on all five books!!!

 Warning: In absolutely no case must this text be used for other things than evaluation, fan or inspiration purposes.  I do this only to allow other fans to appreciate the delightful work of JK Rowling and make a full character analysis of one of her creations.  
No money is being made, keep it that way! 

 Original text

 Analysis

Harry scanned the table more carefully. Tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was sitting on a large pile of cushions beside Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher, whose hat was askew over her flyaway gray hair. She was talking to Professor Sinistra of the Astronomy department. On Professor Sinistra's other side was the sallow-faced, hook-nosed, greasy-haired Potions master, Snape - Harry's least favorite person at Hogwarts. Harry's loathing of Snape was matched only by Snape's hatred of him, a hatred which had, if possible, intensified last year, when Harry had helped Sirius escape right under Snape's overlarge nose - Snape and Sirius had been enemies since their own school days.

 Wow! Snape is now number 1 on Harry's hating list!  In book3, Draco had tied with Snape. I wonder where Snape will fall to in the next book.  Afterall, publicly acknowledging he has been a Death Eater himself, especially in front of Harry, and being redeemed will surely have a positive effect on Harry's opinion.  Then again, maybe not!  Maybe Harry will just take it as another way to prove how Snape is a bastard instead of seeing the strength and courage it must have taken him to get out of there!  What's more, Harry will surely doubt the fact that Snape is not still working for Voldemort!  Even to a point where Snape could have had a hand in his parents' death. I think we'll only see the end of this issue in the final book.

I think it's nice that Harry is described as being as loathsome of Snape as he is of Harry.  It puts a more human face on the latter! Everybody thinks Harry is such an angel and always kind-hearted, but this proves how much Harry can come to act on pure loathing himself.  I'm sure this will prove even more right in the following books.  

Overlarge nose. So what? I think every Snape fan likes that! ^_^

Snape and Sirius have been enemies since their own Hogwarts days!  Talk about long! At least now, no one can doubt this fact though it doesn't say when in time their rivalry began!  It's a shame really!

For those who fear that Snape will be killed before book 7, please make note of this: Snape is the most described teacher in the lot.  Why would Rowling put so much emphasis on a character that was going away?  I don't think she can or will get rid of him just yet.  Well... maybe at the end in a "the-pseudo-bad-guy-saves-the-hero's-life" attempt, but this is Rowling, remember? She's not your common author!  She likes to break free from classical endings or plots.  If you feel interested by this subject, please read Griffon's essay in my Analysis and Theories section. She's an author (a real one!) to whom I asked about that issue.  I think her answer will satisfy you all!

"Oh yeah?" said Moody quietly, limping forward a few steps, the dull clunk of his wooden leg echoing around the hall. "Well, I know your father of old, boy... . You tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son. . . you tell him that from me. . . . Now, your Head of House'll be Snape, will it?"

"Yes," said Malfoy resentfully.
 

"Another old friend," growled Moody. "I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape. . . . Come on, you. . ."

Draco knows the meaning of this as well as he knows the meaning of Moody talking about Snape.

Old friend indeed!  That could be true since this is a Death Eater in disguise and not Moody speaking. I'm sure he'll try or tried to frame Snape to Voldemort, but since Snape is already so cautious, I'm sure he was even more with Moody around!  Wonder what he wants to chat about?  Surely about his past and how Moody doesn't trust him or believes in redemption! After all, Crouch has to assume Moody's role at 100%.

When we look only from the point of view of Moody, we know why he growled, that is, that he was angry somehow.  You never growl when you're not.  For Moody, Snape has had one chance too many!  He must be mad that both Lucius and Snape got free!  

Now from Crouch's point of view, he must also be mad at Snape for the little consequences he suffered (from his point of view of course!) when he quitted the Death Eaters. The same goes for Malfoy. Also, seeing how fateful Crouch has been to Voldemort, he must be furious at them for giving up!  It's strange to see how both personalities suffered the same disappointments!  Ironical!

The next two days passed without great incident, unless you counted Neville melting his sixth cauldron in Potions. Professor Snape, who seemed to have attained new levels of vindictiveness over the summer, gave Neville detention, and Neville returned from it in a state of nervous collapse, having been made to disembowel a barrel full of horned toads.

"You know why Snape's in such a foul mood, don't you?" said Ron to Harry as they watched Hermione teaching Neville a Scouring Charm to remove the frog guts from under his fingernails.

"Yeah," said Harry. "Moody."

It was common knowledge that Snape really wanted the Dark Arts job, and he had now failed to get it for the fourth year running. Snape had disliked all of their previous Dark Arts teachers, and shown it - but he seemed strangely wary of displaying overt animosity to Mad-Eye Moody. Indeed, whenever Harry saw the two of them together - at mealtimes, or when they passed in the corridors - he had the distinct impression that Snape was avoiding Moody's eye, whether magical or normal.

"I reckon Snape's a bit scared of him, you know," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Imagine if Moody turned Snape into a horned toad," said Ron, his eyes misting over, "and bounced him all around his dungeon..."

Six cauldron!?!  

But anyway, when it comes to Snape's way the only flaw in there is how natural talent in certain fields is not accounted for!  Whereas Neville's lack of it for Potions!  Of course he feels nervous and makes more mistakes, but still, doing those detentions should be more stressful, as shown by his "state of nervous collapse", shouldn't they?
 Bad Snape!  I love the way Rowling wrote that: new levels of vindictiveness.  However, it's strange how it's mentioned that Snape became so vindictive over the summer. As if Snape was spending his summers planning such horrible detentions and tasks!  I don't think so.  Maybe it's just an expression though! Anyway, I bet he spends as much time not thinking about students as possible!  What's a shame is we don't know whether he stays all summer or not.  That would be an interesting fact to analyze indeed! We could also think Rowling wrote this to hint how Snape is angered by Moody  AND the DADA job being taken away or... d

Rowling states it more clearly: Snape really wants the DADA job.

Is it really Moody getting the job?   I think it's just Moody, period. Not because he got the DADA job. And you can't forget the Dark Mark's coming back!! But if you only take Snape's reaction to Moody, strangely Snape is the equal of Neville in nervousness!  Yes! Because Snape is rendered more nervous by Moody so his bad side kicks in the more. Just as Neville's bad side (clumsiness) kicks in because of Snape.  Don't worry, I'm not saying Snape is like Neville, I'm  just comparing the kind of reaction they have!
  Snape wanting the DADA. What an old subject for me! If you have not read my theory about this, go read the other book analysis!! Once again I say he just wants someone competent for it, whom he is!  
Ok, so Snape is avoiding Moody's looks and display of animosity towards him.  There are two important elements here: Snape's reaction and Snape's lack of negative comments.

1-I think Snape is avoiding Moody's eyes for some very probable reasons: from fear, guilt, pride, disgust or annoyance. Think about it and you'll see that they all fit the situation. Fear: Snape fears Moody's attention will force him to admit to all who wants to hear (namely everyone) that he was a Death Eater. Actually, it did have this effect somehow because Harry and his gang feared Snape was in for something again!  Even after he tried to save their butts so many times!  And what about the Dark Mark that's been growing clearer by the days? Maybe Snape fears that Moody will intentionally expose him in front of everyone.  That would have been very conceivable! Guilt: Moody represents the ones who have not forgiven Snape for ever entering the Death Eater and perpetrating "acts" as one of them. Therefore, Moody embodies, in a broad way, the parents or friends of Snape's very probable victims. The critical eye is always there to follow Snape (plus the Dark Mark), even after so many years of redemption!  Later on, when Moody meets Snape in the dungeons at night, Snape's reaction to being ordered back to bed enrages him so much that it proves me how affected Snape is by his guilt. I know it sounds contradictory, but it's not. Snape thinks he has as much right as anybody else, but still, Snape would not have reacted so vividly if he had not felt it justified somehow for Moody to order him around. Snape must still be mad at himself for ever taking the Dark Mark. It's like he's pleading his cause. And when one is pleading, it's generally because they feel guilty of something. I don't remember Snape ever defending himself like that. Usually, he would just retort back a sarcasm aim to ridicule his aggressor. Snape is kind of caught red-handed here. And the paint is the Dark Mark.  Pride: we don't really know yet, but Snape may be proud of achieving what he has, that is, to have turned back to the good side and tried to amend.  Maybe he doesn't want to give Moody the pleasure of seeing how affected he is by his presence, because of guilt or fear. That would be Snape alright! Disgust: I'm sure Snape doesn't really appreciate Aurors!  Aurors, like policemen, are surely very much like Moody: they don't trust people because they've seen so much atrocities! So mabye Snape just hates the sight of an Auror because he knows Moody will never trust him.  Also, he can be disgusted by the implicit ways Moody is using to pressure Snape. Not to mention that somehow, they've been spys. There techniques may be quite different and hence Snape may not like Moody's.  I could definitely believe a Snape who would say: "Damn, Moody! He thinks he's so great and pure because he never bore the Mark! Doesn't even know how it was or why?"  Annoyance: Snape could be annoyed because he knows he is being observed, because he's not trusted, etc.
So you see, a lot of hypothesis are available to the reader here!  

2-Snape is not making too much bad comments about Moody being the DADA teacher. This is a proof of my theory that Snape only wants it because he believes it's the most important one, so children should be taught by a competent and experienced teacher such as him. If this is true, then it would explain why Snape doesn't argue much about this choice of a teacher. Moody is credible in his role. Maybe Snape makes some comments still, but surely not about his experience.

That is soooo pathetically Ron to the bones!  What's more, do you think Snape would be bet so easily?  I don't think so, even by an Auror!  Well of course I'm biased in my assessment here, but still, I think Moody would at least suffer from a very disturbing spell before that happened!
 Do you think the suspension points at the end are meant to say that Moody should disembowel Snape as a toad?  After all, Ron did use the same animal as Snape forced Neville to deal with. Therefore, is the disembowelment of Snape also implicit here?  I don't know! Rowling is writing for kids, but we all know every adult author will once in a while put in some more tacit puns! And when you think of it, wishing to do harm to someone you hate and you think is abusing his authority is very human! Later you'll see how Harry actually wants to use the Crusiatus Curse on Snape.  

Meanwhile Professor Binns, the ghost who taught History of Magic, had them writing weekly essays on the goblin rebellions of the eighteenth century. Professor Snape was forcing them to research antidotes. They took this one seriously, as he had hinted that he might be poisoning one of them before Christmas to see if their antidote worked. Professor Flitwick had asked them to read three extra books in preparation for their lesson on Summoning Charms.

ON FRIDAY THE 30TH OF OCTOBER. LESSONS WILL END HALF AN HOUR EARLY --

"Brilliant!" said Harry. "It's Potions last thing on Friday! Snape won't have time to poison us all!"

"We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore," said Karkaroff, his steely smile still in place, though his eyes were colder than ever. "Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools." 

"It's no one's fault but Potter's, Karkaroff," said Snape softly. His black eyes were alight with malice. "Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here -"

"Thank you, Severus," said Dumbledore firmly, and Snape went quiet, though his eyes still glinted malevolently through his curtain of greasy black hair. Professor Dumbledore was now looking down at Harry, who looked right back at him, trying to discern the expression of the eyes behind the half-moon spectacles.

"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?" he asked calmly.

"No," said Harry. He was very aware of everybody watching him closely. Snape made a soft noise of impatient disbelief in the shadows.

"Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?" said Professor Dumbledore, ignoring Snape.

"No," said Harry vehemently.

"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" cried Madame Maxime. Snape was now shaking his head, his lip curling.

Again, Snape seems motivated and alighted by malice and vengeance. I think the malice comes from all those times Snape must have tried to get his point across and when he was unable to do so!  Malice is a desire to cause pain. In this case, Snape wants to prove once again how Potter is a line-crosser and a rule-breaker!  In front of outsiders! That's what is malicious about it (see McGonagall's reaction) That hadn't been tried yet in the other books. Snape's appeal to the outside "judges", we are hinted at  how often Dumbledore must have stopped Snape towards Harry. Snape is already not an extraverted person, why would he appeal to strangers if not to prove his point?
Notice how he defends Dumbledore even though he knows the Headmaster is also the cause of Harry's not being expulse yet! It's strange and contradictory somehow.  This further proves the attachment he has for the old man. The gratitude also. And/or that he wanted it to be all of Potter's fault, hence aggravating his case!
Dumbledore did shut him up, right! Still proves how faithful Snape is to him. But what do you think of the word "malevolently"?  Malevolent means showing intense hatred or ill will. Once again it all comes down to not being believed and seeing another chance to prove Harry's rule-breaking!  Poor Severus!  In this case, which is rare, Snape was wrong. But when you break rules so often like Harry, it's hard to discern the truth!
Notice how Snape is once again standing in the shadows. He's been doing that in the other books too.

Snape is telling himself: "Oh yes! Now I have him! Someone is believing me, so there's a chance others will as well! Great!" Snape always curls his lips when he's sure he has made his point clear!  For me, it's all about believing.  Snape seems to have a profound need and desire to be believed, to be trusted. I'm sure this had something to do with Snape's turn over to the dark side.  It's so important to him! And he has reasons to be impatient when he thinks Harry lies.  His adventures are so extraordinary that he can't believe them to be out of Harry's will!

"Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!" said Professor McGonagall angrily. "Really, what nonsense! Harry could not have crossed the line himself, and as Professor Dumbledore believes that he did not persuade an older student to do it for him, I'm sure that should be good enough for everybody else!"

She shot a very angry look at Professor Snape.

What she's really saying in that glance is: "Don't you dare say anything else, Severus!! You've done enough damage as it is!" in her hardest tone of course.  She's angry at him for putting these doubts upon Harry because she believes Severus has an obsession with expulsing Harry. She thinks Snape only does this because he hates Harry, period.  But Snape truly believes in what he says: Harry is a rule-breaker and should be dealt with as such!  McGonagall recognised the malice in Snape by involving the other foreign teachers in this story.  Yes, that was lame, but since nobody wants to listen to him at Hogwarts and at the Ministry, well... why not strangers after all?  

It's a shame we didn't get to know who Snape reacted to that!!! Surely he was unimpressed because he must be sure as hell McGonagall is as positively biased towards Harry as he is front his coworker's point of view!!

"How this situation arose, we do not know," said Dumbledore, speaking to everyone gathered in the room. "It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to compete in the Tournament. This, therefore, they will do. . .

"Ah, but Dumbly-dorr -"

"My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it."

Dumbledore waited, but Madame Maxime did not speak, she merely glared. She wasn't the only one either. Snape looked furious; Karkaroff livid; Bagman, however, looked rather excited.

 Of course he would be furious!  He's lost again!  How many deceptions has this man suffered over Harry Potter!  He must be mad at himself for saving his butt so many times right now!!  Like I said, it all comes down to not being recognised, not being believed, especially by the only people he trusts!  Snape has no recognition whatsoever!  I'm truly sad for him.  In such a situation, I would go to him and tell him not to take it too personal!  

Double Potions was always a horrible experience, but these days it was nothing short of torture. Being shut in a dungeon for an hour and a half with Snape and the Slytherins, all of whom seemed determined to punish Harry as much as possible for daring to become school champion, was about the most unpleasant thing Harry could imagine. He had already struggled through one Friday's worth, with Hermione sitting next to him intoning "ignore them, ignore them, ignore them" under her breath, and he couldn't see why today should be any better.

"Want one, Granger?" said Malfoy, holding out a badge to Hermione. "I've got loads. But don't touch my hand, now. I've just washed it, you see; don't want a Mudblood sliming it up."

Some of the anger Harry had been feeling for days and days seemed to burst through a dam in his chest. He had reached for his wand before he'd thought what he was doing. People all around them scrambled out of the way, backing down the corridor.

"Harry!" Hermione said warningly.

"Go on, then, Potter," Malfoy said quietly, drawing out his own wand. "Moody's not here to look after you now - do it, if you've got the guts -"

For a split second, they looked into each other's eyes, then, at exactly the same time, both acted.

"Funnunculus!" Harry yelled.

"Densaugeo!" screamed Malfoy.

Jets of light shot from both wands, hit each other in midair, and ricocheted off at

angles -- Harry's hit Goyle in the face, and Malfoy's hit Hermione. Goyle bellowed and put his hands to his nose, where great ugly boils were springing up -

Hermione, whimpering in panic, was clutching her mouth.

"Hermione!"

Ron had hurried forward to see what was wrong with her; Harry turned and saw Ron dragging Hermione's hand away from her face. It wasn't a pretty sight. Hermione's front teeth - already larger than average - were now growing at an alarming rate; she was looking more and more like a beaver as her teeth elongated, past her bottom lip, toward her chin - panic-stricken, she felt them and let out a terrified cry.

"And what is all this noise about?" said a soft, deadly voice.

Snape had arrived. The Slytherins clamored to give their explanations; Snape pointed a long yellow finger at Malfoy and said, "Explain."

"Potter attacked me, sir -"

"We attacked each other at the same time!" Harry shouted. "

- and he hit Goyle - look -"

Snape examined Goyle, whose face now resembled something that would have been at home in a book on poisonous fungi.

"Hospital wing, Goyle," Snape said calmly.

