Snape as a Vampire
Aug. 11th, 2004 03:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kraitIs Snape a Vampire?
This discussion topic appeared in![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
salazaar's Livejournal (LINK), which I reached via Telanu's, and when I went to comment, it ended up getting so long I decided to make it a journal entry instead.
While the person arguing that Snape is a vampire has some interesting points, I have to disagree with most of them, including the suggestion that the mere fact Rowling mentions vampires is proof that one will appear in the storyline:
JKR makes a special point of introducing us to vampires in her world when she shows us the unusual blood-flavored lollipops in the sweet shop. At the very least, given her predilection for logical storytelling, this shows that a vampire will at some time be important in the story.
I have to disagree. Not only does JKR drop in many details that merely add dimension to the Wizarding world, she also omits details that might hint at future plotlines: the old man in the Muggle nightgown in GoF, for instance, tells us that wizards don't wear clothes under their robes (or at least older/pureblood/etc. ones don't), but this random detail doesn't foretell anything that occurs later in the story, or in OoTP (despite the fervent wishes of slash writers). Nor does the mention of the various creatures in Remus Lupin's Defence lessons ever serve any purpose beyond telling readers that there are many kinds of magic creatures in Rowling's world. Details of this sort are called "world building," and while they flesh out the universe created by the author, they're not necessarily important to the plot. Conversely, nothing is mentioned of werewolves at all, and yet one plays a major role in PoA and beyond!
Perhaps there is a reason why Snape is not so proficient with his wand, as a Non-Wizard Part-Human. Perhaps.
I am surprised all the time at how people interpret Snape's reference to "foolish wand-waving." I always took it to be the "foolish" part he was mocking, not the use of wands. I never interpreted this statement as a potential "hint" that he's not so good with a wand, or that he dislikes wand-focused wizardry; merely that he hates the flourishy dramatics that people like Lockhart (or dumb kids trying to impress each other) use.
"In book 1, Rumour was that Snape met a Vampire in Romania, who scared him out of his wits. Can this be symbolic to Snape threatening Quirrel? What if this tale was true and he was threatened by a vampire?"
I think they meant to say, "that Quirrell met a Vampire in Romania." I also think that this supposed bit of evidence is anything but. I mean, the garlic doesn't seem to bother Snape, or keep him from getting in Q's face! That's not "symbolism" at all, that's just the person(s) at this website (yes, I've been there. There's a lot of hokey, contrived stuff as well as intriguing evidence) imposing their theory on any sort of vague mention of anything vampiric. Snape's never been to Romania as far as we know, and is not associated with it in any way. The "symbolism" lacks any logical connection.
What's more, when Harry first meets Quirrel, he is buying a book on vampires. And, later, his classroom reeks of garlic, because he is scared of that "vampire from Romania" returning.
Again, this isn't really any kind of evidence against Snape. If you read the entire book, it seems implied that, while Quirrell may or may not have met a vampire, what changed him into a stammering wreck was his encounter with Voldemort:
'I met him when I travelled around the world. ... Since then I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times.' Quirrell shivered suddenly. 'He does not forgive mistakes easily. ...He punished me...'(HP-PS, 211).
A page before this, we get the following conversation, which is even more telling:
'But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing-- I thought Snape was threatening you...'
For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face.
'Sometimes,' he said, ' I find it hard to follow my master's instructions-- he is a great wizard and I am weak--' "
Note that it is only when he is reminded of Voldemort and his presumed punishment that he shows fear. His startled, stammering little mouse persona is an act-- he mocks it, in fact, when he says to Harry that "Next to [Snape], who would suspect p-p-poor st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?" Harry notes that he is not twitching at all, and his speech is clear. Additionally, the turban he wears, supposedly to hold garlic to repel vampires, is in reality a means of covering up Voldemort's presence. Quirrell's fear of vampires really seems more like a cover-- a reason for his behavior, possibly suggested by Voldemort.
This is not to say that I think Snape's absolutely not a vampire. I don't, actually, but I'm not going to go into utter denial if JKR later says that he is. I'm open to the possibility, but I don't generally apply it to my vision/version of Snape. (Then again, I discounted all those "private lessons with Snape" plots in fanfic, and what does JKR do but go and give him private Defence lessons with Snape?)
There are very interesting bits that don't seem to fit with the whole "spy" idea that Harry has, not least of which is that Quirrell's "parasite" was there the whole time Snape was trying to persuade him away from Voldemort. Since Voldie would have heard all of this, why would he ever believe that Snape was still on his side? There are ways around this, of course: he could beg forgiveness, and say that he was merely, in true Slytherin fashion, trying to choose the winning side; he could get in thick with Malfoy and have Lucius vouch for him; he could be using Legilimency to pick up Malfoy's thoughts and such while avoiding the actual presence of the Dark Lord. Still, the fact that Voldemort knows Snape tried to persuade one of his followers to abandon him can't be good for his chances at infiltrating the circle of Voldemort's trusted servants.
So, yeah. I'm not convinced, but there are some bits that just don't seem to line up quite properly so far. I would call it a possibility, but not a pressing or an imminent one.
