I adore Snape's swinging bachelor pad with the books and the elf-made wine. :D
...considering the fact that he's saying all this to an insecure ('cause she's a girl!), insanely loyal Death Eater...
It's also worth considering – whether one likes Harry or not – that Bellatrix has spent an inordinate amount of time away from the Wizarding World, while Snape and Narcissa have been living in the thick of it. For me, the most interesting part of Snape's chat with Bellatrix was this:
"I should remind you that when Potter first arrived at Hogwarts there were still many stories circulating about him, rumors that he himself was a great Dark wizard, which was how he had survived the Dark Lord's attack. Indeed, many of the Dark Lord's old followers thought Potter might be a standard around which we could all rally once more. I was curious, I admit it, and not at all inclined to murder him the moment he set foot in the castle.
Of course, it became apparent to me very quickly that he had no extraordinary talent at all. He has fought his way out of a number of tight corners by a simple combination of sheer luck and more talented friends. He is mediocre to the last degree, though as obnoxious and self-satisfied as was his father before him. I have done my utmost to have him thrown out of Hogwarts, where I believe he scarcely belongs, but kill him, or allow him to be killed in front of me? I would have been a fool to risk it with Dumbledore close at hand."
– pgs 30-31, US version
At no point does Narcissa disagree concerning that first paragraph (indeed, this puts a new spin on Lucius' insistence that Draco befriend Harry that first year), which suggests Snape's not making this up. The Wizarding World's hopes for Harry Potter ran high on both sides, it seems; his blind, unthinking allegiance to Dumbledore must have been an exceeding disappointment to those Death Eaters capable (unlike Bellatrix) of independent thought. There's not much difference between Bellatrix's loyalty to Voldemort and Harry's loyalty to Dumbledore, is there?
The second paragraph's description of Harry is so true it hurts – he IS fucking mediocre, and it's always up to someone else to cover his arse and get him out of trouble. Snape may be dissing, but he's not lying.
Re: Snarcissa – I didn't perceive any passion or heat between them, personally – just a lot of Legilimency and Occlumency passing back and forth. (Not that such communications can't be sexy...! But I wasn't feeling it at first read.) I'd be interested to hear what others think of Snape & Narcissa's interaction in this chapter, and how it affects the way things turn out as the story unfolds.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2005-08-27 03:54 am (UTC)...considering the fact that he's saying all this to an insecure ('cause she's a girl!), insanely loyal Death Eater...
It's also worth considering – whether one likes Harry or not – that Bellatrix has spent an inordinate amount of time away from the Wizarding World, while Snape and Narcissa have been living in the thick of it. For me, the most interesting part of Snape's chat with Bellatrix was this:
"I should remind you that when Potter first arrived at Hogwarts there
were still many stories circulating about him, rumors that he himself
was a great Dark wizard, which was how he had survived the Dark Lord's
attack. Indeed, many of the Dark Lord's old followers thought Potter
might be a standard around which we could all rally once more. I was
curious, I admit it, and not at all inclined to murder him the moment he
set foot in the castle.
Of course, it became apparent to me very quickly that he had no
extraordinary talent at all. He has fought his way out of a number of
tight corners by a simple combination of sheer luck and more talented
friends. He is mediocre to the last degree, though as obnoxious and
self-satisfied as was his father before him. I have done my utmost to
have him thrown out of Hogwarts, where I believe he scarcely belongs,
but kill him, or allow him to be killed in front of me? I would have
been a fool to risk it with Dumbledore close at hand."
– pgs 30-31, US version
At no point does Narcissa disagree concerning that first paragraph (indeed, this puts a new spin on Lucius' insistence that Draco befriend Harry that first year), which suggests Snape's not making this up. The Wizarding World's hopes for Harry Potter ran high on both sides, it seems; his blind, unthinking allegiance to Dumbledore must have been an exceeding disappointment to those Death Eaters capable (unlike Bellatrix) of independent thought. There's not much difference between Bellatrix's loyalty to Voldemort and Harry's loyalty to Dumbledore, is there?
The second paragraph's description of Harry is so true it hurts – he IS fucking mediocre, and it's always up to someone else to cover his arse and get him out of trouble. Snape may be dissing, but he's not lying.
Re: Snarcissa – I didn't perceive any passion or heat between them, personally – just a lot of Legilimency and Occlumency passing back and forth. (Not that such communications can't be sexy...! But I wasn't feeling it at first read.) I'd be interested to hear what others think of Snape & Narcissa's interaction in this chapter, and how it affects the way things turn out as the story unfolds.