"Malfoy got Hermione!" Ron said. "Look!"

He forced Hermione to show Snape her teeth - she was doing her best to hide them with her hands, though this was difficult as they had now grown down past her collar. Pansy Parkinson and the other Slytherin girls were doubled up with silent giggles, pointing at Hermione from behind Snape's back.

Snape looked coldly at Hermione, then said, "I see no difference.".

Hermione let out a whimper; her eyes filled with tears, she turned on her heel and ran, ran all the way up the corridor and out of sight.

It was lucky, perhaps, that both Harry and Ron started shouting at Snape at the same time; lucky their voices echoed so much in the stone corridor, for in the confused din, it was impossible for him to hear exactly what they were calling him. He got the gist, however.

"Let's see," he said, in his silkiest voice. "Fifty points from Gryffindor and a detention each for Potter and Weasley. Now get inside, or it'll be a week's worth of detentions."

Harry's ears were ringing. The injustice of it made him want to curse Snape into a thousand slimy pieces. He passed Snape, walked with Ron to the back of the dungeon, and slammed his bag down onto the table. Ron was shaking with anger too - for a moment, it felt as though everything was back to normal between them, but then Ron turned and sat down with Dean and Seamus instead, leaving Harry alone at his table. On the other side of the dungeon, Malfoy turned his back on Snape and pressed his badge, smirking. POTTER STINKS flashed once more across the room.

Harry sat there staring at Snape as the lesson began, picturing horrific things happening to him. . . . If only he knew how to do the Cruciatus Curse. . . he'd have Snape flat on his back like that spider, jerking and twitching.

"Antidotes!" said Snape, looking around at them all, his cold black eyes glittering unpleasantly. "You should all have prepared your recipes now. I want you to brew them carefully, and then, we will be selecting someone on whom to test one. . ."

Snape's eyes met Harry's, and Harry knew what was coming. Snape was going to poison him. Harry imagined picking up his cauldron, and sprinting to the front of the class, and bringing it down on Snape's greasy head - And then a knock on the dungeon door burst in on Harry's thoughts.

It was Colin Creevey; he edged into the room, beaming at Harry, and walked up to Snape's desk at the front of the room.

"Yes?" said Snape curtly.

"Please, sir, I'm supposed to take Harry Potter upstairs." Snape stared down his hooked nose at Colin, whose smile faded from his eager face.

"Potter has another hour of Potions to complete," said Snape coldly. "He will come upstairs when this class is finished."

Colin went pink.

"Sir - sir, Mr. Bagman wants him," he said nervously. "All the champions have got to go, I think they want to take photographs. . ."

Harry would have given anything he owned to have stopped Colin saying those last few words. He chanced half a glance at Ron, but Ron was staring determinedly at the ceiling.

"Very well, very well," Snape snapped. "Potter, leave your things here, I want you back down here later to test your antidote."

"Please, sir - he's got to take his things with him," squeaked Cohn. "All the champions..."

"Very well!" said Snape. "Potter - take your bag and get out of my sight!"

Harry swung his bag over his shoulder, got up, and headed for the door. As he walked through the Slytherin desks, POTTER STINKS flashed at him from every direction.

If only Snape had access to this paragraph!  He would be rejoiced to see that Harry took the bait and that his first instinct was to break the rules!  Indeed, is this not representative of Harry's true temper?  I mean, under stress you start acting normally without masks. That's exactly what happens here: Harry shows his hot-temper!  That may be what may turn Harry to the Dark side somehow, all this uncontrollable rage. I doubt this will only happen, but I'm sure Voldemort will try it against Harry somehow!  Gryffindors are like that and Draco knew as much of course!  So, in a way, Snape knows Harry has a problem with control!
See what exactly started it off? Another insult + another bait at Harry's guts! That's what is dangerous in Harry! He's very confident and when someone tries him, he explodes! That may again be what Snape fears from the boy!

No wonder all fanfiction author writing about Snape always describe his powerful voice!  Only Snape can make a voice sound both soft and deadly.
Snape has long yellow fingers!  Of course that's a kind of synonym to sallow as mentioned above! And they're long as expected by a lot of fans!  
Well... it's true if you think of it! Harry took the bait!
 Ok, I know all Snape-haters will be satisfied by this. True, Snape is totally biased to Slytherins once again. But if you don't know why I think he does, go back to my other analysis. In short, nobody will trust them, so Snape is overdoing it to allow them a little bit of teacher-trust! Also, I may be pushing it too far, but I'm beginning to think that Snape doesn't fear being lied to by his Slytherins because he must know when it happens.  Actually, that makes more sense now that I think of it!  Snape has been a Slytherin, as grown as one and is now its Head of House. Of course he'll know whether Malfoy is lying, overdoing it or making it all up!  I reckon that's why he would rather point Malfoy than anybody else. First of all, because Draco has to be Snape's favourite student (political issues oblige), and he's the head of his year and feared (again because of politics). Therefore, asking any other Slytherins, even an unbiased one, would serve nothing because he/she would still defend Draco.  Why? By fear of Draco retaliating on him/her!  That's Slytherin logic! Especially in front of Gryffindors!  So Snape will definitely not ask anyone but Draco in such a case. I'm sure now that Snape can easily recognize the truth of what Malfoy says: he's been living with these kind of people for so long, how could he not and still have survived to tell the tale!?  And Snape's aversion for Potter and his assurance that Potter likes nothing better than bending rules out of pure stubborness and sheer temper will surely not pass as a good witness!

Strange how calm and therefore unimpressed Snape reacted to this! After all, this had been caused by Harry. Maybe because he didn't want to seem surprised by a good spell or because it was so common Snape didn't bother anymore! His reaction to Hermione's teeth goes along the same line: cold. I think Snape has seen more horrible or stupid things than that!
Poor Hermione! The guy she "loves" shows her as a proof!  Nice!
Notice the silent giggles of the Slytherin girls. This class certainly fell into a profound silence once Snape came in!  This means that whatever happens, even Slytherins better keep quiet!  

Famous quote in Hermione/Snape fictions isn't it? It's a very powerful statement though! You can almost see Snape's raised eyebrow.  It also means that Snape may have been quite aware of Hermione's overgrown teeth to begin with!  Surely a detail that was picked up by numerous fanfiction authors!  The same goes for Hermione's  emotional reaction to a teacher she should not care about too much.  Maybe she's more affected by the giggling girls in the background than by Snape however! But still, Snape knows where to strike!

I would have been more than surprised and discontented with Rowling had Snape not got the essence of Ron and Harry's retaliation!  It wouldn't have seem natural! I'm sure Snape knows all the horrible things his students already call him in his back! So it would not be very difficult to understand the "gist" of it!
I'm amazed at how unaffected Snape always remains when faced with opposition he feels is undeserved. This proves my theory that Snape only becomes emotional when  people don't believe him (as with Sirius Black, Harry breaking rules, etc) or when he feels guilty (as with Moody's remark about his past). Otherwise, you will never hear Snape talk louder than if he was casually talking to you.  When Snape uses his silky voice, it means he's not affected personally and quite sure of himself.  He is sure to master the situation thereof.  Only think about when he gets angry and yells at Harry, it's never at the beginning!  (if I remember correctly!)  He shouts after using his silky and low voice! That happens when Harry denies what Snape knows, and what affects Snape more than not being believed? I don't know, but it must be on his top-three list for sure!

Ok, it's difficult to delimitate exactly why they lost points and got a detention!  Harry thinks it's unjust. Therefore, he's referring to the fact that Draco received nothing! But this occurred exactly after Ron and Harry insulted Snape. I think Snape had already decided their punishment because duelling is unauthorized at Hogwarts. For sure Harry would have got something worst because he started it and was the one to draw first. However, I'm sure Snape, after hearing the boys's insults, changed his mind and only punished Gryffindor for their impertinence. Why else would Potter and Weasley receive an equal punishment?  Of course there's injustice because Malfoy did something too, but the boys' outburst lost them the right to a fairer trial!
Once again the proof that Potter might turn to the dark side!  Not good!

Of course everyone is expecting Harry to be the receiver!  I wonder how many Slytherins thought of spoiling their potions just to make him suffer? Unless it was an exam of course, but still, I wouldn't put it passed Malfoy!
Again I'm sure Snape has all the antidotes ready at hand! Wouldn't want to kill the boy he saved at the cost of his life a couple of times!!  You see how Snape wants his money back anyway he can. He knows Harry fears him and Snape wants it to be an irrational fear. Maybe to stop Harry from tempting stupid things again. The problem is: that approach doesn't work with Harry!  Well, Harry does fear Snape's schemes, but instead of refraining from further giving them importance and act nice, he believes them and that pushes his need for vengeance higher! I don't think it's conscious though.
Talk about more healthy thoughts than doing an Unforgivable on Snape! I'm still surprised Harry lets it affect him!  Why does he believe Snape?  Yes he'll be poisoned but for how long?  And Snape will not risk any poison at that! He's a teacher and I'm sure he wants to remain in Hogwarts for as long as he can!

Snape being rude to Colin? Impossible!  No really, of course he will be especially after being pissed off like he was.  
Snape has a hooked nose.
 Oh I like that!  I can imagine Snape's gaze and Colin's fading smile so easily!  
It's nice how Snape cares about Potter's education don't you think? I'd rather say he hates the idea of Harry getting loose from class AND the idea of loosing his guinea pig as well. Top that with Harry receiving special attention and you got the perfect elements to send Snape in a rage!!  Because, once again, nobody listened to him and that's why Harry is still a champion!

Snape must be thinking something like : "Nice, Potter is getting recognition in front of me and the whole wizarding world even though I specifically said he must have once again bent rules! Damn them all for their naivity! I won't stand for it! At least I'll get a chance to poison him."

Notice how Snape uses the same interjection three times. It's like : "I got the point now shut up!"  And though Snape's tone of voice is not described, I'm sure it could melt the floor if it was a kind of acid! "Get out of my sight": Snape wouldn't want to let Harry go so easily now would he? I guess this last retort was his last attempt at feeling in control of Harry.  An elusive thought if you ask me!

 Part 2

But Harry couldn't ignore it. Ron hadn't spoken to him at all since he had told him about Snape's detentions. Harry had half hoped they would make things up during the two hours they were forced to pickle rats' brains in Snape's dungeon, but that had been the day Rita's article had appeared, which seemed to have confirmed Ron's belief that Harry was really enjoying all the attention.

First the disembowel a barrel full of horned toads, now the pickling of rat brains!  How nice can potions ingredients get?
Notice how it's written: "Snape's dungeon". All the different rooms of the dungeons have different names. For example, there's dungeon number five. I've checked in the other books and Snape's dungeon refers to his classroom and not to his personal quarters.  

Harry looked at him in disbelief. He was sure Cedric wouldn't have asked that if he had seen the dragons himself. Harry wouldn't have let his worst enemy face those monsters unprepared - well, perhaps Malfoy or Snape...

"She should've interviewed Snape," said Harry grimly. "He'd give her the goods on me any day. 'Potter has been crossing lines ever since he first arrived at this school. . . .'"

"Said that, did he?" said Hagrid, while Ron and Hermione laughed. "Well, yeh might've bent a few rules. Harry, bu' yeh're all righ' really, aren' you?"

 What's interesting here is how Harry remembers Snape's almost exact words: "He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here" When you do remember someone's exact words, it means they had a profound effect on you or your memory.  We have to guess it's the case here.

Notice how Hagrid does exactly what Harry Potter fans do: he excuses  Harry because nothing happened to him.  On the one hand he defends Snape because what he said is true, but on the other, he considers Harry a great kid because of all those things he accomplished without being caught.  This is exactly what Snape dislikes: Potter's popularity.  Undeserved or careless-of-consequences popularity.  This is making me think... Do you think Snape hates Harry because, as a spy, he was on the verge of eliminating Voldemort himself or stopping him, but then, Harry innocently came along and got rid of him first?  This theory I've just came up with makes sense: Snape has been casted away even after turning back to the right side because people still considered him a Death Eater.  (Note that even if the Weasley parents are not informed of that fact, any employer will be)  So, this situation where Snape lost his chance of rendering himself in front of the world against Voldemorwould have made him win social appreciation and sympathy. That's why it could very well be the reason why Snape hates Harry.  I said numerous times how Snape hates Potter's celebraty which he considers people stupid to idol a hero who didn't do anything or acted foolishly (see below) and that  fits this obsession of Snape.  What's more, once again, Snape is sure Harry was responsible of Sirius Black's evasion and consequently, he lost his Order of Merlin.  In a word, Snape lost his social recognition, that he was worthy of confidence, because of Harry Potter. A confidence which only Dumbledore has ever bestowed upon Severus since.  If Potter had not been there and, supposively, Severus had been on the verge of killing Voldemort, then Severus would not have been an outcast.  He would have got the social praise he deserved.  

And you know, even if Snape was not on the verge of killing Voldemort, it seems all the heroism falls back on Harry anyway.  As if the efforts of people like Snape had been useless.  Everyone is focused on the hero, just like groupies are focused on their idols!  If they are nice and cute, everyone forgives them!  

Professors McGonagall and Moody kept them working until the very last second of their classes too, and Snape, of course, would no sooner let them play games in class than adopt Harry. Staring nastily around at them all, he informed them that he would be testing them on poison antidotes during the last lesson of the term.

"Evil, he is," Ron said bitterly that night in the Gryffindor common room.

"Springing a test on us on the last day. Ruining the last bit of term with a whole load of studying."

 I like Rowling's wording here.  It however proves wrong all the fan-fiction writers who imagined Snape could ever adopt Harry.  I would even go as far as saying any family link to be inexistent in this case. But... then again...

Here, to my great satisfaction, Ron once again proves how dense he is! Come on, I'm a teacher and I know when is the best time for an exam: the last period.  It's even a kind of drill for concentration.  You can't expect to do everything on a Monday in life. Sometimes, such occurrences happen on a Friday when you are more exhausted. That's part of the game. It doesn't matter if it's the last period of the term, some work has to be done no matter what.  A term would not end if every teacher decided to cancel their last class!  That's stupid thinking and lazy at that. To call him evil for that is idiotic indeed.  When a student knows why studying well is important, he doesn't complain about tests no matter when they are scheduled!

"... don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor."

"Severus, you cannot pretend this isn't happening!" Karkaroffs voice sounded anxious and hushed, as though keen not to be overheard. "It's been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it _"

"Then flee," said Snapes voice curtly. "Flee - I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts."

Snape and Karkaroff came around the corner. Snape had his wand out and was blasting rosebushes apart, his expression most ill-natured. Squeals issued from many of the bushes, and dark shapes emerged from them. 

"Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!" Snape snarled as a girl ran past him. "And ten points from Hufflepuff too, Stebbins!" as a boy went rushing after her. "And what are you two doing?" he added, catching sight of Harry and Ron on the path ahead. Karkaroff, Harry saw, looked slightly discomposed to see them standing there. His hand went nervously to his goatee, and he began winding it around his finger.

"We re walking," Ron told Snape shortly. "Not against the law, is it?"

"Keep walking, then!" Snape snarled, and he brushed past them, his long black cloak billowing out behind him. Karkaroff hurried away after Snape. Harry and Ron continued down the path.

"What's got Karkaroff all worried?" Ron muttered.

"And since when have he and Snape been on first-name terms?"said Harry slowly.

 See how cool and calm Snape is about the situation?  I wonder if he is because he has talked with Dumbledore? I guess he did, after all, at the end of the novel, Dumbledore asks Severus if he's ready.  They had surely planned something from the day the mark appeared.  
Snape almost seems disgusted or out of patience for Karkaroff. He is terse and short: Flee. That's all he's got to say to him. The only way around it for Snape is to flee and never to come back.  

Also, the fact that Snape will make excuses for Karkaroff is surprising. He's not talking about making excuses to Voldemort of course but of his leaving the tournament. Maybe Snape was used to do just that with him in the past.  That's a possibility.  There's a hidden relationship there because I think Snape loves responsible people and would not try to make excuses for someone like Karkaroff unless he had good reasons for it.  One such good reason would be to make sure Karkaroff doesn't sound the alarm where it's not needed. I guess we'll only know in the 3 other books!  
This simple yet symbolic gesture tells a lot about Snape: he doesn't care about roses and couples.  So he hates the kind of teenager love that's for sure. What's not that sure is if he represses anything related to love.  It seems Snape knows exactly where to hit, it must not be his first time!  

Ok, I have to admit this one was well placed! Even for Ron!

Snape has a long black cloak that can billow behind him

Elementary, my dear Watson!  For once, Potter asks good questions! The only people who call him by his first name are faculty members and his close relationships.  Which proves how close they have been in the Death Eaters.

Filch stopped a few steps below Harry and turned. At the foot of the stairs stood the only person who could make Harry's situation worse: Snape. He was wearing a long gray nightshirt and he looked livid.

"Its Peeves, Professor," Filch whispered malevolently. "He threw this egg down the stairs."

Snape climbed up the stairs quickly and stopped beside Filch. Harry gritted his teeth, convinced his loudly thumping heart would give him away at any second. . ..

