Weekly Discussion: Favoritism
Quote from Sam on September 25, 2023, 3:50 pmTrue enough. But personally, considering how he spent almost the entirety of his life in memory of his childhood 'friend'. I would say that he stayed at Spinner's End simply because of good memories, whatever few they were of Lily. Aside from that, we don't see him spending money on anything. So he lived a frugal lifestyle, but must have amassed somewhat significant sum even if it was pointless at that point. As for Prince family fortune, he may or may not have acquired it. But I am leaning more towards not getting it, because I don't think the disowning was just limited to Eileen. Obviously we would never know and it's not like Rowling would clarify that for us even if we wanted to.
I also doubt that if the Princes did disown Eileen that her half-blood so would be exempt from that decision.
There's actually hope that Rowling may reveal some more details in the upcoming series. I think it would be good to add some extra I for which jasmt been revealed yet on the various characters go keep old fans interested and engaged because if the series is a complete rehash of the books, I don't really see why I should waste my time on it. I really want more info on who the Princes are, why they're not part of the Sacred 28, and how exactly Eileen met Tobias.
While I don't think Snape was a richy rich as an adult, he certainly didn't lack for money and had a good sum of money as an adult.
I'm excluding anything Prince related because we don't know if Princes had any ancestral wealth or Snape inherited it, if any. So I'm answering based on his Hogwarts Professor salary.
I think Hogwarts had a great salary for its professors considering it a government funded body who are paid good salaries, perks and allowances, Hogwarts isn't a private institution and at most a semi independent body, having a board consisting of pure bloods like Lucius Malfoy. The students don't need to pay for education, all of which is subsidised by the ministry.
Hogwarts job was described as comfortable by Snape.
Yes, Bellatrix, I stayed,’ said Snape, betraying a hint of impatience for the first time. ‘I had a comfortable job that I preferred to a stint in Azkaban.
People like McGonagall who had left her old lover for her career in ministry ended up joining as Transfiguration Professor at 21, I don't think she would've done it if pay was bad. People were regularly applying for DADA post despite DADA jinx being a common knowledge at that time.
Snape, I believe as stayed at Spinners End because I believe he didn't bother to get a house. He stayed about 9 out of 12.months in Hogwarts and Spinners End also provided him privacy for the rest of 3 months, most of that time he could've been satisfying his wanderlust or staying at Malfoys so perhaps he didn't see the necessity of getting another house. This is the same man who didn't bother grooming his appearance so that seems a likely explanation.
Memories of Lily could've played a role and kept him in Spinners End subconsciously preventing him from moving from Cokeworth. A good parallel I consider in this case is Sirius Black. He hated staying at Grimmauld Place yet he stayed at his mother's bedroom, same way Snape stayed at his father's home. Both are being forced at their abusive homes and they are staying at their hated parents' place.
This same Snape was buying highly priced ingredients for potions like polyjuice for his private stores, his robes looked imposing and he was serving liquor like Elf wine which he considering suitable for serving high profile purebloods in the Spinners End.
So I guess he had a lot of money, not at the level of Malfoys but enough to live off comfortably and afford anything he deemed suitable for purchase for himself.
What Naaga has written sums it all up rather nicely. He wasn't filthy rich as an adult, but had enough to do whatever he wanted. He just stayed at Spinner's End due to the memories. Ultimately, it was all pointless but that's a conversation for a different time.
30. Why did Snape preferably wanted to teach DADA despite having an affinity for both Dark Arts and Potions?
Quote from The Gestalt Prince on October 19, 2023, 1:22 pm30. Why did Snape preferably wanted to teach DADA despite having an affinity for both Dark Arts and Potions?
I think that he wanted to feel “useful” in the war effort. At this point, he believed that his sole purpose in his life was to keep Harry alive and win the war. This task was very difficult and much more indirect when he was teaching simple brews; however, instructing the children on defensive magic and curses could make the difference between life and death.
On another note, students were much more interested and adept in DADA than Potions. Give the poor man a break and let him teach a class that actually wants to learn.
He is a potions prodigy but canon also keeps hinting at his interest and love for the Dark Arts with Sirius claiming he knew more dark spells than the seventh years when he first came to Hogwarts, which is a ridiculous hyperbole but still. Lily also brings up Dark Magic and since the topic itself isn't taught at Hogwarts, the defense of it is the closest he can get.
Interest aside, DADA is just more useful to the students. Most of them won't brew potions when they're out of school but knowing how to defend yourself is a life skill. Severus probably preferred it because he would be able to impart some knowledge which the students would actually put to use and he does. Harry first witnessed his signature spell "Expelliarmus" when Snape used it against Lockhart and went on to even defeat Voldemort with it. He probably would have prepared the kids very well for the upcoming war, had he been able to teach them all those previous years.
While Snape had interest in both Potions and Dark Arts, having an affinity and interest doesn't necessarily mean desire to teach it.
I think, Snape didn't like teaching potions because its a complicated and tough subject with high margin of error and prone to accidents. It doesn't help that most students would hardly care for cutting, dicing and preparing ridiculously ingredients and maintain temperature, right stirs and take many cautious while brewing potions. Comparing to a subject like DADA which only consists of taking care of wand movements and incantation and allure of holding real magic is incomparable to interest in Potions.
Snape meanwhile sounds like someone who doesn't has patience to teach Potions particularly to those having no talent or clumsy students like Neville and dealing with clearing their messses.
While DADA Professor Snape was seemingly more passionate, welcomed cross questioning and well liked after his first class, his ability to communicate and teach DADA seemed more conductive to both himself and his students.
So while Snape had affinity and talent in both subjects, he simply had more affinity for teaching DADA compared to Potions and that's why he wanted to teach it over the Potions.
But what about Snape's famous speech about the art of potion-making? I agree that he was impatient with slow students, but he might have been more encouraging with talented students in his own house. I recall him praising Draco Malfoy in public and even asking the rest of the class to observe Malfoy's cutting technique.
Other than that, I agree that Snape came alive during 'Defence Against the Dark Arts' classes.
‘You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making,’ he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word – like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. ‘As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don’t expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses … I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren’t as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.’
Last part of his speech pretty much sums up what I said, he basically insults his students calling them dunderheads and doesn't expect anyone getting Potions because they don't have passion for subject as much as he himself has.
I read that as a challenge.
“Prove me wrong and you could learn all of this from me and more.”
It’s quite the speech.
