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What if Remus Lupin is only wearing dull brown colours because when he's near full moon his "wolf traits" cause him to be partially colourblind? And he already had an awkward situation once, pairing a violet scarf with an aggressively orange sweater, and the other Marauders gave him hell about it, so he decided NEVER AGAIN?

Well, that and brown is the colour of the "boring and harmless people" that he's posing as, obviously.

(Inspired by @dufferpuffer 's lovely post)

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JK Rowling & the Color Pink

So I'm working on a thing about queer coding in the Harry Potter books... and first I needed to do a sidebar on how the color pink is used. I’ve made a list of every time a character either wears pink, or is heavily associated with a pink object. We actually get some pretty clear categories that are unintentionally very revealing, and say a lot about how JKR sees "girly" femininity.

Let’s start off with the obvious: 

PINK = VILLAIN (FEMME) 

Petunia Dursley: “a salmon-pink cocktail dress.” 

Gilderoy Lockhart: “lurid pink robes to match the decorations” 

Pansy Parkinson: “very frilly robes of pale pink” 

Rita Skeeter: “long nails were painted shocking pink” 

Aunt Muriel: “feathery pink hat gave her the look of a bad-tempered flamingo.” 

(Aunt Muriel only shows up briefly at Bill and Fleur’s wedding, but then proceeds to insult pretty much every other character, and give Harry an existential crisis by spilling the tea on Dumbledore)

Dolores Umbridge: “a horrible pink Alice band that matched the fluffy pink cardigan.” 

(Also: has pink stationary, and her pamphlet MUDBLOODS and the Dangers They Pose to a Peaceful Pure-Blood Society has a pink cover) 

Cho Chang

(Okay. Not a villain per se, BUT. Cho is the reason the mole gets into the DA in the books (and just is the mole in the films.) And given that she is a sort of Umbridge-aligned sub villain in book 5, at least structurally... it IS interesting that the place she brings Harry for a date has this very pink, Umbridge-coded description. 

It was a cramped, steamy little place where everything seemed to have been decorated with frills or bows. Harry was reminded unpleasantly of Umbridge’s office. “Cute, isn’t it?” said Cho happily. “Er . . . yeah,” said Harry untruthfully. “Look, she’s decorated it for Valentine’s Day!” said Cho, indicating a number of golden cherubs that were hovering over each of the small, circular tables, occasionally throwing pink confetti over the occupants.

Fleur Delacour: “[her wand] emitted a number of pink and gold sparks.” 

(Also not quite a villain, and I adore Fleur BUT… she’s written hyper-femme in an intimidating, borderline threatening way. She’s very opinionated, bordering on rude. She’s “full of herself” as Ginny puts it. And when she gets engaged to Bill and becomes an unambiguously good guy, she has this interesting moment of ~Pink Rejection~)

“. . . Bill and I ’ave almost decided on only two bridesmaids, Ginny and Gabrielle will look very sweet togezzer. I am theenking of dressing zem in pale gold — pink would of course be ’orrible with Ginny’s ’air —”

Hermione Granger: “Wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown”

(Hermione wears pink exactly one time, and it is at her most villainous… during Book 1, when she tries to stop Harry and Ron leaving in the middle of the night to go duel Malfoy.)

A voice spoke from the chair nearest them, “I can’t believe you’re going to do this, Harry.” A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown. “You!” said Ron furiously. “Go back to bed!” “I almost told your brother,” Hermione snapped, “Percy — he’s a prefect, he’d put a stop to this.” Harry couldn’t believe anyone could be so interfering.

(She literally does the sitting-in-the-dark, villain-lamp thing. Also, in case you were wondering, yes Hermione DOES get a moment of ~Pink Rejection~)

Near the window was an array of violently pink products around which a cluster of excited girls was giggling enthusiastically. Hermione and Ginny both hung back, looking wary.

Which brings us too: 

PINK = SILLY/FRIVOLOUS (FEMME) 

Sybill Trelawney: “after you’ve broken your first cup, would you be so kind as to select one of the blue-patterned ones? I’m rather attached to the pink.”

(She’s a fraud. Also hides empty bottles of sherry in the room of requirement. (I’m going to have to be uncharitable in this section, need to get in Rowling’s head a little, so am sorry.) 