"Peeves?" said Snape softly, staring at the egg in Filch's hands. "But Peeves couldn't get into my office. . . ."

"This egg was in your office. Professor?"

"Of course not," Snape snapped. "I heard banging and wailing -"

"Yes, Professor, that was the egg -"

"- I was coming to investigate -"

"- Peeves threw it. Professor -"

"- and when I passed my office, I saw that the torches were lit and a cupboard door was ajar! Somebody has been searching it!"

But Peeves couldn't -"

"I know he couldn't, Filch!" Snape snapped again. "I seal my office with a spell none but a wizard could break!" Snape looked up the stairs, straight through Harry, and then down into the corridor below. "I want you to come and help me search for the intruder, Filch."

"I - yes, Professor - but -"

Filch looked yearningly up the stairs, right through Harry, who could see that he was very reluctant to forgo the chance of cornering Peeves. Go, Harry pleaded with him silently, go with Snape . . . go. . . Mrs. Norris was peering around Filch's legs.... Harry had the distinct impression that she could smell him.. . . Why had he filled that bath with so much perfumed foam?

"The thing is, Professor," said Filch plaintively, "the headmaster will have to listen to me this time. Peeves has been stealing from a student, it might be my chance to get him thrown out of the castle once and for all -"

"Filch, I don't give a damn about that wretched poltergeist; it's my office that's -"

Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.

Snape stopped talking very abruptly. He and Filch both looked down at the foot of the stairs. Harry saw Mad-Eye Moody limp into sight through the narrow gap between their heads. Moody was wearing his old traveling cloak over his nightshirt and leaning on his staff as usual.

"Pajama party, is it?" he growled up the stairs.

"Professor Snape and I heard noises, Professor," said Filch at once. "Peeves the Poltergeist, throwing things around as usual - and then Professor Snape discovered that someone had broken into his off -"

"Shut up!" Snape hissed to Filch.

Moody took a step closer to the foot of the stairs. Harry saw Moodys magical eye travel over Snape, and then, unmistakably, onto himself. Harrys heart gave a horrible jolt. Moody could see through Invisibility Cloaks... he alone could see the full strangeness of the scene:

Snape in his nightshirt, Filch clutching the egg, and he, Harry, trapped in the stairs behind them. Moody's lopsided gash of a mouth opened in surprise. For a few seconds, he and Harry stared straight into each other's eyes. Then Moody closed his mouth and turned his blue eye upon Snape again.

"Did I hear that correctly, Snape?" he asked slowly. "Someone broke into your office?"

"It is unimportant," said Snape coldly. "On the contrary," growled Moody, "it is very important. Who'd want to break into your office?"

"A student, I daresay," said Snape. Harry could see a vein flickering horribly on Snape's greasy temple. "It has happened before. Potion ingredients have gone missing from my private store cupboard ... students attempting illicit mixtures, no doubt...."

"Reckon they were after potion ingredients, eh?" said Moody. "Not hiding anything else in your office, are you?"

Harry saw the edge of Snape's sallow face turn a nasty brick color, the vein in his temple pulsing more rapidly.

"You know I'm hiding nothing, Moody," he said in a soft and dangerous voice, "as you've searched my office pretty thoroughly yourself."

Moodys face twisted into a smile. "Auror's privilege, Snape. Dumbledore told me to keep an eye -"

"Dumbledore happens to trust me," said Snape through clenched teeth. "I refuse to believe that he gave you orders to search my office!"

"Course Dumbledore trusts you," growled Moody. "Hes a trusting man, isn't he? Believes in second chances. But me - I say there are spots that don't come off, Snape. Spots that never come off, d'you know what I mean?"

Snape suddenly did something very strange. He seized his left forearm convulsively with his right hand, as though something on it had hurt him. Moody laughed. "Get back to bed, Snape."

"You don't have the authority to send me anywhere!" Snape hissed, letting go of his arm as though angry with himself. "I have as much right to prowl this school after dark as you do!"

"Prowl away," said Moody, but his voice was full of menace. "I look forward to meeting you in a dark corridor some time.... You've dropped something, by the way. ..."

With a stab of horror. Harry saw Moody point at the Marauders Map, still lying on the staircase six steps below him. As Snape and Filch both turned to look at it, Harry threw caution to the winds; he raised his arms under the cloak and waved furiously at Moody to attract his attention, mouthing "It's mine! Mine!"

Snape had reached out for it, a horrible expression of dawning comprehension on his face -

"Accio Parchment!"

The map flew up into the air, slipped through Snapes outstretched fingers, and soared down the stairs into Moodys hand.

"My mistake," Moody said calmly. "It's mine - must've dropped it earlier -"

But Snape's black eyes were darting from the egg in Filch's arms to the map in Moodys hand, and Harry could tell he was putting two and two together, as only Snape could. . . .

"Potter," he said quietly.

"What's that?" said Moody calmly, folding up the map and pocketing it.

"Potter!" Snape snarled, and he actually turned his head and stared right at the place where Harry was, as though he could suddenly see him. "That egg is Potters egg. That piece of parchment belongs to Potter. I have seen it before, I recognize it! Potter is here! Potter, in his Invisibility Cloak!"

Snape stretched out his hands like a blind man and began to move up the stairs; Harry could have sworn his over-large nostrils were dilating, trying to sniff Harry out - trapped. Harry leaned backward, trying to avoid Snapes fingertips, but any moment now-

"There's nothing there, Snape!" barked Moody, "but I'll be happy to tell the headmaster how quickly your mind jumped to Harry Potter!"

"Meaning what?" Snape turned again to look at Moody, his hands still outstretched, inches from Harry's chest.

"Meaning that Dumbledore's very interested to know who's got it in for that boy!" said Moody, limping nearer still to the foot of the stairs. "And so am I, Snape . . . very interested...." The torchlight flickered across his mangled face, so that the scars, and the chunk missing from his nose, looked deeper and darker than ever.

Snape was looking down at Moody, and Harry couldn't see the expression on his face. For a moment, nobody moved or said anything. Then Snape slowly lowered his hands.

"I merely thought," said Snape, in a voice of forced calm, "that if Potter was wandering around after hours again ... it's an unfortunate habit of his ... he should be stopped. For - for his own safety."

"Ah, I see," said Moody softly. "Got Potter's best interests at heart, have you?"

There was a pause. Snape and Moody were still staring at each other, Mrs. Norris gave a loud meow, still peering around Filch's legs, looking for the source of Harry's bubble-bath smell.

"I think I will go back to bed," Snape said curtly.

"Best idea you've had all night," said Moody. "Now, Filch, if you'll just give me that egg-"

"No!" said Filch, clutching the egg as though it were his firstborn son. "Professor Moody, this is evidence of Peeves' treachery!"

"It's the property of the champion he stole it from," said Moody. Hand it over, now."

Snape swept downstairs and passed Moody without another word. Filch made a chirruping noise to Mrs. Norris, who stared blankly at Harry for a few more seconds before turning and following her master. Still breathing very fast. Harry heard Snape walking away down the corridor; Filch handed Moody the egg and disappeared from view too, muttering to Mrs. Norris. "Never mind. my sweet.. . we'll see Dumbledore in the morning ... tell him what Peeves was up to...."

 

This also proves Snape is still in good physical form. After all, he's only 39 or 40 now.  

Notice Snape's soft tone.  When Snape uses this tone, he is thinking hard and analysing. This reminds me of Sherlock Holmes. Holmes only got excited when he had found out something, but not before that, just like Snape.

But here Holmes leaves with a kick in the butt!  Snape is back to his full vindictiveness and his impatience for stupidity!  I wonder if Snape felt Filch was accusing him of possessing the egg?  I'm sure Filch didn't but maybe Snape was afraid he did and that's why he snapped at him.
Notice these   -   signs.  I think it represents simultaneous talk.  It shows Snape's way of thinking. He can listen at the same time as he is speaking to himself. I do that a lot actually when I'm trying to solve logical problems.  Like Holmes, Snape refuses to come to any conclusions before understanding all the elements of the mystery.  His ignoring Filch proves as much.
Snape's quarters are pass his office. Even more down the stairs or passed the office door for sure. And a little more downstairs lies a corridor.

Maybe Snape snapped at Filch because he hates to be disturbed in his ministrations. It obscures his thoughts.  Or, like I said, Snape is impatient with narrowness of mind like Filch who is only thinking of Peeve.  
Snape seals his office with a wizard spell which poltergeist or ghosts or anything else for that matter can come across.
 See how Snape is direct with Filch. He wants him, not requesting. Still, Filch's reaction shows that Snape is not that vindictive with him because had it been, Malfoy for example, he would not have tried to utter anything back.
 It also shows how Snape is not reluctant to being helped.  At least not when it comes to finding culprits and to Filch.  

I think this proves a lot of things: 1-Filch is still clueless that Peeve didn't do that.  2-Snape may not be afraid of Peeve at all as are the others.  3-Snape hates thieves or people infiltrating his territory.  4-Snape knows it could not be Peeve that did this.  

Snape has nice reflects! Especially when it comes to Moody I'd say!

"This is not your business!"  Snape is not suspecting Moody here or else, he would not tell him out and loud later on that he knows Moody already searched his office. So, it could be that Snape wants absolutely nothing to do with Moody.  He has nothing to be afraid of after all, but he must be quite tired of having him on his tracks.  And if Moody knows about this, he may want to investigate furthermore in his office. Snape wants anything but Moody in his office again.  Or, as Moody said himself, people would only want to break into his office if he was holding something important in there.  But Snape is obviously not, unless, Moody would have find it!

It's unimportant.  Snape definitely doesn't want Moody to meddle in his own affairs. But here, Snape says that he worries about students getting his personal stuff, not about non-student thieves. It's strange that Snape is only thinking about students, but then again, that's what he admits only, not what he thinks.
The vein flickering on Snape's temple show how much he is angered by Moody I think.  Maybe by the fact that he was stolen, but still, he must be used to it by now.  Anyway, Moody seems the cause: because of his retarding Snape to act or of his incessant questions and spying.
Snape has also greasy temples.  I think this proves Snape has a greasy skin and that it's like that because of nature, not because he doesn't wash.
Interesting to see how Snape knows exactly what students want to do with his ingredients!  I bet a lot more Slytherins accomplished the deed than other houses!  Illicit mixtures are Slytherins department!  

Snape's vein is pulsing more rapidly due to Moody, so the first time around must have been because of him too.  Snape, again, is not believed, a thing (as I mentioned in my other analysis) which he strides for no matter what!  And being told by this auror such a thing, he has reasons to be mad.  Snape has tried all of those years to make up for his Death Eaters' days, but yet, people are coming at him for this.

Notice how Snape uses the same kind of voice as when he's making threats to Harry or his students?  It's wonderful how he can loudly snap one second and use his silky soft voice the next.  It proves a powerful weapon for Snape, he knows controlling his emotions through his voice works well.  Indeed, when Snape uses that soft voice of his, it means you're in trouble, it's a direct threat.  Hence, as I wondered in Part 1 of this analysis, I now think Snape is more annoyed by Moody's incessant investigations and allusions than he is frightened of him.  Unless, he would not snap and use his silky "I'm-warning-you" voice.
Snape is not afraid to make sure Moody knows that he knows. So, Snape is sure that this time, Moody didn't do it or else, he would not have been afraid to accuse him of it!  Like I said, Snape must hate Moody for his sly ways of investigating and his lack of trust.  

When Snape talks through clenched teeth, he is beyond madness!  It means you have just touch a very sensitive subject for him.  That's one of the clues that tell me Snape is and will always be on the right side. He refuses to believe Dumbledore doesn't trust him. That's such a strong statement!  As strong as when Harry defended Dumbledore in the chamber of secrets.  

The dark mark is situated somewhere between the elbow and the wrist, on the left arm of Snape.

See below: Snape let go of his arm as though angry with himself. Coming from JK Rowling, this is not an empty statement.  Snape is angry with himself for showing up how guilty he feels about his mark in front of Moody.  The fact that Moody laughed is surely what made Snape snap out of his sudden guilt.  Moody knows he touched a sensible cord: Snape's guilt.  It was very mean of Moody to laugh at his natural reaction.  Spots that don't come off. It's a powerful statement once again that tells a mile about the psychological impression this mark must have made on Snape.  He is tainted, soiled by this mark and Snape feels guilty about it because of his reaction.  It hurt him, psychologically speaking, so physically too.  
Also, Snape is furious about the authority Moody uses on him.  He has no right to send him to bed at all. What's more, the fact that Moody doesn't want Snape to investigate also means, in a way, that he deserves it. Snape doesn't deserve to catch the culprit.  Moody wanted to protect himself, true, but he didn't need to. Snape was already accusing a student of the feast. So, this remark, go back to bed, is to show that Moody thinks he will always be superior to Snape and will always have authority on him. It's a grave insult to tell an adult to go to bed after all. It denies him his rights and in this case, even his abilities to find the culprit or his right to do so.    But for Snape, Moody has no more authority than him.  He knows he did nothing wrong since the Death Eaters, and Dumbledore surely assured him of that fact in lots of occasions!  

See!  Moody is sure he will find Snape in a "dark corridor" one day, and he's definitely not meaning Hogwarts' corridors!  

Snape has quite a memory doesn't he?  Even before he reached for it, he already knew it was Potter's.  

Nice how Harry is at least able to admit Snape has an incredible sense of deduction!  

Again, Snape uses his soft voice and calm composure when he is deducting things or thinking hard.

Here again, we see how wonderfully logical Snape is.  Potter could not be downstairs, he was there just a minute ago. Therefore, he's exactly heading for the right spot!  

Snape has over-large nostrils. How nice to know that!

I wish Rowling had mentioned Snape's tone!!  

Poor Snape has to defend himself. Moody is definitely accusing him of hating Potter, just like Voldemort!  That sounds really bad for Snape. I think Snape is trying to defend himself here because he really doesn't want Moody to get anymore interested in him than he is already!  The hesitation is crucial here. Snape has never ever hesitated before!!  For - for : why is Snape afraid to tell Moody why he wants to stop Potter?  Because everybody considers his obsession negative.  That's why he made up this reason. Snape doesn't want to feed Moody with his hate for Harry's bluntness, that he hates him for his popularity and tendency to break rules.  That would sound bad to tell this reason to Moody wouldn't it?  Snape has bent quite a few rules with the Death Eaters himself, so, as seen above, in Moody's mind he should let go of others.  Snape therefore understands that for Moody, only clean people can look for trespassers!  
By the way, it also proves that when Snape is prowling after Harry, he is not doing it for his security only!!  His main reason is to prove how the boy is not respectful of rules!  Of course, it's dangerous to be out at night in Hogwarts, so as we saw in the other books, Snape also wants to protect him from harm in some remote ways.

Bet you Snape was thinking of the day he saved him in book 1!  But Snape will never admit that.

Sounds weird to see that Snape is going back to bed, but now that he sees he cannot get at Harry in the presence of Moody and punish him like he should be, he let's go.  The best he can do now is go back to bed because he is sure Potter did it anyway.  The next Potions' class will prove so!

Like I said above, I think after the corridor leading to his office, there's no more stairs. Therefore, Snape's quarters would be further down this corridor!  

For people interested in a good fanfiction, there is one that Ozma wrote. It's a missing scene that happens exactly here! This author specializes in Filch fiction!
A Squib without a clue: Filch's own thoughts about the confrontation between Snape and Moody in the staircase in Book4. Very good insight!

Part 3

 A report from one of my visitors informed about the existence of an interview with Alan Rickman (see here) that took place before the release of the first movie.  In this interview, he relates facts or perceptions about his character, Snape.  But what's interesting is that in another article (see here) it says that JK Rowling gave Rickman secret information about his character in future books so he could manage more easily.  Which is why I think we should take consideration of what Rickman said in his first interview because it's surely directly comes from Rowling herself. Therefore, there's a point I need to clarify. If  I you've followed my analysis from the start, you'll know my opinion about it Snape secretly harbouring the wish to become the DADA teacher: I think he wants it because he thinks other teachers are inadequate to hold such an important and vital position.  I've talked about it on this very page.  Now, if you read Alan Rickman's comment, it says: "...he harbours a
secret ambition to be a Professor of the Dark Arts".   Notice the word ambition.  So, what's ambition?  Ambition is when you want something, and in this case, it's a career goal.  Somehow I think this secret ambition would mean something Snape has surely been longing for all of this time: forgiveness. If you give such a character the Dark Arts position, then it means you trust him enough not to employ it for dark purposes. Wouldn't that be the momentum of his career?  I think it would. Therefore, I'll say this about this Dark Art teacher position: Snape hates the other teachers who are given it because he thinks they are incompetent AND because it also means he is somewhat jealous of the trust of Dumbledore towards such an important role in the curriculum of the students.

"Just forget the egg for a minute, all right?" Harry hissed as Professor Flitwick went whizzing resignedly past them, landing on top of a large cabinet. "I'm trying to tell you about Snape and Moody. ..."

This class was an ideal cover for a private conversation, as everyone was having far too much fun to pay them any attention. Harry had been recounting his adventures of the previous night in whispered installments for the last half hour.