[[EDIT: JKR has denied that Snape is a vampire; however, this essay was--obviouslyl--written before that interview. I leave it up so that I might revel in the Slytherin joy of being right.]] :D
This discussion topic appeared in
salazaar's Livejournal (LINK), which I reached via Telanu's, and when I went to comment, it ended up getting so long I decided to make it a journal entry instead. While the person arguing that Snape is a vampire has some interesting points, I have to disagree with most of them, including the suggestion that the mere fact Rowling mentions vampires is proof that one will appear in the storyline:
JKR makes a special point of introducing us to vampires in her world when she shows us the unusual blood-flavored lollipops in the sweet shop. At the very least, given her predilection for logical storytelling, this shows that a vampire will at some time be important in the story.
I have to disagree. Not only does JKR drop in many details that merely add dimension to the Wizarding world, she also omits details that might hint at future plotlines: the old man in the Muggle nightgown in GoF, for instance, tells us that wizards don't wear clothes under their robes (or at least older/pureblood/etc. ones don't), but this random detail doesn't foretell anything that occurs later in the story, or in OoTP (despite the fervent wishes of slash writers). Nor does the mention of the various creatures in Remus Lupin's Defence lessons ever serve any purpose beyond telling readers that there are many kinds of magic creatures in Rowling's world. Details of this sort are called "world building," and while they flesh out the universe created by the author, they're not necessarily important to the plot. Conversely, nothing is mentioned of werewolves at all, and yet one plays a major role in PoA and beyond!
Perhaps there is a reason why Snape is not so proficient with his wand, as a Non-Wizard Part-Human. Perhaps.
I am surprised all the time at how people interpret Snape's reference to "foolish wand-waving." I always took it to be the "foolish" part he was mocking, not the use of wands. I never interpreted this statement as a potential "hint" that he's not so good with a wand, or that he dislikes wand-focused wizardry; merely that he hates the flourishy dramatics that people like Lockhart (or dumb kids trying to impress each other) use.
"In book 1, Rumour was that Snape met a Vampire in Romania, who scared him out of his wits. Can this be symbolic to Snape threatening Quirrel? What if this tale was true and he was threatened by a vampire?"
I think they meant to say, "that Quirrell met a Vampire in Romania." I also think that this supposed bit of evidence is anything but. I mean, the garlic doesn't seem to bother Snape, or keep him from getting in Q's face! That's not "symbolism" at all, that's just the person(s) at this website (yes, I've been there. There's a lot of hokey, contrived stuff as well as intriguing evidence) imposing their theory on any sort of vague mention of anything vampiric. Snape's never been to Romania as far as we know, and is not associated with it in any way. The "symbolism" lacks any logical connection.
What's more, when Harry first meets Quirrel, he is buying a book on vampires. And, later, his classroom reeks of garlic, because he is scared of that "vampire from Romania" returning.
Again, this isn't really any kind of evidence against Snape. If you read the entire book, it seems implied that, while Quirrell may or may not have met a vampire, what changed him into a stammering wreck was his encounter with Voldemort:
'I met him when I travelled around the world. ... Since then I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times.' Quirrell shivered suddenly. 'He does not forgive mistakes easily. ...He punished me...'(HP-PS, 211).
A page before this, we get the following conversation, which is even more telling:
'But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing-- I thought Snape was threatening you...'
For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face.
'Sometimes,' he said, ' I find it hard to follow my master's instructions-- he is a great wizard and I am weak--' "
Note that it is only when he is reminded of Voldemort and his presumed punishment that he shows fear. His startled, stammering little mouse persona is an act-- he mocks it, in fact, when he says to Harry that "Next to [Snape], who would suspect p-p-poor st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?" Harry notes that he is not twitching at all, and his speech is clear. Additionally, the turban he wears, supposedly to hold garlic to repel vampires, is in reality a means of covering up Voldemort's presence. Quirrell's fear of vampires really seems more like a cover-- a reason for his behavior, possibly suggested by Voldemort.
This is not to say that I think Snape's absolutely not a vampire. I don't, actually, but I'm not going to go into utter denial if JKR later says that he is. I'm open to the possibility, but I don't generally apply it to my vision/version of Snape. (Then again, I discounted all those "private lessons with Snape" plots in fanfic, and what does JKR do but go and give him private Defence lessons with Snape?)
There are very interesting bits that don't seem to fit with the whole "spy" idea that Harry has, not least of which is that Quirrell's "parasite" was there the whole time Snape was trying to persuade him away from Voldemort. Since Voldie would have heard all of this, why would he ever believe that Snape was still on his side? There are ways around this, of course: he could beg forgiveness, and say that he was merely, in true Slytherin fashion, trying to choose the winning side; he could get in thick with Malfoy and have Lucius vouch for him; he could be using Legilimency to pick up Malfoy's thoughts and such while avoiding the actual presence of the Dark Lord. Still, the fact that Voldemort knows Snape tried to persuade one of his followers to abandon him can't be good for his chances at infiltrating the circle of Voldemort's trusted servants.
So, yeah. I'm not convinced, but there are some bits that just don't seem to line up quite properly so far. I would call it a possibility, but not a pressing or an imminent one.
[[EDIT: JKR has denied that Snape is a vampire; however, this essay was--obviouslyl--written before that interview. I leave it up so that I might revel in the Slytherin joy of being right.]] :D