ones, due to shame or whatever...

Now, what if one of the DE's cound out about his dulpicity, and is not blackmailing Snape, threatening to tell people of the worse crimes that he comitted, and is making him give false leads to DD? Or something like that???

[Violet]

I've just mentioned this quote in the thread about Snape's secret but i think it's relevant here too:

A hook-nosed man was shouting at a cowering woman, while a small dark haired boy cowered in the corner

As i said in the other thread i think that this would be Snape's father shouting at his mother, if that is the case then i think that it would make Snape very protective of her, and thus maybe Voldermort could be threatening to hurt her if Snape doesnt do stuff for him?