"Snape said Moody's searched his office as well?" Ron whispered, his eyes alight with interest as he banished a cushion with a sweep of his wand (it soared into the air and knocked Parvati's hat off). "What. . . d'you reckon Moody's here to keep an eye on Snape as well as Karkaroff?"

"Well, I dunno if that's what Dumbledore asked him to do, but he's definitely doing it," said Harry, waving his wand without paying much attention, so that his cushion did an odd sort of belly flop off the desk. "Moody said Dumbledore only lets Snape stay here because he's giving him a second chance or something. ..."

"What?" said Ron, his eyes widening, his next cushion spinning high into the air, ricocheting off the chandelier, and dropping heavily onto Flitwick's desk. "Harry... maybe Moody thinks Snape put your name in the Goblet of Fire!"

"Oh Ron," said Hermione, shaking her head sceptically, "we thought Snape was trying to kill Harry before, and it turned out he was saving Harry's life, remember?"

She banished a cushion and it flew across the room and landed in the box they were all supposed to be aiming at. Harry looked at Hermione, thinking... it was true that Snape had saved his life once, but the odd thing was, Snape definitely loathed him, just as he'd loathed Harry's father when they had been at school together. Snape loved taking points from Harry, and had certainly never missed an opportunity to give him punishments, or even to suggest that he should be suspended from the school.

"I don't care what Moody says," Hermione went on. "Dumbledore's not stupid. He was right to trust Hagrid and Professor Lupin, even though loads of people wouldn't have given them jobs, so why shouldn't he be right about Snape, even if Snape is a bit -"

"- evil," said Ron promptly. "Come on, Hermione, why are all these Dark wizard catchers searching his office, then?"

"Why has Mr. Crouch been pretending to be ill?" said Hermione, ignoring Ron.

"Its a bit funny, isn't it, that he cant manage to come to the Yule Ball, but he can get up here in the middle of the night when he wants to?"

"You just don't like Crouch because of that elf, Winky," said Ron, sending a cushion soaring into the window.

"You just want to think Snape's up to something," said Hermione, sending her cushion zooming neatly into the box.

"I just want to know what Snape did with his first chance, if he's on his second one," said Harry grimly, and his cushion, to his very great surprise, flew straight across the room and landed neatly on top of Hermione's.

Obedient to Sirius's wish of hearing about anything odd at Hogwarts, Harry sent him a letter by brown owl that night, explaining all about Mr. Crouch breaking into Snape's office, and Moody and Snape's conversation. Then Harry turned his attention in earnest to the most urgent problem facing him: how to survive underwater for an hour on the twenty-fourth of February.

 Strange how, after four books, Rowling keeps using Snape for cover!  This, I guess, proves how Rowling wants her young readers to perceive Snape.  He's a good cover, he is cruel to children and has a bad temper.  

An idea occurred  me this week while I was reading a fan-fiction.   I never really took enough time to analyse Snape's reaction to his second chance yet. But this excerpt reminded me to do it.  My thoughts are about the brooding nature of Snape which are surely directly related to his guilt. Not just his guilt of having being a Death Eater, but rather the guilt of enjoying life when he had made so much people suffer.  I understand this feeling. It's the same as when someone feels guilty of finding joy in his life just after a close relative's death. I experienced it myself after my father's death. You feel like you cannot allow yourself joy or pleasure at all. It's a sacrilege to the memory of the person you loved or, in Snape's case, killed.  In a sense, Snape has to feel guilty about enjoying life which is kind of proven by his "I'm never amused by anything" looks and personality. This trait often comes back in Snape romance fan-fiction. Therefore, it must be very natural a reaction, wouldn't you say?  What's more, after Dumbledore gave him his second chance, Snape must have felt even more indebted and found any rejoicing opportunities out of place.  Hence, Snape's life appears to be a constant period of funeral mourning. Now, about the brooding: when you refuse yourself any kind of unjustified pleasure, you feel even more guilty, don't you?  Just like when you have eaten a lot and still want a dessert!  You feel so guilty. Snape, I believe, always thinks he is full because of his second chance and Dumbledore's trust.  So why would he attempt to dig in a good dessert (i.e. joy, love) in front of everybody?  That would be misplaced, in his mind of course. The consequence of this: Snape is feeling bad all the time. Hence, he is sulking, brooding, and he's quite enraged.  That kind of self-privation and denial of his own needs ought to have some sort of effect on him. Result: a dark joyless Snape!  

Here again Rowling tries to keep the cover.  However, it was nice to see how Hermione defended Snape right away. I think this single phrase and her next replies inspired a lot of fan-fiction authors in their Hermione/Snape romances, right?  

It's been a long time since we've had such a concise description of Snape!  Here are all of his flaws, according to Harry, in one paragraph! What amazes me is how it says that Snape only saved him once.  I think he did save Harry's butt quite a few times that year!  I don't count it just as one time.

True to herself, Rowling gives away the answers: Snape is to be trusted! This piece of information by Hermione is quite important if you ask me.  
It's a shame we didn't hear what Hermione was going to say about Snape!  Ron interrupted her to add his own ideas.  But notice how she ignores him.  Hermione seems to trust Snape more than Crouch. She is right in her suspicions and was when she first refused to think Snape had anything to do with the events of their first year at Hogwarts. That's why I say Hermione's always a good clue to the intrigue of Rowling.

Touché!  Right in the face, Hermione!  Great!  This is strange though: we know Rowling doesn't like Snape, yet Hermione (whom Rowling said she associated to) always defends him.  What is Rowling trying to tell us?  Not to judge a book by its cover?  Or that nobody is immune from becoming evil? Or that redemption is always possible?  I guess we'll know more in the next book but that the whole idea will only be discovered in the last book!  Sigh!
I think Harry has attained a kind of maturity here. He's not ready to jump to conclusions anymore, unlike Ron. Notice something very special about this paragraph: right after Harry relates his true inner feelings about Snape (that he just wants to know what happened to Snape, as if he wanted to understand why Snape is the way he is right now) and pouf! his magic is working perfectly well to Harry's surprise.  Isn't that interesting?  Hence, Rowling shows us that somehow, the true inner emotions have a great benefic effect on your powers. If you go back over the whole scene, you'll see how the cushions reacted to the trio's emotions.  I think this state of mind versus the characters' magical abilities will become very relevant in the future.

"There they are, there they are!" she giggled, and the knot of Slytherins broke apart. Harry saw that Pansy had a magazine in her hands - Witch Weekly. The moving picture on the front showed a curly-haired witch who was smiling toothily and pointing at a large sponge cake with her wand.

"You might find something to interest you in there, Granger!" Pansy said loudly,and she threw the magazine at Hermione, who caught it, looking startled. At that moment, the dungeon door opened, and Snape beckoned them all inside. Hermione, Harry, and Ron headed for a table at the back of the dungeon as usual. Once Snape had turned his back on them to write up the ingredients of today's potion on the blackboard, Hermione hastily rifled through the magazine under the desk.

Snape makes his students come in when he wants to.
 The trio sits at the back of the dungeons. I understand why they would!
There is a board on which Snape writes the ingredients of potions used in his lessons. (I wonder if he magically writes or not?)

"Well, I was too busy seeing whether you and Harry were okay to-"

"Fascinating though your social life undoubtedly is, Miss Granger," said an icy voice right behind them, and all three of them jumped, "I must ask you not to discuss it in my class. Ten points from Gryffindor."

Snape had glided over to their desk while they were talking. The whole class was now looking around at them; Malfoy took the opportunity to flash POTTER STINKS across the dungeon at Harry.

"Ah . . . reading magazines under the table as well?" Snape added, snatching up the copy of Witch Weekly. "A further ten points from Gryffindor ... oh but of course ..." Snape's black eyes glittered as they fell on Rita Skeeter's article. "Potter has to keep up with his press cuttings. . . ."

The dungeon rang with the Slytherins' laughter, and an unpleasant smile curled Snape's thin mouth. To Harry's fury, he began to read the article aloud. "'Harry Potter's Secret Heartache. . . dear, dear. Potter, what's ailing you now? 'A boy like no other, perhaps. . .'"

Harry could feel his face burning. Snape was pausing at the end of every sentence to allow the Slytherins a hearty laugh. The article sounded ten times worse when read by Snape. Even Hermione was blushing scarlet now.

"'. . . Harry Potter's well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart upon a worthier candidate.' How very touching," sneered Snape, rolling up the magazine to continued gales of laughter from the Slytherins. "Well, I think I had better separate the three of you, so you can keep your minds on your potions rather than on your tangled love lives. Weasley, you stay here. Miss Granger, over there, beside Miss Parkinson. Potter - that table in front of my desk. Move. Now."

Furious, Harry threw his ingredients and his bag into his cauldron and dragged it up to the front of the dungeon to the empty table. Snape followed, sat down at his desk and watched Harry unload his cauldron. Determined not to look at Snape, Harry resumed the mashing of his scarab beetles, imagining each one to have Snape's face.

"All this press attention seems to have inflated your already over-large head. Potter," said Snape quietly, once the rest of the class had settled down again.

Harry didn't answer. He knew Snape was trying to provoke him; he had done this before. No doubt he was hoping for an excuse to take a round fifty points from Gryffindor before the end of the class.

"You might be laboring under the delusion that the entire wizarding world is impressed with you," Snape went on, so quietly that no one else could hear him (Harry continued to pound his scarab beetles, even though he had already reduced them to a very fine powder), "but I don't care how many times your picture appears in the papers. To me. Potter, you are nothing but a nasty little boy who considers rules to be beneath him."

Harry tipped the powdered beetles into his cauldron and started cutting up his ginger roots. His hands were shaking slightly out of anger, but he kept his eyes down, as though he couldn't hear what Snape was saying to him.

"So I give you fair warning, Potter," Snape continued in a sorter and more dangerous voice, "pint-sized celebrity or not - if I catch you breaking into my office one more time -"

"I haven't been anywhere near your office!" said Harry angrily, forgetting his feigned deafness.

"Don't lie to me," Snape hissed, his fathomless black eyes boring into Harry's.

"Boomslang skin. Gillyweed. Both come from my private stores, and I know who stole them."

Harry stared back at Snape, determined not to blink or to look guilty. In truth, he hadn't stolen either of these things from Snape. Hermione had taken the boomslang skin back in their second year - they had needed it for the Polyjuice Potion - and while Snape had suspected Harry at the time, he had never been able to prove it. Dobby, of course, had stolen the gillyweed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry lied coldly.

"You were out of bed on the night my office was broken into!" Snape hissed. "I know it. Potter! Now, Mad-Eye Moody might have joined your fan club, but I will not tolerate your behavior! One more nighttime stroll into my office, Potter, and you will pay!"

"Right," said Harry coolly, turning back to his ginger roots. "I'll bear that in mind if I ever get the urge to go in there."

Snape's eyes flashed. He plunged a hand into the inside of his black robes. For one wild moment. Harry thought Snape was about to pull out his wand and curse him - then he saw that Snape had drawn out a small crystal bottle of a completely clear potion. Harry stared at it.

"Do you know what this is. Potter?" Snape said, his eyes glittering dangerously again.

"No," said Harry, with complete honesty this time.

"It is Veritaserum - a Truth Potion so powerful that three drops would have you spilling your innermost secrets for this entire class to hear," said Snape viciously.

"Now, the use of this potion is controlled by very strict Ministry guidelines. But unless you watch your step, you might just find that my hand slips" - he shook the crystal bottle slightly - "right over your evening pumpkin juice. And then. Potter . . . then we'll find out whether you've been in my office or not."

Harry said nothing. He turned back to his ginger roots once more, picked up his knife, and started slicing them again. He didn't like the sound of that Truth Potion at all, nor would he put it past Snape to slip him some. He repressed a shudder at the thought of what might come spilling out of his mouth if Snape did it... quite apart from landing a whole lot of people in trouble - Hermione and Dobby for a start - there were all the other things he was concealing . . . like the fact that he was in contact with Sirius . . . and - his insides squirmed at the thought - how he felt about Cho. ... He tipped his ginger roots into the cauldron too, and wondered whether he ought to take a leaf out of Moody s book and start drinking only from a private hip flask.

 

 Just like Snape to hate anything relating to one's social life in his class, isn't it?  Dripping sarcasm there too: he says it must be fascinating and even asks her to discuss it elsewhere, not even ordering her to!  

He has quite the eye!  Because, I'm sure Hermione must have hidden the magazine way under the table.  But Snape being a spy and a teacher, he knows just when a student (especially Gryffindors) are hiding something!
I love this nice touch of Snape. This remark shows how much he despises Harry for being so popular and almost compares him to Lockhart for keeping track of his press cuttings. However, I don't think Snape really believes Harry is keeping his press cuttings. This is just a good joke that fits the moment and serves to ridicule Harry and his popularity.
 The unpleasant curled smile of Snape is somewhat a proof of it: he must be happy to be able to catch Harry on the spot and now he can even do so in front of everybody. The sarcasm of the whole situation is dripping out of Snape's tongue here.  He's making fun of Harry's popularity which is the bane of his life.  He hates Harry and his father for it. An unearned popularity according to Snape. Actually, it must be the first time Snape enjoys Harry's popularity because it serves to ridicule him. Snape must be aware that those articles are false, he is no dupe.  
 The "how very touching" note is a proof that Snape knows this article is not really serious or trustable. But what a better occasion to separate the trio?  After all, it offered a great opportunity to Snape to ask Harry questions about his night stroll around his dungeons the day before, did it not?  Snape shows his very Slytherin thinking there: he makes the best out of every situation, using them to their full potential.  

Here again is the proof that Snape loathes the attention others are giving Harry for his deeds. Snape thinks this can only lead to infatuation. He is wrong in a way, but he's right in thinking that Harry believes himself the only one able to solve some mysteries along with his friends!  The end of book 3 was proof of that when even Fudge excused him.

One of Snape's tactics with Potter is provocation. Harry is wrong here though: Snape's not trying to find an excuse. He's trying to irritate him so much that when Snape asks about his last night stroll around the castle he spills it out!  See how he brings the subject in the next paragraph: "considers rules to be beneath him".  That's the hidden hint of the reason why Snape brought Potter next to his desk.

Notice how Snape doesn't want anyone else to hear this conversation?  Of course it's because he has no tangible proof that Harry did break into his office. But Snape is sure about it. (see more below)
Again Snape proves how very annoyed he is about all that publicity surrounding Harry.  Must be quite difficult to see a 14-year old boy make the front cover of a newspaper when you are hated by half the wizarding world even though you are spying for them or trying to make amends!  Potter just has to raise his little finger and the whole world is ready to watch it, while Snape has no ways of being recognised ever.  And if you analyse the fact that Snape may hate Harry for getting rid of Voldemort while he had also tried surely, well, that must be something for him.

Impressing isnt't it?  How Snape gives Harry a warning.  According to Harry's opinion, Snape would never be the one to give a warning. Yet, Snape always seems to give one. Remember with Quirell, he did warn him that he was watching him closely.  Snape likes to warn I think. He likes to know people are aware of his rules which makes him fair in his own way. Snape may seem unfair because he distributes punishments like candies, but up to now, if I remember well, they all are school rules or rules Snape warned his students about.  
Wasn't Potter near Snape's office last night?  Two stairs above the corridor leading to it, but still. Anyway, what he means is that he wouldn't have got into his office. Not to steal potions ingredients.
Snape's eyes are described as fathomless

Of course, being a Potions Master, Snape knows to exactly what purpose gillyweed is used for: breathing under water.  And since Snape knows of the task as well, he is aware this would be a great way for Harry to complete the task. However, why does he assume it's Harry and not one of the others?  Because of the egg and his map.  It's very good thinking even though it was Dobby who stole it!  
What's nice here is that we finally have the proof that Snape suspected them in their second year.  After Hermione's transformation into a cat, I'm sure Snape went to Dumbledore to complain (but of course the old man found a way out for the trio!). No scratch that! I just read below and it says the bloomskin was stolen by  no other than Crouch to make his Polyjuice Potion!  However, it was a clever trick of Rowling to hint that someone was still using Polyjuice!
What's coming is the Veritaserum scene. Now, in my opinion, Harry is not being very honest here. Yes, it's Snape he's talking to but he still knows how took the gillyweed and the boomslang skin!  So, of course Snape has reasons to be angry at Harry: he was the only contestant who could have used gillyweed!  Why didn't he say Dobby did it for him?  The house-elf would have said so himself.  Dumbledore would have helped Dobby out of it, no problem!

Harry's reaction is aggressive.  No wonder Snape's eyes flashed afterwards!  I understand that Harry is angry about Snape's insinuations, but he has all the right to be so.  Harry knows there is no way Snape would be stupid enough to think anyone else would have needed gillyweed, yet, he acts like he is a complete angel through his answer.  He acts like he has nothing to be concerned about.  That's too much. It shows that Harry has become unreasonable with Snape just as Snape is with him. Remember the time Snape deducted points from Hermione for helping Neville do one of his potions which would have poisoned his frog Trevor: Hermione didn't fight back or tried to prove her innocence because she knew she was guilty.  The boys immediately told her she should have said something because Snape couldn't prove anything, but she was honest enough not to retort.  Harry doesn't have this repentance about him which is unfortunate.

