Tobias Snape & Eileen Prince
Quote from IFFIN on September 5, 2026, 1:30 pmQuote from Shell Cottage on September 5, 2026, 10:10 amI know it might sound farfetched for me to suspect that Eileen's facial expression is a reaction to something Lily's parents said or did when they saw her and Severus...it's just that I don't think Petunia's attitude comes from nowhere, nor does Lily's swiftness to pronounce judgment.
It doesn't sound farfetched to me. I agree with you that Pentunia's attitude does come from somewhere. When it comes to your gut feeling, I say use that for your headcanon and it is okay others don't see it or feel it. This is fiction and do what makes sense to you.
I have different theory(it is mu head cannon), @iffinin and @shellcottage1827cottage,that Petunia snobbines came from the school. Petunia craving to be special kid among her family that she asked her parents to entering one of the most expensive private school in cokeworth. Britain in 1960s and 1970s is too much possesing classism compared to now. I think lily kindness is from either her mom or her dad. Petunia wanted to be special is came from she is most modest kid among the most richest kid in cokeworth. And petunia too much reminded that she is too normal (either in magic or in wealth) and Thats why she didnt craving for universities,she is not wanting to met one of her friend that know her. She just wanted to make new life in london and become as normal as possible
It was My reason in my fanfic prohairesis why petunia become so jealous of lily. She is most modest student in best private school and she is not special in magic. Environment is playing big factor to development of children,if all of children all so focused on wealth,one or two children will become focused on wealth too. Bad company corrupts good character
Nice perspective, I agree, I do think your school environment ends up shaping you even more than your parents!
One more thought related to Eileen...
When Harry is in Luna's bedroom and sees the old photograph of Luna with her mother, Harry is struck by how different Luna looked when her mother was still alive. He realizes how neglected she looks now in comparison to the little girl she used to be. That's a really heart wrenching moment.
And, well, like Harry's observation about his father looking like a child who is well cared for, I feel like Luna can be read as another foil. Severus as a child looks worse off with a living mother than Luna without a mother at all.
Quote from Shell Cottage on September 6, 2026, 1:56 pmOne more thought related to Eileen...
When Harry is in Luna's bedroom and sees the old photograph of Luna with her mother, Harry is struck by how different Luna looked when her mother was still alive. He realizes how neglected she looks now in comparison to the little girl she used to be. That's a really heart wrenching moment.
And, well, like Harry's observation about his father looking like a child who is well cared for, I feel like Luna can be read as another foil. Severus as a child looks worse off with a living mother than Luna without a mother at all.
I am reading the phrase of where the trio is in luna house,and I just realized that! Luna appearance before her mum death is more better groomed than ever have compared to when they met in OOTP Book. Wow,I am not realizing it if you did not mentioned it
Yeah,it is heartwrenching. Even if you are poor in britain,At least you can buy second hand clothes for your children. Severus ill fitted clothes even thought he have complete parents show us his father and mother did not bothered to buy clothes for their only son
Quote from Shell Cottage on September 6, 2026, 1:35 pmNice perspective, I agree, I do think your school environment ends up shaping you even more than your parents!
Why I fet that? Because I noticed from many children in my country that is livin in international school,they are so out of reality and looked down upon kid from lower middle class,not bottom. They are spoiled by their parents and told they are born different from rest of their peers. Off course not many of them,but the environment of your friend encouraged that
If petuunia is most modest from her rich friend no wonder he felt insecure and wanted to be special kid
Yes, alas, I think that's a phenomenon natural to many private schools no matter where you live. Most elite schools today like to project a progressive image and pretend that classicism is a thing of the past, but it's still there, just manifesting in less obvious ways.
As far as 9 year-old Snape's ragamuffin clothing goes, I kinda wonder if it's a coincidence that his appearance is vaguely reminiscent of sixteen year-old Jack Wild's styling as the Artful Dodger in the 1968 Oliver! movie. I'm sure JKR would have been familiar with it.
You see it in the first 40 seconds of the above video clip--the too short pants exposing bare skinny ankles, long coat that flaps like a bat when he runs, the necktie evocative of a woman's blouse, dirty pinched face, dirty hair...but still cutting an ''impressive figure.'' (I think Jack Wild ended up becoming a teen idol in the late 60s/early 70s.)
I do think it's interesting Harry doesn't note anything out of the ordinary about Eileen's clothing, though.
Quote from Shell Cottage on September 8, 2026, 10:45 amAs far as 9 year-old Snape's ragamuffin clothing goes, I kinda wonder if it's a coincidence that his appearance is vaguely reminiscent of sixteen year-old Jack Wild's styling as the Artful Dodger in the 1968 Oliver! movie. I'm sure JKR would have been familiar with it.
You see it in the first 40 seconds of the above video clip--the too short pants exposing bare skinny ankles, long coat that flaps like a bat when he runs, the necktie evocative of a woman's blouse, dirty pinched face, dirty hair...but still cutting an ''impressive figure.'' (I think Jack Wild ended up becoming a teen idol in the late 60s/early 70s.)
I do think it's interesting Harry doesn't note anything out of the ordinary about Eileen's clothing, though.
I agree that JKR would be familiar with it. I do believe it is the author's intent to show he was neglected and poor, but you know that I don't go for that. Years ago some person came up with a theory that little Severus was dressing up like a wizard with his oversize coat being a robe and the shirt being an old wizarding shirt like Ron had. The short pant...well.. that was kind of the norm if you didn't have much money. Just like hem lines on pants. If you didn't have much money you couldn't be buying your child pants every time he had a growth spurt. And let them wear their old pants for play.
And about Jack Wild. Yes he was a lot of young girls crush. I believe he was one of my first human TV crushes. I had a thing for cartoon Bam Bam Rubble and Fred from Scooby-Doo. Okay, I was like five. When I was around six it was Donny Osmond, Jack Wild and Lee Majors. I always had to stop what I was doing and go watch the TV every time I heard the theme of the Big Valley. I had to hurry and catch the intro to see Lee Majors. I used to think he was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. I don't know why, because when I was older and he was the Six Million Dollar man I was like, whatever.
Here is Jack Wild in the show Puf n Stuff where many of first saw him:
And Lee Majors. I still admit I do from time to time watch the intro.
Here is a cute movie, if you ever have extra time, with Jack Wild and the guy who played Oliver. I always mix him up with the Willy Wonka boy. I have more to say about the movie how it pertains to how I think of Lily's living situation and class. But I need to take a break and watching some Lee Majors.
Haha, I have no idea who Lee Majors is, but awww...! : )
Your childhood crush on Fred from Scooby Doo made me laugh.
I don't know the movie Melody...I'm looking forward to checking these out.
I really want to embrace the idea of little Severus wanting to dress up like a wizard, because it's so cute...but that would require me to discount Snape's memory of his mother cowering while he's huddled crying in a corner. I'm sure domestic fighting was more common before it became easier to get a divorce...but there's a huge difference between mom and dad losing it and shouting at each other and nearly coming to blows (say, like Leonardo di Caprio and Kate Winslet in 'Revolutionary Road') and a woman *cowering* in fear. I feel like Snape deserves credit for overcoming more than just an average 70s working-class background, because that's not fair to Snape. Yeah, Dumbledore says it's our choices that show who we truly are...but if there's one theme that beat me over the head again and again throughout this series is that the choices you end up making depend a hell of a lot on your parents (we see this profound parent-child connection with every major character in the series)...and the fact that Snape comes--entirely on his own--to make the most heroic choices, in spite of his troubled background...I just feel like his character deserves credit for that.
(sorry, that prolly came out sounding more impassioned than I intended)
