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Reader Comments: (Page 7)

Cecil and Veerle: Yes, what you say is true, but what if he felt the damage had already been done, that Snape had already caused his dismisal, and it was just a matter of time when, not if, someone put two-and-two together?

George: Good one! Snape closed the curtains because he was going to use the slide-projector in the class, which requires a darkened room. But what if he planned to use the projector just so that he could have a darkened room?

Posted by Dave Haber from Los Angeles, CA on September 10, 2007 07:21 AM

As Veerle said, I have the conviction that Lupin is (was...) not the kind to take revenge - even if he was sure the damage was done. He said clearly that he was grateful for Snape doing the potion-the one thing that allowed him to be a teacher at Hogwarts and not endangering anyone. Would he then turn back and try to have him exposed and sacked? Again, not like him at all.

And even if he was: he did not think any damage was done. the students actually did not work on the essay at all, as Lupin told them they did not have to, Only Hermione wrote the essay (remember her unhappy face when Lupin cancelled Snape's homework).

Why would Lupin then feel that he was going to be exposed and all being lost for him, he would then expose Snape? He thought then no students had done the essay.

Posted by Cecil from Tacoma, WA on September 10, 2007 09:46 AM

Like another comment earlier, I think that JK's (through Harry) tendancy is to give us descriptions of characters that are of animals but then also to give the character certain traits of that animal as well. The less savory the character, the more icky the comparison. Snape and the bats, Umbridge (the ministry's "toady"), Dudley as pig. Even Ron Weasley has the physical description of a weasel, except that JK has said quite clearly she thought the weasel was wrongfully maligned. I think that all of the references to Snape and bats, along with the dungeon and sallow skin, was to give him a creepy, skin crawly type of feel. I do not think that Snape was actually a vampire or even part of one. I think we may have been lead down that path of thought by JK because Snape was "part " or on the inside since the of Lily.

Finally, and as evidence against the Snape as a vampire theory, I absolutely do not believe that Lupin would have set an essay on vampires had he believed Snape was a vampire. Lupin is not that type of person and knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of that type of treatment. Also, Lupin trusted Dumbledore and if Dumbledore believed in Snape, Lupin would have in no way gone behind Dumbledore's back to sabatoge Snape's position at Hogwarts. Snape on the otherhand, was not happy about Lupin being there and tried to imply to Dumbledore that Lupin could have let in the POA. While Snape was not the evil character others wanted to believe, he was no where near the man of character that Lupin was.

Posted by B&B;'s mom on September 10, 2007 11:08 AM

snape is not a vampire. his father is muggle and vampires cant give birth. and his mother is a pure blood. another fact is if garlic was on quirrels turban and snape wouldnt be able to get near him. remember he pinned him against a wall.

Posted by lorraine from dayton ohio on September 10, 2007 12:38 PM

Did anyone else ever notice that Severus Snape sounds like "Sever his nape" ? Nape meaning neck?

Posted by china from texas on September 10, 2007 4:40 PM

I think that, whether Snape is a vampire or not, it doesn't affect the story or Rowling would have just said it eventually. And plus, I thought vampires could only be ed by a wooden stake through their heart, not a big snake.

Posted by andrea from ogden, utah on September 13, 2007 2:03 PM

To Amber from San Fransisco: You said Snape became so good at potions because he was Lily´s friend. I think it was the other way round. I think Snape lent his potions book to Lily so that Lily could copy the notes he had written on the instructions. So, Lily would have been extremely good at potions in Slughorn´s eyes just for the same reason that Harry was, because of Snape´s notes. Slughorn wasn´t a very perceptive person. We also know that when Snape first arrived at Hogwarts at the age of eleven he already knew more spells than half the pupils who were in their 7th year. Later he developed spells of his own, and how many people did this? It´s easy to believe he was as accomplished in potions. And if Snape lent his book to Lily, it could also explain how the Levicorpus jinx leaked (and leaked to James!). I believe this was also the reason why Snape got so angry with Lily that he called her filthy little mudblood: he saw that the jinx had leaked to James. The leaking might have been intentional or unintentional.

Posted by Sara from Finland on September 14, 2007 12:36 AM

To Dave: Thank you, it was an interesting article.

You said that Hermione lists all the upcoming chapters in their DADA book, but it was, in fact, all the chapters they had stud. ("We´ve done...") So if there was a chapter on werewolves in the end of the book, I think there probably was a chapter on vampires, as well.

I also wonder how would Lupin know about Snape being a part-vampire? (I don´t believe he could have been a whole-vampire)

Interesting though that he liked being in cold (and was it dark, too?). But the evidence didn´t convince me. On the other hand, it´s not impossible.

Posted by Sara from Finland on September 14, 2007 12:25 PM

There is something about his teeth in PoA:

"Snape´s uneven, yellowish teeth were bared." (Snape´s Grudge, p.210 Bloomsbury adult edition)

By the way, it can be seen again how Snape always wants to protect the students.

"You each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognise and werewolves." (Grim Defeat p.129 Bloomsbury adult)

He wants them to know how to a werewolf, in case Lupin became a danger to them. I would say the protection of pupils was the reason he wanted them to write this essay. He also wanted Lupin out of the school, but more for safety than for retaliation. He after all helped Lupin by preparing the Wolfsbane potion for him. And I also understand why Snape "let slip" that Lupin was a werewolf in the end of the book: Lupin had forgotten to take his potion and had been a real danger!

Posted by Sara from Finland on September 15, 2007 12:03 AM

I think that as you have given the example of lupin giving vampire essay, lupin is not the kind of a person to ask for revenge, but still your article was pretty convincing. But there are still big loop holes in it.

Posted by Nina Angel on September 15, 2007 01:36 AM

Sara from Finland: I love your idea, it's brilliant.
Just wondering, who was it who said that spells go in and out of style?

Posted by ashley from California on September 15, 2007 6:24 PM

i think it could be very possible that Snape is a vampire! but it also could be true that they are just clues to throw us off! but i like him being a bat better!

Posted by NYMPHADORA TONKS from MIDLAND NC on September 15, 2007 6:32 PM

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