Parvati Patil: “robes of shocking pink"

(Often described as “giggling,” thinks Professor Trelawney is amazing, the real deal.)

The Fat Lady: “a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.” 

(Often described as giggling. Drinks too much during the holidays. JRK is unfortunately well known for being fatphobic. Also the Fat Lady has a friend named Violet, and Parvati has a friend named Lavender. Not really going anywhere with that, just funny that they’re both shades of purple.)

Hepzibah Smith: “an immensely fat old lady wearing an elaborate ginger wig and a brilliant pink set of robes.” 

(So… almost identical description to the Fat Lady. And I think we should maybe talk about her more, maybe? Because the way she’s framed… I think she might be Tom Riddle’s sugar mamma?)

“I brought you flowers,” he said quietly, producing a bunch of roses from nowhere. “You naughty boy, you shouldn’t have!” squealed old Hepzibah, though Harry noticed that she had an empty vase standing ready on the nearest little table. “You do spoil this old lady, Tom. . . .” 

(Or maybe we… shouldn’t talk about that. Either way, Tom Riddle does kill her, steal her stuff, and frame her house elf so thats… not great.)

PINK = EMBARRASSING 

“Everyone take a pair of earmuffs,” said Professor Sprout. There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn’t pink and fluffy.

(Pink fluffy earmuffs are adorable.)

“Wash out your mouth,” said James coldly. “Scourgify!” Pink soap bubbles streamed from Snape’s mouth at once; the froth was covering his lips, making him gag.

(The next two example are 'pranks' as well, I think the pink-colored soap is there to add a kind of insult to injury.)

Shocking-pink Catherine wheels five feet in diameter were whizzing lethally through the air like so many flying saucers. 

(This is a bit from Fred and George’s farewell firework show, it's funny that they’re specifically pink fireworks that Umbridge can’t get rid of.)

“Headless Hats!” shouted George, as Fred waved a pointed hat decorated with a fluffy pink feather at the watching students. “Two Galleons each — watch Fred, now!” Fred swept the hat onto his head, beaming. For a second he merely looked rather stupid, then both hat and head vanished.

(also just, pumping up an embarrassing moment)

PINK = OUTSIDER, WEIRDO

Hagrid

Hagrid’s flowered pink umbrella, which contains his broken wand, is brought up a lot. In this case I think we’re meant to see it as a joke. Hagrid’s so big, and so masc, but the pink umbrella makes him non-threatening. However… the pink umbrella, it’s not a totally positive thing, is it? It doesn’t match, it isn’t *him.* Hagrid wouldn't have chosen to carry this around, totally on his own, if he'd had any other choice. It sets him apart, both visually and socially (because it's a constant reminder that he doesn't have a wand.)

Dobby

Dobby, once he is freed, gets pink-and-orange striped socks, and they’re meant to communicate that he’s… kind of a lot. “Yeh get weirdos in every breed,” as Hagrid puts it. JKR has a very strange, honestly antagonistic relationship with Dobby. He’s the victim of book 2, but structurally kind of the villain? He describes the house-elves situation as “enslavement,” but Hermione’s treated as overdramatic for calling house-elves slaves two books later. And then everything is ret-conned and Dobby is… just kind of weird for liking freedom (and socks) as much as he does.

Tonks

Book!Tonks defaults to “bubblegum-pink” hair. Her hair is described as pink a lot. (Movie!Tonks defaults to purple hair, because they were worried that pink would visually align her with Umbridge.) And this is the oddest one on the list to me, because Tonks is such a universally beloved, fan favorite character. But I really do think that *as written*... we’re supposed to put her in a category with Dobby. The two of them leave (unintentional) destruction in their wake. They’re loud, they’re a lot, they take up too much space. Harry thinks they’re both kind of annoying. (and yeah, Harry 100% thinks  Tonks is “a little annoying at times.”)

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[the-south-north]

life is tough when you’re being haunted by a ghost of your dead classmate

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I think you're quite correct! I get the impression that the Malfoys (both of them) are politic people who value power above blood.

I think of them as a true pair, though. They are both opportunistic, amoral people who support Voldemort because they think he is going to win. When Voldemort disappears, they politic their way into keeping their money and power, not in restoring him. After they have a child, they fight for power even more fiercely so they can give it all to Draco.

