Weekly Discussion: Favoritism
- Do you think Severus Snape was a virgin before his death.
No. I agree with what Naaga wrote.It is mostly because of what Voldemort said. Reading all the comments on this question and me being a non-linear thinker, I started thinking of the different scenarios and even came up with my own. This is fiction and I can play around in my head and my favorite stories will win.
- "What do you think was dynamic between Snape and Draco"?
Another child he feels he needs to watch over especially knowing how Slytherin is and how they are thought of. I do think Harry takes priority. I guess I also don’t find the Malfoys that interesting like others do.
- "Lupin mentions of Sectumsempra being Snape's signature spell - how do you think Lupin came to recognise it?"
I never really thought much about it, but @jaysm gives me some things to chew on and to my headcanon.
- What is your headcanon on Eileen's backstory? How did she come to marry Tobias? Oh my all these sad stories. It is like reading Angela’s Ashes or A Child Called It. My headcanon gives a happier picture, because I like that in my fiction. It is my escape. My headcanon is really different. I just saw this video this week and I thought of Tobias. I am not sure if some people can get this video in their area, but SNL has some funny Harry Potter videos which I want to post in the video section.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIE_yxflthY&t=5s
- What if Snape had a normal family with loving parents? How he would've turned out?
Is this a trick question? Right. Normal? What is a normal family? The Wesleys? The Potters? We know the Blacks are not. Um… we wouldn’t have such interesting debates. We wouldn’t have Severus Snape. Maybe we would have someone like James Potter. I’ve seen bad children come from “good families” and good children come from “bad families”. Sometimes I think it is all a crap shoot, because there are so many factors of how a child will turn out.
- Do you think Severus Snape was a bully? Why or why not?
No he was just an ass sometimes.
Or what I perceive as an ass, sometimes when we know the reason why someone does something our perceptions can change.
I am thinking of the BBC series North and South and how the northern and southern have different cultures and how they sometimes clash. I have read post/essays/meme that Severus has a more northern personality of the time he grew up in. Here is a clip of Margaret Hale (south) first introduction to John Thorton (north).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEI6upbtLew
I assume many of you have already watched this period drama. I bring this up because many people see Snape being a bully when he is threatening Neville’s frog and others see it as him trying to get it through to him not to bring his frog to class, which can be a danger to not only Neville but the entire class. Potions is not a safe class. Explosions do happen.
Okay I have 8 more questions to answer. I don't know why I feel I have to complete this list. I guess I am just that kind of person that needs to cross things off lists. 😅
I finished the list.
- Does Severus Snape have BDE (Big Dick Energy)? Why or why not?
Others have spoken…and spoken…and spoken. I don’t have anything more to add.
- How would Snape's treatment of Harry been different, had he been a girl with Lily's features?
I agree with @naaga. I think it would be more painful to see her because he would be constantly reminded of his part in her death more than being bullied by James. I think when he sees Harry, he thinks of James and remembers the bullying.
- What is Snape's weirdest choice as a character, something that either doesn't make sense, or something that would make sense for another character?
For some reason I always find it weird that he refereed a Quidditch game. Not that it should be, but it does.
- What are Severus Snape's Best and Worst Traits?
I love the whole package. He is so fun to read.
- Was Snape rich in his Professor years?
No. Better off than when he was younger. I do wonder how he had money during his death eater days. Did he have a job, or was he paid by anonymous donors? I also wonder about people in the Order also who didn’t seem to have jobs or family money, such as Lupin.
- Why did Snape preferably wanted to teach DADA despite having an affinity for both Dark Arts and Potions?
I agree with @darkangel and naaga on this.
- Do you think Severus Snape actually hated Harry Potter?
I think he hated the situation the most and Harry was a constraint reminder of why he was in it. I was hating himself for what he did. I think during the Harry free years he still hated the situation he was in and spread his hate more evenly with other students.
- Do you think Snape knew Harry would survive?
I think he hoped, but he was already in too deep and gave up so much that he just put his trust in Dumbledore. “Que Sera, Sera” (And yes to those who know, I am thinking of the song made famous by Doris Day ).
- Do you think Dumbledore favored Snape?
No. He didn’t have time for favorites. He was planning for war. Granted I do believe he was bias of Gryffindors and did have a special place in his heart for Harry and I believe it has to do with the fact that he has been watching over him since he was a baby and knew what he would have to go through and maybe even thinks of his nephew.
1.When do you think Snape learned to cast patronus? Also whether it's form was always a doe or some other form before eventually changing to a doe?
Some time after Lily died. (I think if he'd had the strength to form a bright strong corporeal Patronus as a teen, he would have been less vulnerable to the allures of the Dark Lord's ''branding'' and wouldn't have been such a sitting duck for recruitment by the Death Eaters.)
(Just as an aside: For what it's worth, I'm 100% convinced--based on the text in books 3 and 5--that it was Snape's patronus that drove away the 100 dementors the first time in Prisoner of Azkaban 🙂
2.Do you think Voldemort and Snape had a close relationship? (Not romantic)
Yes. (To convince me otherwise, I would need a compelling reason for why Voldemort would indulge a 21 year-old's request to spare Lily.) Snape and Voldemort had a lot in common; they understood each other.
3. What do you think about Snape's relationship with Albus Dumbledore?
Gah.
4. What do you think about Snape's relationship with other Hogwarts staff members?
I like the idea of Poppy Pomfrey and Snape being friendly with each other, platonically.
Edit: Then again, if she treated him when he was a kid, that would make for an awkward dynamic when he became a professor. But I don't believe child/teen Snape would ever *let* himself be taken to the hospital wing...
Tbc...
Quote from Shell Cottage on September 5, 2026, 12:09 pmJust for fun, and because I need the distraction while nap-trapped with my son, haha, I'm going to start answering these : )
1.When do you think Snape learned to cast patronus? Also whether it's form was always a doe or some other form before eventually changing to a doe?
Some time after Lily died. (I think if he'd had the strength to form a bright strong corporeal Patronus as a teen, he would have been less vulnerable to the allures of the Dark Lord's ''branding'' and wouldn't have been such a sitting duck for recruitment by the Death Eaters.)
(Just as an aside: For what it's worth, I'm 100% convinced--based on the text in books 3 and 5--that it was Snape's patronus that drove away the 100 dementors the first time in Prisoner of Azkaban 🙂
2.Do you think Voldemort and Snape had a close relationship? (Not romantic)
Yes. (To convince me otherwise, I would need a compelling reason for why Voldemort would indulge a 21 year-old's request to spare Lily.) Snape and Voldemort had a lot in common; they understood each other.
3. What do you think about Snape's relationship with Albus Dumbledore?
Gah.
4. What do you think about Snape's relationship with other Hogwarts staff members?
I like the idea of Poppy Pomfrey and Snape being friendly with each other, platonically.
Edit: Then again, if she treated him when he was a kid, that would make for an awkward dynamic when he became a professor. But I don't believe child/teen Snape would ever *let* himself be taken to the hospital wing...
Baby's awake. Tbc...
It took me around a week to finish this list. I was determined. 😂 I am a caregiver for my father so I am at home most of the time and being on this board is better than retail therapy online which ends up costing a lot.
Poppy Pomfrey and Snape
I am writing a fan fic and it has this. I see one of Snape's many talents as a healer specializing in dark wounds. We see this with Dumbledore's hand. I think he would have started out learning at Hogwarts observing Pomprey skills and asking her questions.