Here's a good part!  Notice how Snape doesn't need his wand here. He's more clever than that!  He wants results and he will get them with a potion, not his wand as so many would.  

See here, just as I said: Potter was not honest.  Of course he thinks Snape is not being honest as well, but that's only an illusion. Snape is honest, he just has harsher rules!

Very interesting fact: Snape is ready to push the barriers himself. He is ready to use "illegal" ways to meet his ends.  He's a Slytherin, no doubt. But I'm sure he is enough of a Slytherin not to get caught.
Snape is quite the insidious manipulator!  He found a way to truly make sure Potter was not lying in his face anymore.  I would call them threats, not something he would really do however.  Or if he would, Snape would make sure the Slytherin he is would never get caught!  This is what is meant when he says his hand might "slip".  He would find a way to make it look like an accident indeed. In a word, what Snape is saying: "Don't lie to me, it's no use. I can get the truth out of you if I need. I know you fear me enough and that you believe me capable of doing it, so don't tempt me!" I believe he wouldn't do it because he would never have told Harry about it unless!  A Slytherin revealing his plans for his enemies? I don't think so!
Now Harry acts like Hermione: he has become conscious of his actions and their consequences.  He knows a lot of people could end up in trouble if that happened.  Silence is a kind of repentance. You don't give proofs, but you at least show some concern and repentance to the accuser.  That's surely something Snape accepts better than sheer boldness.

There was a knock on the dungeon door.

"Enter," said Snape in his usual voice.

The class looked around as the door opened. Professor Karkaroff came in. Everyone watched him as he walked up toward Snape's desk. He was twisting his finger around his goatee and looking agitated.

"We need to talk," said Karkaroff abruptly when he had reached Snape. He seemed so determined that nobody should hear what he was saying that he was barely opening his lips; it was as though he were a rather poor ventriloquist. Harry kept his eyes on his ginger roots, listening hard.

"I'll talk to you after my lesson, Karkaroff," Snape muttered, but Karkaroff interrupted him.

"I want to talk now, while you can't slip off, Severus. You've been avoiding me."

"After the lesson," Snape snapped.

Under the pretext of holding up a measuring cup to see if he'd poured out enough armadillo bile, Harry sneaked a sidelong glance at the pair of them. Karkaroff looked extremely worried, and Snape looked angry.

Karkaroff hovered behind Snape's desk for the rest of the double period. He seemed intent on preventing Snape from slipping away at the end of class. Keen to hear what Karkaroff wanted to say, Harry deliberately knocked over his bottle of armadillo bile with two minutes to go to the bell, which gave him an excuse to duck down behind his cauldron and mop up while the rest of the class moved noisily toward the door.

"What's so urgent?" he heard Snape hiss at Karkaroff.

"This," said Karkaroff, and Harry, peering around the edge of his cauldron, saw Karkaroff pull up the left-hand sleeve of his robe and show Snape something on his inner forearm.

"Well?" said Karkaroff, still making every effort not to move his lips. "Do you see? It's never been this clear, never since - "

"Put it away!" snarled Snape, his black eyes sweeping the classroom.

"But you must have noticed -" Karkaroff began in an agitated voice.

"We can talk later, Karkaroff!" spat Snape. "Potter! What are you doing?"

"Clearing up my armadillo bile, Professor," said Harry innocently, straightening up and showing Snape the sodden rag he was holding.

Karkaroff turned on his heel and strode out of the dungeon. He looked both worried and angry. Not wanting to remain alone with an exceptionally angry Snape, Harry threw his books and ingredients back into his bag and left at top speed to tell Ron and Hermione what he had just witnessed.

Snape always answers the door the same way

Of course Snape doesn't want to talk to him, which is why he has surely been avoiding him, and not in front of his students!  Not to mention that Harry Holmes is in the room!  Snape knows too well how the boy is always on the move for clues whenever he finds something odd somewhere!
Persistent! Notice how Snape refers to him with his family name while Karkaroff uses his first name. Snape is really trying to create a distance between them while Karkaroff is trying to get closer!

I think Karkaroff has had a hard time keeping track with Snape!  If he is courageous enough to stand there in Snape's classroom for so long, he really wants to talk to him. Snape knows about what of course.  He's no dupe.  And he must fear Karkaroff will ask him where his loyalties lie, but Snape doesn't seem ready to give an answer.
 Harry, thanks to Rowling, has been left behind in the classroom.  A logical way to explain why Snape didn't notice Harry (because he started talking right away with Karkaroff) would be this: he is so bent on avoiding any conversation with him that he wants it finished as soon as possible OR he is so nervous that he could not even take notice of Harry.  Even Karkaroff is still speaking in a low voice, so he must know Harry is near, unless he thinks walls have ears!  

Snape is definitely trying to avoid the subject and lessen its importance or urgency.  He knows why Karkaroff wants to see him about so that's what I think.

The dark mark became less clear after Voldemort's fall but never disappeared.
Snape seems quite nervous about it.  He's even sweeping the classroom over with his eyes to make sure nobody saw it.  It may be related to his role as a spy or that he simply doesn't want people to know or remember that he was once a Death Eater. He knows Karkaroff is a betrayer like him but he doesn't want to get involved with him even so. Yet, Snape seems quite at ease with Lucius!  Strange indeed! One possibility: below (part 4, second cell) you will read that when Karkaroff was at his trial, he denounced Snape as being a Death Eater to save his life.  Maybe Snape got wind of this and is not really interested in dealing with someone like that.  That could explain why Snape doesn't want to have to do anything with Karkaroff. He seems like a low type of man anyway.

 Oh! Snape must be mad!  And finding Potter there!  I too would follow Karkaroff and Harry out!  

"Moody says Crouch is obsessed with catching Dark wizards," Harry told Sirius.

"Yeah, I've heard it's become a bit of a mania with him," said Sirius, nodding. "If you ask me, he still thinks he can bring back the old popularity by catching one more Death Eater."

"And he sneaked up here to search Snape's office!" said Ron triumphantly, looking at Hermione.

"Yes, and that doesn't make sense at all," said Sirius.

"Yeah, it does!" said Ron excitedly, but Sirius shook his head.

"Listen, if Crouch wants to investigate Snape, why hasn't he been coming to judge the tournament? It would be an ideal excuse to make regular visits to Hogwarts and keep an eye on him."

"So you think Snape could be up to something, then?" asked Harry, but Hermione broke in.

"Look, I don't care what you say, Dumbledore trusts Snape -"

"Oh give it a rest, Hermione," said Ron impatiently. "I know Dumbledore's brilliant and everything, but that doesn't mean a really clever Dark wizard couldn't fool him -"

"Why did Snape save Harry's life in the first year, then? Why didn't he just let him die?"

"I dunno - maybe he thought Dumbledore would kick him out-"

"What d'you think, Sirius?" Harry said loudly, and Ron and Hermione stopped bickering to listen.

"I think they've both got a point," said Sirius, looking thoughtfully at Ron and Hermione. "Ever since I found out Snape was teaching here, I've wondered why Dumbledore hired him. Snape's always been fascinated by the Dark Arts, he was famous for it at school. Slimy, oily, greasy-haired kid, he was," Sirius added, and Harry and Ron grinned at each other. "Snape knew more curses when he arrived at school than half the kids in seventh year, and he was part of a gang of Slytherins who nearly all turned out to be Death Eaters."

Sirius held up his fingers and began ticking off names.

"Rosier and Wilkes - they were both killed by Aurors the year before Voldemort fell. The Lestranges - they're a married couple - they're in Azkaban. Avery - from what I've heard he wormed his way out of trouble by saying he'd been acting under the Imperius Curse - he's still at large. But as far as I know, Snape was never even accused of being a Death Eater - not that that means much. Plenty of them were never caught. And Snape's certainly clever and cunning enough to keep himself out of trouble."

"Snape knows Karkaroff pretty well, but he wants to keep that quiet," said Ron.

"Yeah, you should've seen Snape's face when Karkaroff turned up in Potions yesterday!" said Harry quickly. "Karkaroff wanted to talk to Snape, he says Snape's been avoiding him. Karkaroff looked really worried. He showed Snape something on his arm, but I couldn't see what it was."

He showed Snape something on his arm?" said Sirius, looking frankly bewildered. He ran his fingers distractedly through his filthy hair, then shrugged again. "Well, I've no idea what that's about. . . but if Karkaroff s genuinely worried, and he's going to Snape for answers ..."

Sirius stared at the cave wall, then made a grimace of frustration.

"There's still the fact that Dumbledore trusts Snape, and I know Dumbledore trusts where a lot of other people wouldn't, but I just can't see him letting Snape teach at Hogwarts if he'd ever worked for Voldemort."

"Why are Moody and Crouch so keen to get into Snapes office then?" said Ron stubbornly.

"Well," said Sirius slowly, "I wouldn't put it past Mad-Eye to have searched every single teacher's office when he got to Hogwarts. He takes his Defense Against the Dark Arts seriously, Moody. I'm not sure he trusts anyone at all, and after the things he's seen, it's not surprising. I'll say this for Moody, though, he never killed if he could help it. Always brought people in alive where possible. He was tough, but he never descended to the level of the Death Eaters. Crouch, though . . . he's a different matter ... is he really ill? If he is, why did he make the effort to drag himself up to Snape's office? And if he's not. . . what's he up to? What was he doing at the World Cup that was so important he didn't turn up in the Top Box? What's he been doing while he should have been judging the tournament?"

Here the conversation is already leaning towards proving that Snape is a Dark wizard. From the boys' part anyway.  Hermione still refuses to believe Snape is like that, and Sirius is fair about it too.

Harry's question was out of context here, don't you think?  Sirius just said that it doesn't make sense that Crouch is keeping an eye on Snape and Harry asks if then Snape is on to something!!  By chance, our dear Hermione is there to defend him!  (I love this girl! Except for her falling for Ron in the future!)

Wow!  A very nice comment coming from Ron about Snape which suggests that he is actually very clever, enough to fool Dumbledore!  In a pejorative way though!
Touché again, Hermione!  
Wrong answer: Snape could have let it happened and not be held responsible for it!  

Lots of info here!  1) Sirius is surprised Dumbledore hired Snape as a teacher. Does it mean that unlike popular belief, Snape was not known as a very good potion maker?  That would have explained why he was hired! But then again, Sirius says he doesn't understand because Snape was fascinated by the Dark Arts. Therefore, for Sirius, someone interested in the Dark Arts is not an appropriate person or teacher  That may explain why he didn't mention anything about potions. 2) Snape was famous for his Dark Arts interest.  Nice to know that!  At least he was famous for something, hence, he must not have been tickled off a lot by other students than the marauders!  Maybe that's exactly why they pranked him so much: because Snape was a challenge! 3) Snape's hair were also slimy, oily and greasy as a kid!  The mention of oily may very well confirm that his hair are naturally like that!  Just look at how Snape is dressed in the movie: he is so neat!  Rowling would have made him look slimy if he was the unclean kind of guy, no?  I prefer to think that!  4)Notice how the boys grin at each other when Sirius mentions the same insults they have come up with?  But again, Hermione is not giving in to such things. 5) Snape knew more curses when he arrived at Hogwarts than half the seventh year students!  Wow! That's why I think he comes from a wizard family.  I hardly see how both his parents could not be "pure" wizards.  6) He was a part of the worst Slytherin gang ever (in my opinion because they all ended up real Death Eaters!) That tells a lot about his school life: there must have been quite a lot of animosity between this gang and the marauders.  But I also think Snape must have stayed alone often because Sirius said in book 3 that Snape was often following them without mentioning the other Slytherins. Also, it meant that Snape surely kept their company out of power.  

Notice one important thing: Lucius Malfoy is not mentioned. Therefore, he was surely not in Snape's year or a part of his gang anyway.
 One thing I find difficult to fathom is who exactly knew Snape had been a spy?  Wouldn't his trial be rendered public?  If that's so Voldemort would surely know that he has been a spy and thus, Snape won't be able to become a spy again.  Not easily anyway.  I swear, Rowling will have to make a great effort to make it fit if she wants to make Snape a spy again!
Interesting how Sirius readily admits that Snape is clever and cunning enough to avoid trouble!  That must be true coming from him!

Sirius knows what it was, that's obvious. He's just made the equation: Karkaroff has no problem showing his dark mark to Snape. Hence, Snape was a Death Eater. That would be natural seeing whom he spent his time with at school. But you see how Sirius cannot fathom the whole situation. He can't believe Dumbledore would even have trusted an ex-Death Eater for a teacher.  Yet, Sirius is sure that Dumbledore trusts him.  

My answer: He needed potions ingredients?  Or he wanted to see if Snape had any hidden artifacts in his office or clues that could incriminate him.  

Strangely, Snape and Moody are of the same untrusting kind.  They surely saw so much betrayal that they don't want to trust people. Except that in Snape's case, he does trust some people while Moody doesn't.  Therefore, Snape is somehow luckier than Moody!

Part 4

"POTTER!"

Harry skidded to a halt and looked around. Snape had just emerged from the hidden staircase behind the stone gargoyle. The wall was sliding shut behind him even as he beckoned Harry back toward him.

"What are you doing here, Potter?"

"I need to see Professor Dumbledore!" said Harry, running back up the corridor and skidding to a standstill in front of Snape instead. "It's Mr. Crouch . . . he's just turned up ... he's in the forest... he's asking -"

"What is this rubbish?" said Snape, his black eyes glittering. "What are you talking about?"

"Mr. Crouch!" Harry shouted. "From the Ministry! He's ill or something - he's in the forest, he wants to see Dumbledore! Just give me the password up to -"

"The headmaster is busy. Potter," said Snape, his thin mouth curling into an unpleasant smile.

"I've got to tell Dumbledore!" Harry yelled.

"Didn't you hear me. Potter?"

Harry could tell Snape was thoroughly enjoying himself, denying Harry the thing he wanted when he was so panicky.

"Look," said Harry angrily, "Crouch isn't right - he's - he's out of his mind - he says he wants to warn -"

The stone wall behind Snape slid open. Dumbledore was standing there, wearing long green robes and a mildly curious expression. "Is there a problem?" he said, looking between Harry and Snape.

"Professor!" Harry said, sidestepping Snape before Snape could speak, "Mr. Crouch is here - he's down in the forest, he wants to speak to you!"

Harry expected Dumbledore to ask questions, but to his relief, Dumbledore did nothing of the sort.

"Lead the way," he said promptly, and he swept off along the corridor behind Harry, leaving Snape standing next to the gargoyle and looking twice as ugly.

 Ever noticed how Snape hates to call Harry : Mr. Potter as he ought to do?  I think this is always a good indication as whether Snape is annoyed by his presence or not.
Very intriguing scene! The fact that Snape beckoned Harry back to him but then only to annoy him when Snape thought it was rubbish is strange.  If Snape asked Harry to come back in front of Dumbledore's office entrance, it's surely because he had an immediate doubt that something important was going on. However, it looks like Snape did not want to help at all. All he did was loose Harry's time and breath. Why?  It reminds me of the boy and the wolf story.  Snape doesn't trust Harry because he's always involved in so much trouble! And look at what Potter tells him.  Snape must be asking himself: what was he doing in the forest anyway? With Crouch?  Snape is in defence mode I think, he wants to grasp the situation before he believes Harry and because it doesn't make sense or rather, it looks  like Potter has once again succeeded in getting involved in a mystery... a mystery that may once again make him a hero.  That may explain why Snape considered it rubbish. And remember: Snape hates idle talk and babbling, and the latter is exactly what Potter is doing. Also,  Potter doesn't seem to want tell it to Snape.  So, logically, that must be why Snape is not cooperating: Harry wants to see Dumbledore only, hence, he doesn't want to trust Snape.  That may be what Snape tells himself and he unconsciously doesn't like that. Snape wants to be a part of the action because he feels concerned about the well being of Hogwarts. We saw it in the other books. So, that is why he would tell Harry that Albus is busy because then, Harry would only have one choice: tell Snape. (Perhaps Snape has his own suspicions and wants to hear want Potter has to say! ) But Harry didn't react well to this: he pushed it to impertinence because he was so stressed out and anxious for Crouch!  Harry had one idea: tell Dumbledore, tell Dumbledore. It didn't occur to him that Snape was just trying to judge is there really was an emergency or if Snape himself could solve it. Harry just took it that Snape wanted to waste his time!  So, he shouted!  Bad thing with Snape!!! Of course, Snape should have guessed Harry was too nervous to even think he didn't want to waste his time after all.  Being a teacher, I can tell you these kinds of situations often arise with students: you weren't there, they are looking for someone, you ask them what they want, they tell you, it's all mixed up, you want them to repeat, etc.  And when it comes from misbehaving students, believe me, you take your time to get it right because you're sure it's going to be unimportant as it often is with these kinds of kids!  

When Harry thinks Snape is enjoying this, it's not his distress that he is enjoying: it's his lack of power. It's like saying: "You can't explain it to me, then it's not worth telling the Headmaster!  You can't be polite, well just suffer from it!"  