They behave differently from each other post-book 5, though. Lucius is being punished and humiliated for his failures and disloyalty, so he is extra desperate to fix it via Draco. His damaged pride clouds his judgement, but the logic is there. Draco succeeds => the Malfoy name recovers => the family wins when Voldemort wins. I think Voldemort very much engineered Draco's task to give Lucius false hope so it could be crushed completely. Also, Lucius and Draco would be imprisoned if Voldemort lost, and Voldemort would punish them for desertion, so Lucius sees that earning Voldemort's favor is the best way forward.

Narcissa, however, isn't under the same pressure. She's passive. She isn't as entrenched in death eater internal politics, as she maintains her relationships with Lucius, Bellatrix, and Snape, even as all three are at odds with each other. Thus, with a less biased perspective, Narcissa can see that the Draco is being set up to fail (and that he will suffer for it). She knows Draco is in danger, so she asks Snape, lies for Harry, etc. Also, sometimes people use the Malfoys' defection, especially Draco's or Narcissa's, as evidence that they aren't all that bigoted. Of course the Malfoys care about their survival more than blood-supremacy. That doesn't make them any better. Narcissa still enabled her family members to commit atrocities when they were on top. She doesn't give a damn about Harry Potter or persecuted muggleborns, she just wants to get back to castle to look for Draco and maybe get rid of Voldemort now that he's a threat to her family.

for the character asks, how about Narcissa Malfoy?

How I feel about this character

I love Narcissa so much. I think she's a really interesting (and deeply flawed) character! I think her arc is fascinating. I always imagine that she kind of expected to just play a very traditionally feminine pureblood 'lady of the house' type role in her life, but following Lucius's arrest and the dire straits her family found themselves in she found herself calling on inner strength and talent she didn't know she had.

I really enjoy her strength of character (especially in later scenes like in the opening of book 7 where Lucius is much more openly flustered than she is) and I enjoy the shifting power dynamic where by book 7 she is the one that both Lucius and Draco are looking to for cues on how to act. And of course I love that she straight up lied to Voldemort's face successfully. Without a wand no less.

I also like that she and Bellatrix have such a sibling dynamic and while most other people are really scared of Bellatrix and afraid of upsetting her in any way Narcissa is not afraid to argue with her. And Bellatrix in turn seems to care about Narcissa more than she cares about pretty much anyone else (other than Voldemort) which is super interesting and something I wish was explored more. It's also an interesting contrast to Bellatrix's relationship with Lucius which we could, at best, call "strained."

I feel like after the war Narcissa probably doesn't actually renounce her blood supremacist beliefs but at least puts on a show of it in order to improve the family's standing for Draco's sake. I also think she would have made overtures to Andromeda, though whether she'd succeed or not I'm not sure. Maybe ultimately after many years.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Generally I like her with Lucius. I think you could do something interesting with Narcissa/Snape as well.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

I love her sibling dynamic with Bellatrix because Narcissa can relate to Bellatrix in a way few others can and because on the one hand they have an obvious familial bond but also we get moments like Bellatrix being all '???? y r u so sad about ur child dying. so cringe omg!' and by book 7 Bellatrix doesn't think much of Lucius or Draco, who are 2 of the most important people in Narcissa's life. (Wonder if Bellatrix is a bit jealous of that and feels like she should be the priority.)

My unpopular opinion about this character

I don't like when people whitewash the fact that Narcissa was very much a blood supremacist who was probably totally on board with Lucius's views and actions. Her flaws make her interesting and complex. Sometimes I feel like Lucius gets treated as an evil bigot while Narcissa gets a total pass which is just weird.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I'm pretty happy with her arc. Might've been interesting to see her have a moment with Andromeda.

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Very interested in you calling Draco femme coded. Is it just because of how he is described physically or something more?

I've got a post called "Gendered Bullying in Harry Potter" in drafts... but the short answer is that Draco bullies like a mean girl, not a mean boy. (And there are plenty of both in this series to compare him to.) He is very much an intentional pair with Pansy. He's never physical or violent, and it's actually highligted that he backs down from fights (or is flattened, usually by Ron.) Instead, Draco spreads rumors and embarrassing stories, he baits/tricks people into breaking the rules, runs smear campaigns, flashes his wealth and his *stuff,* and does a lot of pointing and sniggering from within a group of people.