I wonder?  Is it the gargoyle that looks twice as ugly because Snape is next to it or Snape because he is angry?  

"If Snape hadn't held me up," Harry said bitterly, "we might've got there in time.

'The headmaster is busy, Potter . . . what's this rubbish, Potter?' Why couldn't he have just got out of the way?"

"Maybe he didn't want you to get there!" said Ron quickly. "Maybe - hang on - how fast d'you reckon he could've gotten down to the forest? D'you reckon he could've beaten you and Dumbledore there?"

"Not unless he can turn himself into a bat or something," said Harry.

"Wouldn't put it past him," Ron muttered.

 That may be true, but what Potter doesn't realize is that Snape wanted the information himself.  

Once again, Rowling uses Snape as a cover and tries to hint the fact that he may be a bat or a vampire! We'll have to see in future books! Ron never gives up on Snape being evil, right?

"But Travers and Mulciber we have," said Mr. Crouch. "Very well, Karkaroff, if that is all, you will be returned to Azkaban while we decide -"

"Not yet!" cried Karkaroff, looking quite desperate. "Wait, I have more!"

Harry could see him sweating in the torchlight, his white skin contrasting strongly with the black of his hair and beard.

"Snape!" he shouted. "Severus Snape!"

"Snape has been cleared by this council," said Crouch disdainfully. "He has been vouched for by Albus Dumbledore."

"No!" shouted Karkaroff, straining at the chains that bound him to the chair. "I assure you! Severus Snape is a Death Eater!"

Dumbledore had gotten to his feet.

"I have given evidence already on this matter," he said calmly. "Severus Snape was indeed a Death Eater. However, he rejoined our side before Lord Voldemort's downfall and turned spy for us, at great personal risk. He is now no more a Death Eater than I am."

Harry turned to look at Mad-Eye Moody. He was wearing a look of deep skepticism behind Dumbledore's back.

Like I said earlier, if Snape ever saw this, he must not want to be on very friendly term with Karkaroff!  He just gave names to save his skin while Snape has tried to atone for his crimes by becoming a spy.  He's of the worst kind if you ask me!
Crouch is disdainful, but towards who?  
Here is where we learned that it was Albus who vouched and certainly is still vouching for Snape.  That's why so much fan-fiction say that Snape came to Albus first when he decided to join the light side.

This is better than an Order of Merlin if you ask me!  "He is no more a Death Eater than I"  Wow! What a testimony of trust and deep understanding!  

Of course Moody is Moody!  What's amazing however is the length of his skepticism!  It lasted 14 years!  It's been 14 years and Moody is still as suspicious of Snape as he was back then!  Talk about constancy!  

Harry sat in silence once more, watching the contents of the Pensieve swirl. There were two more questions he was burning to ask . . . but they concerned the guilt of living people. . . .

"Er," he said, "Mr. Bagman . .."

"... has never been accused of any Dark activity since," said Dumbledore calmly.

"Right," said Harry hastily, staring at the contents of the Pensieve again, which were swirling more slowly now that Dumbledore had stopped adding thoughts.

"And ... er ..."

But the Pensieve seemed to be asking his question for him. Snape's face was swimming on the surface again. Dumbledore glanced down into it, and then up at Harry.

"No more has Professor Snape," he said.

Harry looked into Dumbledore's light blue eyes, and the thing he really wanted to know spilled out of his mouth before he could stop it.

"What made you think he'd really stopped supporting Voldemort, Professor?"

Dumbledore held Harrys gaze for a few seconds, and then said, "That, Harry, is a matter between Professor Snape and myself."

Harry knew that the interview was over;

"And he trusts Snape?" Ron said. "He really trusts Snape, even though he knows he was a Death Eater?"

"Yes," said Harry.

Voldemort looked away from Harry and began examining his own body. His

hands were like large, pale spiders; his long white fingers caressed his own chest,

his arms, his face; the red eyes, whose pupils were slits, like a cats, gleamed still

more brightly through the darkness. He held up his hands and flexed the fingers,

his expression rapt and exultant. He took not the slightest notice of Wormtail, who

lay twitching and bleeding on the ground, nor of the great snake, which had

slithered back into sight and was circling Harry again, hissing. Voldemort slipped

one of those unnaturally long-fingered hands into a deep pocket and drew out a

wand. He caressed it gently too; and then he raised it, and pointed it at Wormtail,

who was lifted off the ground and thrown against the headstone where Harry was

tied; he fell to the foot of it and lay there, crumpled up and crying. Voldemort

turned his scarlet eyes upon Harry, laughing a high, cold, mirthless laugh.

Wormtail's robes were shining with blood now; he had wrapped the stump of his

arm in them.

"My Lord . . ." he choked, "my Lord . . . you promised . . . you did promise ..."

"Hold out your arm," said Voldemort lazily.

"Oh Master . . . thank you, Master ..."

He extended the bleeding stump, but Voldemort laughed again.

"The other arm, Wormtail."

"Master, please . . .please ..."

Voldemort bent down and pulled out Wormtail's left arm; he forced the sleeve of

Wormtail's robes up past his elbow, and Harry saw something upon the skin there,

something like a vivid red tattoo - a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth -

the image that had appeared in the sky at the Quidditch World Cup: the Dark

Mark. Voldemort examined it carefully, ignoring Wormtail's uncontrollable

weeping.

"It is back," he said softly, "they will all have noticed it... and now, we shall see ...

now we shall know ..."

He pressed his long white forefinger to the brand on Wormtail's arm.

The scar on Harry s forehead seared with a sharp pain again, and Wormtail let out

a fresh howl; Voldemort removed his fingers from Wormtail's mark, and Harry

saw that it had turned jet black.

A look of cruel satisfaction on his face, Voldemort straightened up, threw back his

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head, and stared around at the dark graveyard.

"How many will be brave enough to return when they feel it?" he whispered, his

gleaming red eyes fixed upon the stars. "And how many will be foolish enough to

stay away?"

He began to pace up and down before Harry and Wormtail, eyes sweeping the

graveyard all the while. After a minute or so, he looked down at Harry again, a

cruel smile twisting his snakelike face.

"You stand, Harry Potter, upon the remains of my late father," he hissed softly. "A

Muggle and a fool. . . very like your dear mother. But they both had their uses, did

they not? Your mother died to defend you as a child . . . and I killed my father, and

see how useful he has proved himself, in death. ..."

Voldemort laughed again. Up and down he paced, looking all around him as he

walked, and the snake continued to circle in the grass.

"You see that house upon the hillside, Potter? My father lived there. My mother, a

witch who lived here in this village, fell in love with him. But he abandoned her

when she told him what she was. ... He didn't like magic, my father . . .

"He left her and returned to his Muggle parents before I was even born. Potter, and

she died giving birth to me, leaving me to be raised in a Muggle orphanage . . . but

I vowed to find him ... I revenged myself upon him, that fool who gave me his

name . . . Tom Riddle. . . ."

Still he paced, his red eyes darting from grave to grave.

"Listen to me, reliving family history . . ." he said quietly, "why, I am growing

quite sentimental. . . . But look, Harry! My true family returns. . . ."

The air was suddenly full of the swishing of cloaks. Between graves, behind the

yew tree, in every shadowy space, wizards were Apparating. All of them were

hooded and masked. And one by one they moved forward . . . slowly, cautiously,

as though they could

hardly believe their eyes Voldemort stood in silence, waiting for them. Then one

of the Death Eaters fell to his knees, crawled toward Voldemort and kissed the

hem of his black robes.

Master . . . Master " he murmured.

The Death Eaters behind him did the same; each of them approaching Voldemort

on his knees and kissing his robes, before backing away and standing up, forming

a silent circle, which enclosed Tom Riddle s grave, Harry, Voldemort, and the

sobbing and twitching heap that was Wormtail. Yet they left gaps in the circle, as

though waiting for more people. Voldemort, however, did not seem to expect

more. He looked around at the hooded faces, and though there was no wind

rustling seemed to run around the circle, as though it had shivered.

"Welcome, Death Eaters," said Voldemort quietly. "Thirteen years. . . thirteen

years since last we met. Yet you answer my call as though it were yesterday, we

are still united under the Dark Mark, then! Or are we?"

He put back his terrible face and sniffed, his slit-like nostrils widening.

"I smell guilt," he said. "There is a stench or guilt upon the air.

A second shiver ran around the circle, as though each member of it longed, but did

not dare to step back from him.

"I see you all, whole and healthy, with your powers intact - such prompt

appearances! and I ask myself . . . why did this band of wizards never come to the

aid of their master, to whom they swore eternal loyalty?"

No one spoke. No one moved except Wormtail, who was upon the ground, still

sobbing over his bleeding arm.

"And I answer myself," whispered Voldemort, "they must have believed me

broken, they thought I was gone. They slipped back among my enemies, and they

pleaded innocence, and ignorance, and bewitchment. . . .

"And then I ask myself, but how could they have believed I would not rise again?

They, who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death?

They, who had seen proofs of the immensity of my power in the times when I was

mightier than any wizard living?

"And I answer myself, perhaps they believed a still greater power could exist, one

that could vanquish even Lord Voldemort. . . perhaps they now pay allegiance to

another . . . perhaps that champion of commoners, of Mudbloods and Muggles,

Albus Dumbledore?"

At the mention of Dumbledore's name, the members of the circle stirred, and some

muttered and shook their heads. Voldemort ignored them.

"It is a disappointment to me ... I confess myself disappointed. . . ."

One of the men suddenly flung himself forward, breaking the circle. Trembling

from head to foot, he collapsed at Voldemort's feet.

"Master!" he shrieked, "Master, forgive me! Forgive us all!"

Voldemort began to laugh. He raised his wand.

"Crucio!"

The Death Eater on the ground writhed and shrieked; Harry was sure the sound

must carry to the houses around. . . . Let the police come, he thought desperately . .

. anyone . .. anything. . .

Voldemort raised his wand. The tortured Death Eater lay flat upon the ground,

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gasping.

"Get up, Avery," said Voldemort softly. "Stand up. You ask for forgiveness? I do

not forgive. I do not forget. Thirteen long years ... I want thirteen years' repayment

before I forgive you. Wormtail here has paid some of his debt already, have you

not, Wormtail?"

He looked down at Wormtail, who continued to sob.

"You returned to me, not out of loyalty, but out of fear of your old friends. You

deserve this pain, Wormtail. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes, Master," moaned Wormtail, "please. Master . . . please ..."

"Yet you helped return me to my body," said Voldemort coolly, watching

Wormtail sob on the ground. "Worthless and traitorous as you are, you helped me

... and Lord Voldemort rewards his helpers... ."

Voldemort raised his wand again and whirled it through the air. A streak of what

looked like molten silver hung shining in the wand's wake. Momentarily

shapeless, it writhed and then formed itself into a gleaming replica of a human

hand, bright as moonlight, which soared downward and fixed itself upon

Wormtails bleeding wrist.

Wormtail's sobbing stopped abruptly. His breathing harsh and ragged, he raised

his head and stared in disbelief at the silver hand, now attached seamlessly to his

arm, as though he were wearing a dazzling glove. He flexed the shining fingers,

then, trembling, picked up a small twig on the ground and crushed it into powder.

"My Lord," he whispered. "Master ... it is beautiful. . . thank you... thank you. ..."

He scrambled forward on his knees and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes.

"May your loyalty never waver again, Wormtail," said Voldemort.

"No, my Lord . . . never, my Lord . . ."

Wormtail stood up and took his place in the circle, staring at his powerful new

hand, his face still shining with tears. Voldemort now approached the man on

Wormtail's right.

"Lucius, my slippery friend," he whispered, halting before him. "I am told that you

have not renounced the old ways, though to the world you present a respectable

face. You are still ready to take the lead in a spot of Muggle-torture, I believe? Yet

you never tried to find me, Lucius. . . . Your exploits at the Quidditch World Cup

were fun, I daresay. . . but might not your energies have been better directed

toward finding and aiding your master?"

"My Lord, I was constantly on the alert," came Lucius Malfoy's voice swiftly from

beneath the hood. "Had there been any sign from you, any whisper of your

420

whereabouts, I would have been at your side immediately, nothing could have

prevented me -"

"And yet you ran from my Mark, when a faithful Death Eater sent it into the sky

last summer?" said Voldemort lazily, and Mr. Malfoy stopped talking abruptly.

"Yes, I know all about that, Lucius. . . . You have disappointed me. ... I expect

more faithful service in the future."

"Of course, my Lord, of course. . . . You are merciful, thank you. ..."

Voldemort moved on, and stopped, staring at the space - large enough for two

people - that separated Malfoy and the next man.

"The Lestranges should stand here," said Voldemort quietly. "But they are

entombed in Azkaban. They were faithful. They went to Azkaban rather than

renounce me. . . . When Azkaban is broken open, the Lestranges will be honored

beyond their dreams. The dementors will join us ... they are our natural allies ... we

will recall the banished giants ... I shall have all my devoted servants returned to

me, and an army of creatures whom all fear. ..."

He walked on. Some of the Death Eaters he passed in silence, but he paused

before others and spoke to them.

"Macnair . . . destroying dangerous beasts for the Ministry of Magic now,

Wormtail tells me? You shall have better victims than that soon, Macnair. Lord

Voldemort will provide. ..."

"Thank you, Master . . . thank you," murmured Macnair.

"And here" - Voldemort moved on to the two largest hooded figures - "we have

Crabbe . . . you will do better this time, will you not, Crabbe? And you, Goyle?"

They bowed clumsily, muttering dully.

"Yes, Master ..."

"We will, Master...."

"The same goes for you, Nott," said Voldemort quietly as he walked past a

stooped figure in Mr. Goyles shadow.

"My Lord, I prostrate myself before you, I am your most faithful -"

"That will do," said Voldemort.

He had reached the largest gap of all, and he stood surveying it with his blank, red

eyes, as though he could see people standing there.

"And here we have six missing Death Eaters . . . three dead in my service. One,

too cowardly to return ... he will pay. One, who I believe has left me forever ... he

will be killed, of course . . . and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and

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who has already reentered my service."

The Death Eaters stirred, and Harry saw their eyes dart sideways at one another

through their masks.

"He is at Hogwarts, that faithful servant, and it was through his efforts that our

young friend arrived here tonight. . . .

"Yes," said Voldemort, a grin curling his lipless mouth as the eyes of the circle

flashed in Harry's direction. "Harry Potter has kindly joined us for my rebirthing

party. One might go so far as to call him my guest of honor."

There was a silence. Then the Death Eater to the right of Wormtail stepped

forward, and Lucius Malfoy's voice spoke from under the mask.

"Master, we crave to know ... we beg you to tell us ... how you have achieved this .

. . this miracle . . . how you managed to return to us. .. ."

"Ah, what a story it is, Lucius," said Voldemort. "And it begins - and ends - with

my young friend here."

He walked lazily over to stand next to Harry, so that the eyes of the whole circle

were upon the two of them. The snake continued to circle.

"You know, of course, that they have called this boy my downfall?" Voldemort

said softly, his red eyes upon Harry, whose scar began to burn so fiercely that he

almost screamed in agony. "You all know that on the night I lost my powers and

my body, I tried to kill him. His mother died in the attempt to save him - and

unwittingly provided him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen. ... I could

not touch the boy."

Voldemort raised one of his long white fingers and put it very close to Harry's

cheek.

"His mother left upon him the traces other sacrifice. . . . This is old magic, I should

have remembered it, I was foolish to overlook it... but no matter. I can touch him

now."

Harry felt the cold tip of the long white finger touch him, and thought his head

would burst with the pain. Voldemort laughed softly in his ear, then took the

finger away and continued addressing the Death Eaters.

"I miscalculated, my friends, I admit it. My curse was deflected by the woman's

foolish sacrifice, and it rebounded upon myself. Aaah . . . pain beyond pain, my

friends; nothing could have prepared me for it. I was ripped from my body, I was

less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost. . . but still, I was alive. What I was,

even I do not know... I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that

leads to immortality. You know my goal - to conquer death. And now, I was

tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked ... for I had

not been killed, though the curse should have done it. Nevertheless, I was as

422

powerless as the weakest creature alive, and without the means to help myself...

for I had no body, and every spell that might have helped me required the use of a

wand. . . .

"I remember only forcing myself, sleeplessly, endlessly, second by second, to

exist. ... I settled in a faraway place, in a forest, and I waited. . . . Surely, one of

my faithful Death Eaters would try and find me. . . one of them would come and

perform the magic I could not, to restore me to a body . . , but I waited in vain. ..."

The shiver ran once more around the circle of listening Death Eaters. Voldemort

let the silence spiral horribly before continuing.

"Only one power remained to me. I could possess the bodies of others. But I dared

not go where other humans were plentiful, for I knew that the Aurors were still

abroad and searching for me.

I sometimes inhabited animals - snakes, of course, being my preference - but I was

little better off inside them than as pure spirit, for their bodies were ill adapted to

perform magic . . . and my possession of them shortened their lives; none of them

lasted long. . . .