He also gets beats like "crying in the bathroom" (otherwise seen with girls like Myrtle and Hermione) and "poisoning" (otherwise only seen from Nagini - very specifically a girl giant snake. and arguably Romilda Vane (spiking food with love potion) and Umbridge (spiking tea with Veritaserum.)

Also, yeah, it might be kind of an accident, but both he and Lucius get femme-coded descriptive language.

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i wonder how much of Remus' flight reaction is natural and how much it comes from his childhood and his parents' reactions to anyone maybe discovering he's a werewolf being packing everything up and leaving

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But I’ve heard people questioning if Snape was really traumatized by SWM. At first I had no idea what they were on about. How could Snape not be traumatized? Why are you even questioning this? But I figured what they meant was: why doesn’t Snape act the way I know traumatized characters to act? Why isn’t he having flashbacks or breaking down when being exposed to his triggers? 

Snape’s trauma is the angry aggressive kind. Snape’s trauma can be mistaken for a “grudge”. Because it’s not what people understand trauma to be.

In HBP, Harry was trying to crucio Snape and do all this other stuff, and Snape was so unbothered by it. But the moment Snape noticed Harry was about to cast levicorpus on him, Snape completely lost his shit. Below was Snape’s response to Harry trying to cast levicorpus on him.

“No, Potter!” screamed Snape. There was a loud BANG and Harry was soaring backward, hitting the ground hard again, and this time his wand flew out of his hand.

This is Snape’s response to Harry trying to crucio him. Literally torture him.

But Snape parried the curse,

Like a casual “whatever”. Yeah Harry got knocked off his feet, but he didn’t go soaring backwards like he did when Snape responded to Harry’s levicorpus.

During occlumency lessons Snape manhandled Harry and threw him out of the room, after seeing Harry watching James Potter humiliate him.

I shouldn’t have to add disclaimers to my post, disclaimers should be givens. But unfortunately we haven’t reached that point yet.

Disclaimer: I don’t approve of Snape hurting Harry more than what he had to (Snape still had to defend himself in HBP) and I don’t approve of Snape physically hurting Harry in Snape’s Worst Memory chapter. 

I’m not saying that Snape’s way of expressing his trauma is okay. He needed therapy to help him learn to deal with and express his trauma in a less problematic way. The point is that Snape’s trauma is overlooked and lessened. Snape’s PTSD is called a “grudge.” 

Snape had a grudge against James Potter vs Snape was still traumatized by James Potter.

James’ change.

I will always maintain that James changed for the better. I won’t argue my point, because I’m not here to convince you that James changed.

There seems to be this “unspoken” “implied” message that because James changed, the damage he did to Snape doesn’t count anymore. Okay yeah James hurt Snape, but James changed, why can’t Snape just get over it?

I have zero problem with the idea of James changing. He grew as a character, happens to be morally grey, and actually has the capacity for good? Not a problem with me. He changed? Great.

If people spoke about James’ change like he fits in with one of the themes in HP, that people can change for the better.

But unfortunately James’ change isn’t spoken about like that. James’ change is treated like some sort of band aid to slap on Snape’s trauma. 

I am okay with James changing if we’re speaking about James’ overall character, as well as his character development. But, if a post is specifically about Snape’s trauma, then I don’t care how much James changed, and I don’t think “but James changed” should be slapped on any original post talking about the very real post traumatic stress disorder that Snape has because of James and Sirius’ bullying him for years. 

I was wondering for the longest time why some Snape fans were so salty over the idea of James changing. So the fuck what if he did change? Why is the very idea of James changing a bad thing? Why is it so hurtful? My response to James’ changing was “meh cool.” Like I’m not jumping up and down in joy over it, but I don’t find the idea of James changing personally offensive. 

But now I get why even the POSSIBILITY of James having changed is personally offensive for people. When we hear the statement James changed, it’s hardly ever on an original post. It’s nearly always some Snape anti James stan coming onto a post (that is appropriately tagged) talking about Snape’s PTSD and they come onto that post and say “but James changed.” As in yeah but whatever about the emotional pain Snape had to suffer from years later, yeah but whatever about his triggers because James changed.

“James changed” has become a symbol for dismissing Snape’s PTSD.