"Then . . . four years ago . . . the means for my return seemed assured. A wizard -

young, foolish, and gullible - wandered across my path in the forest I had made

my home. Oh, he seemed the very chance I had been dreaming of... for he was a

teacher at Dumbledore's school... he was easy to bend to my will... he brought me

back to this country, and after a while, I took possession of his body, to supervise

him closely as he carried out my orders. But my plan failed. I did not manage to

steal the Sorcerer's Stone. I was not to be assured immortal life. I was thwarted . . .

thwarted, once again, by Harry Potter. ..."

Silence once more; nothing was stirring, not even the leaves on the yew tree. The

Death Eaters were quite motionless, the glittering eyes in their masks fixed upon

Voldemort, and upon Harry.

"The servant died when I left his body, and I was left as weak as ever I had been,"

Voldemort continued. "I returned to my hiding place far away, and I will not

pretend to you that I didn't then fear that I might never regain my powers. . . . Yes,

that was perhaps my darkest hour... I could not hope that I would be sent another

wizard to possess . . . and I had given up hope, now, that any of my Death Eaters

cared what had become of me. ..."

One or two of the masked wizards in the circle moved uncomfortably, but

Voldemort took no notice.

"And then, not even a year ago, when I had almost abandoned hope, it happened at

last... a servant returned to me. Wormtail here, who had faked his own death to

escape justice, was driven out of hiding by those he had once counted friends, and

decided to return to his master. He sought me in the country where it had long

been rumored I was hiding . . . helped, of course, by the rats he met along the way.

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Wormtail has a curious affinity with rats, do you not, Wormtail? His filthy little

friends told him there was a place, deep in an Albanian forest, that they avoided,

where small animals like themselves had met their deaths by a dark shadow that

possessed them. . . .

"But his journey back to me was not smooth, was it, Wormtail? For, hungry one

night, on the edge of the very forest where he had hoped to find me, he foolishly

stopped at an inn for some food . . . and who should he meet there, but one Bertha

Jorkins, a witch from the Ministry of Magic.

"Now see the way that fate favors Lord Voldemort. This might have been the end

of Wormtail, and of my last hope for regeneration. But Wormtail - displaying a

presence of mind I would never have expected from him - convinced Bertha

Jorkins to accompany him on a nighttime stroll. He overpowered her ... he brought

her to me. And Bertha Jorkins, who might have ruined all, proved instead to be a

gift beyond my wildest dreams ... for - with a little persuasion - she became a

veritable mine of information.

"She told me that the Triwizard Tournament would be played at Hogwarts this

year. She told me that she knew of a faithful Death Eater who would be only too

willing to help me, if I could only contact him. She told me many things. . . but the

means I used to break the Memory Charm upon her were powerful, and when I

had extracted all useful information from her, her mind and body were both

damaged beyond repair. She had now served her purpose. I could not possess her.

I disposed of her."

Voldemort smiled his terrible smile, his red eyes blank and pitiless.

"Wormtail's body, of course, was ill adapted for possession, as all assumed him

dead, and would attract far too much attention if noticed. However, he was the

able-bodied servant I needed, and, poor wizard though he is, Wormtail was able to

follow the instructions I gave him, which would return me to a rudimentary, weak

body of my own, a body I would be able to inhabit while awaiting the essential

ingredients for true rebirth ... a spell or two of my own invention ... a little help

from my dear Nagini," Voldemorts red eyes fell upon the continually circling

snake, "a potion concocted from unicorn blood, and the snake venom Nagini

provided ... I was soon returned to an almost human form, and strong enough to

travel.

"There was no hope of stealing the Sorcerer's Stone anymore, for I knew that

Dumbledore would have seen to it that it was destroyed. But I was willing to

embrace mortal life again, before chasing immortality. I set my sights lower ... I

would settle for my old body back again, and my old strength.

"I knew that to achieve this - it is an old piece of Dark Magic, the potion that

revived me tonight - I would need three powerful ingredients. Well, one of them

was already at hand, was it not, Wormtail? Flesh given by a servant. . . .

"My father's bone, naturally, meant that we would have to come here, where he

was buried. But the blood of a foe ... Wormtail would have had me use any

wizard, would you not, Wormtail? Any wizard who had hated me ... as so many of

them still do. But I knew the one I must use, if I was to rise again, more powerful

than I had been when I had fallen. I wanted Harry Potters blood. I wanted the

blood of the one who had stripped me of power thirteen years ago . . . for the

lingering protection his mother once gave him would then reside in my veins too. .

"But how to get at Harry Potter? For he has been better protected than I think even

he knows, protected in ways devised by Dumbledore long ago, when it fell to him

to arrange the boy's future. Dumbledore invoked an ancient magic, to ensure the

boy's protection as long as he is in his relations' care. Not even I can touch him

there. . . . Then, of course, there was the Quidditch World Cup. ... I thought his

protection might be weaker there, away from his relations and Dumbledore, but I

was not yet strong enough to attempt kidnap in the midst of a horde of Ministry

wizards. And then, the boy would return to Hogwarts, where he is under the

crooked nose of that Muggle-loving fool from morning until night. So how could I

take him?

"Why ... by using Bertha Jorkins's information, of course. Use my one faithful

Death Eater, stationed at Hogwarts, to ensure that the boy's name was entered into

the Goblet of Fire. Use my Death Eater to ensure that the boy won the tournament

- that he touched the Triwizard Cup first - the cup which my Death Eater had

turned into a Portkey, which would bring him here, beyond the reach of

Dumbledore's help and protection, and into my waiting arms. And here he is ... the

boy you all believed had been my downfall. ..."

Voldemort moved slowly forward and turned to face Harry. He raised his wand.

"Crucio!"

It was pain beyond anything Harry had ever experienced; his very bones were on

fire; his head was surely splitting along his scar; his eyes were rolling madly in his

head; he wanted it to end ... to black out... to die ...

And then it was gone. He was hanging limply in the ropes binding him to the

headstone of Voldemort's father, looking up into those bright red eyes through a

kind of mist. The night was ringing with the sound of the Death Eaters' laughter.

"You see, I think, how foolish it was to suppose that this boy could ever have been

stronger than me," said Voldemort. "But I want there to be no mistake in

anybody's mind. Harry Potter escaped me by a lucky chance. And I am now going

to prove my power by killing him, here and now, in front of you all, when there is

no Dumbledore to help him, and no mother to die for him. I will give him his

chance. He will be allowed to fight, and you will be left in no doubt which of us is

the stronger. Just a little longer, Nagini," he whispered, and the snake glided away

through the grass to where the Death Eaters stood watching.

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"Now untie him, Wormtail, and give him back his wand."

Wormtail approached Harry, who scrambled to find his feet, to support his own

weight before the ropes were untied. Wormtail raised his new silver hand, pulled

out the wad of material gagging Harry, and then, with one swipe, cut through the

bonds tying Harry to the gravestone.

There was a split second, perhaps, when Harry might have considered running for

it, but his injured leg shook under him as he stood on the overgrown grave, as the

Death Eaters closed ranks, forming a tighter circle around him and Voldemort, so

that the gaps where the missing Death Eaters should have stood were filled.

Wormtail walked out of the circle to the place where Cedric's body lay and

returned with Harry's wand, which he thrust roughly into Harry's hand without

looking at him. Then Wormtail resumed his place in the circle of watching Death

Eaters.

"You have been taught how to duel. Harry Potter?" said Voldemort softly, his red

eyes glinting through the darkness.

At these words Harry remembered, as though from a former life, the dueling club

at Hogwarts he had attended briefly two years ago. ... All he had learned there was

the Disarming Spell, "Expelliarmus". . . and what use would it be to deprive

Voldemort of his wand, even if he could, when he was surrounded by Death

Eaters, outnumbered by at least thirty to one? He had never learned anything that

could possibly fit him for this. He knew he was facing the thing against which

Moody had always warned . . . the unblockable Avada Kedavra curse - and

Voldemort was right - his mother was not here to die for him this time. ... He was

quite unprotected. . . .

"We bow to each other. Harry," said Voldemort, bending a little, but keeping his

snakelike face upturned to Harry. "Come, the niceties must be observed. . . .

Dumbledore would like you to show manners. . . . Bow to death, Harry. ..."

The Death Eaters were laughing again. Voldemorts lipless mouth was smiling.

Harry did not bow. He was not going to let Voldemort play with him before killing

him ... he was not going to give him that satisfaction. . . .

"I said, bow," Voldemort said, raising his wand - and Harry felt his spine curve as

though a huge, invisible hand were bending him ruthlessly forward, and the Death

Eaters laughed harder than ever.

"Very good," said Voldemort softly, and as he raised his wand the pressure

bearing down upon Harry lifted too. "And now you face me, like a man . . .

straight-backed and proud, the way your father died. . . .

"And now - we duel."

427

Voldemort raised his wand, and before Harry could do anything to defend himself,

before he could even move, he had been hit again by the Cruciatus Curse. The

pain was so intense, so all-consuming, that he no longer knew where he was. . . .

White-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin, his head was surely going

to burst with pain, he was screaming more loudly than he'd ever screamed in his

life -

And then it stopped. Harry rolled over and scrambled to his feet; he was shaking

as uncontrollably as Wormtail had done when his hand had been cut off; he

staggered sideways into the wall of watching Death Eaters, and they pushed him

away, back toward Voldemort.

"A little break," said Voldemort, the slit-like nostrils dilating with excitement, "a

little pause . . . That hurt, didn't it. Harry? You don't want me to do that again, do

you?"

Harry didn't answer. He was going to die like Cedric, those pitiless red eyes were

telling him so ... he was going to die, and there was nothing he could do about it...

but he wasn't going to play along. He wasn't going to obey Voldemort... he wasn't

going to beg. . . .

"I asked you whether you want me to do that again," said Voldemort softly.

"Answer me! Imperial"

And Harry felt, for the third time in his life, the sensation that his mind had been

wiped of all thought. . . . Ah, it was bliss, not to think, it was as though he were

floating, dreaming ...just answer no ... say no ... just answer no. .. .

I will not, said a stronger voice, in the back of his head, I won't answer. . . .

Just answer no. . . .

I won't do it, I won't say it. ...

Just answer no. . . .

"I WON'T!"

And these words burst from Harry's mouth; they echoed through the graveyard,

and the dream state was lifted as suddenly as though cold water had been thrown

over him - back rushed the aches that the Cruciatus Curse had left all over his

body - back rushed the realization of where he was, and what he was facing. . . .

"You won't?" said Voldemort quietly, and the Death Eaters were not laughing

now. "You won't say no? Harry, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before

you die. . . . Perhaps another little dose of pain?"

Voldemort raised his wand, but this time Harry was ready; with the reflexes born

of his Quidditch training, he flung himself sideways onto the ground; he rolled

behind the marble headstone of Voldemort s father, and he heard it crack as the

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curse missed him.

"We are not playing hide-and-seek, Harry," said Voldemort's soft, cold voice,

drawing nearer, as the Death Eaters laughed. "You cannot hide from me. Does this

mean you are tired of our duel? Does this mean that you would prefer me to finish

it now, Harry? Come out, Harry . . . come out and play, then ... it will be quick ... it

might even be painless ... I would not know... I have never died. . . ."

Harry crouched behind the headstone and knew the end had come. There was no

hope ... no help to be had. And as he heard Voldemort draw nearer still, he knew

one thing only, and it was beyond fear or reason: He was not going to die

crouching here like a child playing hide-and-seek; he was not going to die

kneeling at Voldemort s feet... he was going to die upright like his father, and he

was going to die trying to defend himself, even if no defense was possible. . . .

Before Voldemort could stick his snakelike face around the headstone. Harry

stood up ... he gripped his wand tightly in his hand, thrust it out in front of him,

and threw himself around the headstone, facing Voldemort.

Voldemort was ready. As Harry shouted, "Expelliarmus!" Voldemort cried,

"Avada Kedavra!"

A jet of green light issued from Voldemorts wand just as a jet of red light blasted

from Harry's - they met in midair - and suddenly Harry's wand was vibrating as

though an electric charge were surging through it; his hand seized up around it; he

couldn't have released it if he'd wanted to - and a narrow beam of light connected

the two wands, neither red nor green, but bright, deep gold. Harry, following the

beam with his astonished gaze, saw that Voldemort's long white fingers too were

gripping a wand that was shaking and vibrating.

And then - nothing could have prepared Harry for this - he felt his feet lift from

the ground. He and Voldemort were both being raised into the air, their wands still

connected by that thread of shimmering golden light. They glided away from the

tombstone of Voldemort's father and then came to rest on a patch of ground that

was clear and free of graves. . . . The Death Eaters were shouting; they were

asking Voldemort for instructions; they were closing in, reforming the circle

around Harry and Voldemort, the snake slithering at their heels, some of them

drawing their wands -

The golden thread connecting Harry and Voldemort splintered; though the wands

remained connected, a thousand more beams arced high over Harry and

Voldemort, crisscrossing all around them, until they were enclosed in a golden,

dome-shaped web, a

cage of light, beyond which the Death Eaters circled like jackals, their cries

strangely muffled now. . . .

"Do nothing!" Voldemort shrieked to the Death Eaters, and Harry saw his red eyes

wide with astonishment at what was happening, saw him fighting to break the

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thread of light still connecting his wand with Harry's; Harry held onto his wand

more tightly, with both hands, and the golden thread remained unbroken. "Do

nothing unless I command you!" Voldemort shouted to the Death Eaters.

And then an unearthly and beautiful sound filled the air. ... It was coming from

every thread of the light-spun web vibrating around Harry and Voldemort. It was a

sound Harry recognized, though he had heard it only once before in his life:

phoenix song.

It was the sound of hope to Harry. . . the most beautiful and welcome thing he had

ever heard in his life. . . . He felt as though the song were inside him instead of just

around him. ... It was the sound he connected with Dumbledore, and it was almost

as though a friend were speaking in his ear. . . .

Don't break the connection.

I know. Harry told the music, I know I mustn't. . . but no sooner had he thought it,

than the thing became much harder to do. His wand began to vibrate more

powerfully than ever . . . and now the beam between him and Voldemort changed

too ... it was as though large beads of light were sliding up and down the thread

connecting the wands - Harry felt his wand give a shudder under his hand as the

light beads began to slide slowly and steadily his way. . . . The direction of the

beams movement was now toward him, from Voldemort, and he felt his wand

shudder angrily. . . .

As the closest bead of light moved nearer to Harrys wand tip, the wood beneath

his fingers grew so hot he feared it would burst into flame. The closer that bead

moved, the harder Harry's wand vibrated; he was sure his wand would not survive

contact with it; it felt as though it was about to shatter under his fingers -

He concentrated every last particle of his mind upon forcing the bead back toward

Voldemort, his ears full of phoenix song, his eyes furious, fixed . . . and slowly,

very slowly, the beads quivered to a halt, and then, just as slowly, they began to

move the other way . . . and it was Voldemort's wand that was vibrating extra-hard

now . . . Voldemort who looked astonished, and almost fearful. . . .

One of the beads of light was quivering, inches from the tip of Voldemorts wand.

Harry didn't understand why he was doing it, didn't know what it might achieve . .

. but he now concentrated as he had never done in his life on forcing that bead of

light right back into Voldemort s wand . . . and slowly . . . very slowly ... it moved

along the golden thread ... it trembled for a moment. . . and then it connected. . . .

At once, Voldemorts wand began to emit echoing screams of pain . . . then -

Voldemort's red eyes widened with shock - a dense, smoky hand flew out of the

tip of it and vanished . . . the ghost of the hand he had made Wormtail. . . more

shouts of pain . . . and then something much larger began to blossom from

Voldemorts wand tip, a great, grayish something, that looked as though it were

made of the solidest, densest smoke. ... It was a head . . . now a chest and arms . . .

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the torso of Cedric Diggory.

If ever Harry might have released his wand from shock, it would have been then,

but instinct kept him clutching his wand tightly, so that the thread of golden light

remained unbroken, even though the thick gray ghost of Cedric Diggory (was it a

ghost? it looked so

solid) emerged in its entirety from the end of Voldemort s wand, as though it were

squeezing itself out of a very narrow tunnel. . . and this shade of Cedric stood up,

and looked up and down the golden thread of light, and spoke.

"Hold on. Harry," it said.

Its voice was distant and echoing. Harry looked at Voldemort ... his wide red eyes

were still shocked ... he had no more expected this than Harry had . . . and, very

dimly. Harry heard the frightened yells of the Death Eaters, prowling around the

edges of the golden dome. .

More screams of pain from the wand . . . and then something else emerged from

its tip ... the dense shadow of a second head, quickly followed by arms and torso ...

an old man Harry had seen only in a dream was now pushing himself out of the

end of the wand just as Cedric had done . . . and his ghost, or his shadow, or

whatever it was, fell next to Cedric's, and surveyed Harry and Voldemort, and the

golden web, and the connected wands, with mild surprise, leaning on his walking

stick. . . .

"He was a real wizard, then?" the old man said, his eyes on Voldemort. "Killed

me, that one did. . . . You fight him, boy. . . ."

But already, yet another head was emerging ... and this head, gray as a smoky

statue, was a woman's. . . . Harry, both arms shaking now as he fought to keep his

wand still, saw her drop to the ground and straighten up like the others, staring. . . .