I now understand why people take “James changed” so personally, as if someone went up to them and slapped them across the face. 

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Do you think Snape had anything to do with the why the Order confronted the Dursley's at then end of OotP? I always found it odd that this happen's after Harry's Occlumency lessons.

Yeah, I read it that way.

Prior to this, there are other characters who are somewhat aware of Harry’s plight (Ron and the twins save Harry in CoS, for instance), but this intervention feels as if there’s been some extra pressure from someone whose opinion carries weight.

Snape is important here for two reasons:

1)  The Order know for a fact that Snape has been looking into Harry’s mind, so they can’t write this off as a mistake or children who are ‘telling tales’ - Snape has witnessed this activity directly.

2)  Snape outwardly - and openly - dislikes Harry, and if he’s saying, “Woah, there’s something really wrong, you need to have a word,” - then it suggests the behaviour he’s witnessed is awful.

I think both of those mean that the adult Order members take his warning seriously and intervene.

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Snape is an extremely dynamic character, in that he’s a very different person depending on what point in time you analyze him.

The contrast between Snape as young man and Snape as an adult in term of selfishness is astounding. Young Snape only really cared about himself and Lily, and the rest of the world could go to hell. He doesn’t care about Mary McDonald, he doesn’t care about all the people that would suffer should Voldemort win, he doesn’t care about condemning an innocent to death by reporting a prophecy, he doesn’t care about Harry (I know that he couldn’t have begged for his life, I still highly doubt he cared either way). He’s an extremely selfish individual.

 Adult Snape is willing to sacrifice anything and everything in order to save lives, to do the right thing. Snape sacrifices his life, kills the only man who really knew him, torpedo’s his reputation and all of his relationships in the Order of the Phoenix, and even puts his very soul at risk, all to save lives and do the right thing. As far as he knows, he will be remembered as a monster, since the only person he tells the truth is Harry, who as far as he knows has to die. He’s the most selfless man in the entire series, rivaled only by Harry Potter himself. I adore his character arc, it’s astounding.

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This is nothing new, but the Tale of Three Brothers mirror Voldemort, Snape, and Harry.

So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death!

The first brother traveled on for a week or more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible. That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand and, for good measure, slit the oldest brother’s throat.

Voldemort is proud of "conquering" death through his Horcruxes (thinking of himself as elevated to god-like), and he pursues the wand "worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death!" It's fitting.

The first brother "boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible," just as Voldemort announces that "the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny is truly mine! Dumbledore’s last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!"

As for the second brother:

Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him.

Snape is chronically alone after October 1981. He devotes his life to the memory of Lily, who is "the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death."

And finally, the third brother:

But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life.

Harry is descended from the Peverells–this his how he inherits the cloak, passed down from his father.

Interestingly, Harry evades many close brushes with death, like how "Although Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him."

Finally, unlike the other two, he accepts his own death and "went with him gladly."

Bonus: Dumbledore shares qualities with all three brothers over the course of his life. In his youth, he is ambitious and pursues the hollows. He actually wins the wand. At the same time (and for many years after he stops caring about having the wand's power for himself), he wants the stone to bring back Ariana. Finally, he accepts own his mortality and dies willingly, like the third brother.

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The only time where a soul is actually retrieved from the dead is the in the Tale of Two Brothers.

To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him. Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered.

However, the fairy tale doesn't represent the Hallows literally, like how the Elder Wand isn't actually unbeatable. This is what Dumbledore (who is the in-text authority on all things magical) says.

I think it more likely that the Peverell brothers were simply gifted, dangerous wizards who succeeded in creating those powerful objects.

Harry and Dumbledore don't believe the legends happen at all, and I think they're correct. So, there's no evidence that the original portrayal of resurrection ever happens.

Furthermore, the shades function like happy memories!

The dementors’ chill did not overcome him; he passed through it with his companions, and they acted like Patronuses to him,

I agree that the text implies the stone's true function is to allows you to see memories of people you want to see, which is probably possible given the Mirror of Erised.

I do believe Dumbledore understood what the stone shows you because he touched the stone himself. He probably thought that if Harry could see his parents, he would have more than enough courage to sacrifice himself and that he would okay with joining his parents and godfather.