The shadow of Bertha Jorkins surveyed the battle before her with wide eyes.

"Don't let go, now!" she cried, and her voice echoed like Cedrics as though from

very far away. "Don't let him get you, Harry - don't let go!"

She and the other two shadowy figures began to pace around the inner walls of the

golden web, while the Death Eaters flitted around the outside of it... and

Voldemort's dead victims whispered as they circled the duelers, whispered words

of encouragement to Harry, and hissed words Harry couldn't hear to Voldemort.

And now another head was emerging from the tip of Voldemorts wand . . . and

Harry knew when he saw it who it would be ... he knew, as though he had

expected it from the moment when Cedric had appeared from the wand . . . knew,

because the man appearing was the one he'd thought of more than any other

tonight. . . .

The smoky shadow of a tall man with untidy hair fell to the ground as Bertha had

431

done, straightened up, and looked at him . . . and Harry, his arms shaking madly

now, looked back into the ghostly face of his father.

"Your mother's coming . . ." he said quietly. "She wants to see you ... it will be all

right.. . hold on. . . ."

And she came. . . first her head, then her body... a young woman with long hair,

the smoky, shadowy form of Lily Potter blossomed from the end of Voldemort's

wand, fell to the ground, and straightened like her husband. She walked close to

Harry, looking down at him, and she spoke in the same distant, echoing voice as

the others, but quietly, so that Voldemort, his face now livid with fear as his

victims prowled around him, could not hear. . ..

"When the connection is broken, we will linger for only moments . . . but we will

give you time. . . you must get to the Portkey, it will return you to Hogwarts ... do

you understand, Harry?"

"Yes," Harry gasped, fighting now to keep a hold on his wand, which was slipping

and sliding beneath his fingers.

"Harry . . ." whispered the figure of Cedric, "take my body back, will you? Take

my body back to my parents, ..."

"I will," said Harry, his face screwed up with the effort of holding the wand.

"Do it now," whispered his father's voice, "be ready to run . . . do it now. ..."

"NOW!" Harry yelled; he didn't think he could have held on for another moment

anyway - he pulled his wand upward with an almighty wrench, and the golden

thread broke; the cage of light vanished, the phoenix song died - but the shadowy

figures of Voldemort's victims did not disappear - they were closing in upon

Voldemort, shielding Harry from his gaze -

And Harry ran as he had never run in his life, knocking two stunned Death Eaters

aside as he passed; he zigzagged behind headstones, feeling their curses following

him, hearing them hit the headstones - he was dodging curses and graves, pelting

toward Cedric's body, no longer aware of the pain in his leg, his whole being

concentrated on what he had to do -

"Stun him!" he heard Voldemort scream.

Ten feet from Cedric, Harry dived behind a marble angel to avoid the jets of red

light and saw the tip of its wing shatter as the spells hit it. Gripping his wand more

tightly, he dashed out from behind the angel -

"Impedimenta!" he bellowed, pointing his wand wildly over his shoulder at the

Death Eaters running at him.

From a muffled yell, he thought he had stopped at least one of them, but there was

no time to stop and look; he jumped over the cup and dived as he heard more

432

wand blasts behind him; more jets of light flew over his head as he fell, stretching

out his hand to grab Cedric's arm...

"Stand aside! I will kill him! He is mine!" shrieked Voldemort. Harry's hand had

closed on Cedric's wrist; one tombstone stood between him and Voldemort, but

Cedric was too heavy to carry, and the cup was out of reach -

Voldemort's red eyes flamed in the darkness. Harry saw his mouth curl into a

smile, saw him raise his wand.

"Accio!" Harry yelled, pointing his wand at the Triwizard Cup. It flew into the air

and soared toward him. Harry caught it by the handle -

He heard Voldemort s scream of fury at the same moment that he felt the jerk

behind his navel that meant the Portkey had worked - it was speeding him away in

a whirl of wind and color, and Cedric along with him. . . . They were going back.

He had reached the largest gap of all, and he stood surveying it with his blank, red eyes, as though he could see people standing there.

"And here we have six missing Death Eaters . . . three dead in my service. One, too cowardly to return ... he will pay. One, who I believe has left me forever ... he will be killed, of course . . . and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already reentered my service."

Dumbledore bent down over Moody's limp form and put a hand inside his robes. He pulled out Moody's hip flask and a set of keys on a ring. Then he turned to Professors McGonagall and Snape.

"Severus, please fetch me the strongest Truth Potion you possess, and then go down to the kitchens and bring up the house-elf called Winky. Minerva, kindly go down to Hagrid's house, where you will find a large black dog sitting in the pumpkin patch. Take the dog up to my office, tell him I will be with him shortly, then come back here."

If either Snape or McGonagall found these instructions peculiar, they hid their confusion. Both turned at once and left the office.

 Notice, once again, who Snape and McGonagall are THE main teachers!  Snape is always there when something important is amiss.

It's the second time ever that Snape is asked one of his potions.  The first being the draught made to unpetrify everybody in book 2.
Snape must be ok with house-elves, unlike Malfoy, unless, Albus wouldn't have asked him to bring Winky!

There were hurried footsteps outside in the corridor. Snape had returned with Winky at his heels. Professor McGonagall was right behind them.

"Crouch!" Snape said, stopping dead in the doorway. "Barty Crouch!"

"Good heavens," said Professor McGonagall, stopping dead and staring down at the man on the floor.

Filthy, dishevelled, Winky peered around Snape's legs. Her mouth opened wide and she let out a piercing shriek.

"Master Barty, Master Barty, what is you doing here?" She flung herself forward onto the young man's chest. "You is killed him! You is killed him! You is killed Master's son!"

"He is simply Stunned, Winky," said Dumbledore. "Step aside, please. Severus, you have the potion?"

Snape handed Dumbledore a small glass bottle of completely clear liquid: the Veritaserum with which he had threatened Harry in class. Dumbledore got up, bent over the man on the floor, and pulled him into a sitting position against the wall beneath the Foe-Glass, in which the reflections of Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall were still glaring down upon them all. Winky remained on her knees, trembling, her hands over her face. Dumbledore forced the man's mouth open and poured three drops inside it. Then he pointed his wand at the mans chest and said, "Ennervate."

 As expected, Snape did what was expected of him without delay! And he's back for more at full speed!
The cat is out of the bad: by Snape's reaction, I can only reckon that he didn't had any idea Moody was Barty Crouch!  Wouldn't have repeated his name twice unless! When Snape both stops dead in his tracks and utters a name twice, it ought to be the greatest surprise of his life!!
 I know, some of you will say: "Lucky, Winky! She's got between his legs!"  Ladies, stop drooling please!

Did you notice how Snape and McGonagall often react the same way?  It's strange but I think their seriousness somehow manages to ease any philosophical conflicts they may have.  

"Potter's map of Hogwarts. Potter saw me on it. Potter saw me stealing more ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion from Snape's office one night. He thought I was my father. We have the same first name. I took the map from Potter that night. I told him my father hated Dark wizards. Potter believed my father was after Snape.

"Severus" - Dumbledore turned to Snape - "please tell Madam Pomfrey to come down here; we need to get Alastor Moody into the hospital wing. Then go down into the grounds, find Cornelius Fudge, and bring him up to this office. He will undoubtedly want to question Crouch himself. Tell him I will be in the hospital wing in half an hour's time if he needs me."

Snape nodded silently and swept out of the room.

 Alright! Snape has got all the important jobs!  Dumbledore trusts Snape to be the man to do the work right. He asks because he knows Severus, even with his associable nature, will do the right thing.

Note how military Snape always answers requests or orders.  If you saw the second movie, in the duel scene, you can see Snape adopted a military pose.  Maybe there is something in those cold military attitudes that we'll only discover later on.

Fudge came striding up the ward. Professors McGonagall and Snape were at his heels.

"Where's Dumbledore?" Fudge demanded of Mrs. Weasley.

"He's not here," said Mrs. Weasley angrily. "This is a hospital wing. Minister, don't you think you'd do better to -"

But the door opened, and Dumbledore came sweeping up the ward.

"What has happened?" said Dumbledore sharply, looking from Fudge to Professor McGonagall. "Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you - I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch -"

"There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, Dumbledore!" she shrieked.

"The Minister has seen to that!"

Harry had never seen Professor McGonagall lose control like this. There were angry blotches of color in her cheeks, and a hands were balled into fists; she was trembling with fury.-"

"When we told Mr. Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events," said Snape, in a low voice; he seemed to feel his personal safety was in question. He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch -"

 Snape on the scene once again! Doesn't want to miss on the action now would he?

Snape's reaction is that of a Slytherin while Minerva's one of Gryffindor.  That's where they really differ from each other. Snape uses his low voice.  I'm sure he is beyond angriness himself, but he doesn't show it like Minerva. I feel his low voice also has an insulting tone to it.

"Why he killed them? Well, that's no mystery, is it?" blustered Fudge. "He was a raving lunatic! From what Minerva and Severus have told me, he seems to have thought he was doing it all on You-Know-Who's instructions!"

"Lord Voldemort was giving him instructions, Cornelius," Dumbledore said.

"Those peoples deaths were mere by-products of a plan to restore Voldemort to full strength again. The plan succeeded. Voldemort has been restored to his body."

 Fudge looked as though someone had just swung a heavy weight into his face. Dazed and blinking, he stared back at Dumbledore as if he couldn't quite believe what he had just heard. He began to sputter, still goggling at Dumbledore.

"You-Know-Who . . . returned? Preposterous. Come now, Dumbledore ..."

"As Minerva and Severus have doubtless told you," said Dumbledore, "we heard Barty Crouch confess. Under the influence of Veritaserum, he told us how he was smuggled out of Azkaban, and how Voldemort - learning of his continued existence from Bertha Jorkins - went to free him from his father and used him to capture Harry. The plan worked, I tell you. Crouch has helped Voldemort to return."

"Look, I saw Voldemort come back!" Harry shouted. He tried to get out of bed again, but Mrs. Weasley forced him back. "I saw the Death Eaters! I can give you their names! Lucius Malfoy -"

Snape made a sudden movement, but as Harry looked at him, Snape's eyes flew back to Fudge.

"Malfoy was cleared!" said Fudge, visibly affronted. "A very old family - donations to excellent causes -"

"Macnair!" Harry continued.

"Also cleared! Now working for the Ministry!"

"Avery - Nott - Crabbe - Goyle -"

"You are merely repeating the names of those who were acquitted of being Death Eaters thirteen years ago!" said Fudge angrily.

Snape strode forward, past Dumbledore, pulling up the left sleeve of his robes as he went. He stuck out his forearm and showed it to Fudge, who recoiled.

"There," said Snape harshly. "There. The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was an hour or so ago, when it burned black, but you can still see it. Every Death Eater had the sign burned into him by the Dark Lord. It was a means of distinguishing one another, and his means of summoning us to him. When he touched the Mark of any Death Eater, we were to Disapparate, and Apparate, instantly, at his side. This Mark has been growing clearer all year. Karkaroff s too. Why do you think Karkaroff fled tonight? We both felt the Mark burn. We both knew he had returned. Karkaroff fears the Dark Lord's vengeance. He betrayed too many of his fellow Death Eaters to be sure of a welcome back into the fold."

Fudge stepped back from Snape too. He was shaking his head. He did not seem to have taken in a word Snape had said. He stared, apparently repelled by the ugly mark on Snape's arm, then looked up at Dumbledore and whispered, "I don't know what you and your staff are playing at, Dumbledore, but I have heard enough. I have no more to add. I will be in touch with you tomorrow, Dumbledore, to discuss the running of this school. I must return to the Ministry."

 Snape can't take it anymore! Snape has obviously waited until the last moment or resort to do this.  After all that he's suffered because of that mark, he still has to show it.  That proves his allegiance to Dumbledore and his school.  He does it right in front of everybody! Even Harry whom he loathes. He is showing his deepest secret, his biggest flaw to people he despises!  That's extraordinary! It takes a devoted man to do such a thing while he could have rather let it drop.

Karkaroff fears Voldemort's vengeance.  Snape says that so, does it mean he doesn't fear?  Because he remained behind? Is that what Snape is ready to face?
Luckily for Snape, I'm sure Fudge will not call him Severus anymore!  Doesn't want to associate with him!  Too dirty for his delicate hands!

Read the purple facts about the dark mark and its mechanism!

Snape had not yelled or jumped backward, but the look on his face was one of mingled fury and horror.

"Him!" he snarled, staring at Sirius, whose face showed equal dislike. "What is he doing here?"

"He is here at my invitation," said Dumbledore, looking between them, "as are you, Severus. I trust you both. It is time for you to lay aside your old differences and trust each other."

Harry thought Dumbledore was asking for a near miracle. Sirius and Snape were eyeing each other with the utmost loathing.

"I will settle, in the short term," said Dumbledore, with a bite of impatience in his voice, "for a lack of open hostility. You will shake hands. You are on the same side now. Time is short, and unless the few of us who know the truth do not stand united, there is no hope for any us.

Very slowly - but still glaring at each other as though each wished the other nothing but ill - Sirius and Snape moved toward each other and shook hands. They let go extremely quickly.

 That was a very Snape thing to do: always a bit of physical control even though he doesn't feel the need to hide his disgust!  

Ouach! That's got to hurt!  So, in a way, Severus is a guest of Dumbledore. Therefore, this may mean that Snape would have no where else to go or little if it was not for Albus.  Snape is there upon Albus's invitation.  That means a lot!  
Albus asked them to put aside their old differences. For me, that means that the only problem between them is not really their personalities but events, such as the shrieking shack for example.

I also think Albus is asking for a near miracle, but since Snape has always been able to put his loathe of Harry behind in the past, I guess he will be able to do as much now.  One good thing: Harry can't say Snape despises him the most!  It's clear whom he hates the most now!

Nice of Albus to mention that, on a short term, they need to let go of the animosity, but not forever!  But I guess he knows war will make them better partners!
Very interesting fact, no one in this book mentioned that Snape now believed Sirius was not a criminal. Snape had to guess from Harry's story about Pettigrew after all. (Must have been a very hard night for him indeed!) Therefore, even though Sirius is cleared, Snape has just discovered it tonight!  I bet this had to do with his "what is he doing here" question to Albus too. So, if Snape knows Sirius is not to blame for James and Lily's death, it means Snape really loathes him for something else. We have two choices that may combine or not: the shrieking shack and their schoolboy years.

"Severus," said Dumbledore, turning to Snape, "you know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready . . . if you are prepared ..."

"I am," said Snape.

He looked slightly paler than usual, and his cold, black eyes glittered strangely.

"Then good luck," said Dumbledore, and he watched, with a trace of apprehension on his face, as Snape swept wordlessly after Sirius. It was several minutes before Dumbledore spoke again.

 The famous hidden mission or quest or whatever we don't know!!  I'm dying to know what it is of course!  Hope the next book will come in handy for it!  Right now, all I can speculate is the same as the majority of you: Snape has talked about his reappearing Dark Mark all year to Dumbledore, and they decided on a plan if Voldemort ever arose again like he did. Dumbledore says "prepared". Thus, this possibility was planned and a decision was made before now. And Snape is ready AND prepared to do it. Whatever that may be!  A spy, that's what most people think, but how is Rowling going to let him survive... only her will tell us! She's great for those kinds of intrigues so I'm not worrying too much. Just enough!

It says he looked paler than usual and that his eyes glittered strangely. It's hard to see anything else but fear or sadness here.

Good luck: that's usually said for a mission. Not a farewell. I want to focus on a word though: apprehension.  There's two possible meanings here: one is of comprehension (hence, Albus would understand why Snape looks paler and swept wordlessly out) or second, Albus is suspicious or fearful of a future evil, hence, he is foreboding. That makes more sense since he didn't talk after Snape left, as if in respect for the death almost.  Not Snape's death necessarily, but of the era, of Snape's liberty... I'll have more to say with the next book on this!

Madame Maxime was still there. She was sitting next to Hagrid. They were talking quietly together. Further along the table, sitting next to Professor McGonagall, was Snape. His eyes lingered on Harry for a moment as Harry looked at him. His expression was difficult to read. He looked as sour and unpleasant as ever. Harry continued to watch him, long after Snape had looked away.

What was it that Snape had done on Dumbledores orders, the night that Voldemort had returned? And why. . . why . . . was Dumbledore so convinced that Snape was truly on their side? He had been their spy, Dumbledore had said so in the Pensieve. Snape had turned spy against Voldemort, "at great personal risk." Was that the job he had taken up again? Had he made contact with the Death Eaters, perhaps? Pretended that he had never really gone over to Dumbledore, that he had been, like Voldemort himself, biding his time?

 Snape is watching Harry.  Why?  At least, wherever Snape went the other night, he came back from.  And it doesn't mention anything about him being meaner or in bad condition! I want to know what it is!!!! But then again, it's written that his expression was hard to read.  What can I make of it?  Snape is good at disguising his emotions, it could be anything!

Those my dear Harry are very good questions! Could you ask Rowling to clarify them for us?  That would be nice!