Oh god I just had a thought. In the final book, when Harry goes into the forest to sacrifice himself, he uses the Resurrection Stone to see his parents, Lupin, and Sirius, one last time. They accompany him, and this helps give him the emotional strength to take the final steps towards his own death. BUT. Why on earth would any of them - Lily, James, Sirius, Lupin - be okay with Harry willingly going to his death?? There’s NO way. No way. If it truly was their ‘ghosts’ that Harry saw, they’d all be telling him not to do it, to be safe, to live. Which begs the question… was it really the Resurrection Stone? Or was it something that Dumbledore created specifically for that moment, to act as a final push to ensure Harry did what needed to be done?

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ghost tom au where hagrids spider friend ate him alive :)

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Ships with height differences. Reblog if you agree

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Harry and Snape’s Clashing Communication Styles

It's interesting to think that Harry and Snape don’t have longer conversations in the series, but when they do, their communication styles are so different that they often clash.

Harry’s way of communicating is practical and straightforward. He tends to break down complex ideas into simpler terms that he can easily understand. This makes sense, given his upbringing in a non-magical world and his tendency to rely more on gut instinct than deep theoretical knowledge. For Harry, things are usually black and white, and his directness shows his desire to cut through the confusion and get straight to the point.

Snape, on the other hand, has a more complex and layered way of speaking. His language is precise and often sarcastic, which reflects not just his intelligence but also his disdain for what he sees as Harry’s lack of subtlety. Snape’s use of imagery and metaphor, especially when he describes consepts, gives his speech a poetic, almost philosophical quality. He takes pleasure in showing off his superior knowledge and uses this as a way to belittle Harry.

We see this clash clearly in OOTP during Harry’s first Occlumency lesson:

Snape looked back at him for a moment and then said contemptuously, “Surely even you could have worked that out by now, Potter? The Dark Lord is highly skilled at Legilimency —” “What’s that? Sir?” “It is the ability to extract feelings and memories from another person’s mind —” “He can read minds?” said Harry quickly, his worst fears confirmed. “You have no subtlety, Potter,” said Snape, his dark eyes glittering. “You do not understand fine distinctions. It is one of the shortcomings that makes you such a lamentable potion-maker.” Snape paused for a moment, apparently to savor the pleasure of insulting Harry, before continuing, “Only Muggles talk of ‘mind reading.’ The mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at leisure. Thoughts are not etched on the inside of skulls, to be perused by any invader. The mind is a complex and many-layered thing, Potter . . . or at least, most minds are. . . .” He smirked. Whatever Snape said, Legilimency sounded like mind reading to Harry and he did not like the sound of it at all.

For Harry, when Snape mentions Legilimency, it immediately sounds like “mind reading,” which is a reasonable but overly simple way to understand such a complex concept. His quick jump to this conclusion shows his need to make sense of something that feels threatening, but it also reveals his limited grasp of the deeper nuances.

Snape, however, can’t resist mocking Harry’s lack of subtlety. His response is laced with condescension as he insists on the complexity of the mind and dismisses the idea of “mind reading” as something only muggles would think of. Snape’s explanation is detailed and philosophical, contrasting sharply with Harry’s desire for a straightforward answer.

Another great example of their different communication styles comes in HBP when Snape puts Harry on the spot, asking him to explain the difference between an inferius and a ghost:

“Let us ask Potter how we would tell the difference between an Inferius and a ghost.” The whole class looked around at Harry, who hastily tried to recall what Dumbledore had told him the night that they had gone to visit Slughorn. “Er — well — ghosts are transparent —” he said. “Oh, very good,” interrupted Snape, his lip curling. “Yes, it is easy to see that nearly six years of magical education have not been wasted on you, Potter. ‘Ghosts are transparent.’ ” Harry took a deep breath and continued calmly, though his insides were boiling, “Yeah, ghosts are transparent, but Inferi are dead bodies, aren’t they? So they’d be solid —” “A five-year-old could have told us as much,” sneered Snape. “The Inferius is a corpse that has been reanimated by a Dark wizard’s spells. It is not alive, it is merely used like a puppet to do the wizard’s bidding. A ghost, as I trust that you are all aware by now, is the imprint of a departed soul left upon the earth . . . and of course, as Potter so wisely tells us, transparent.” “Well, what Harry said is the most useful if we’re trying to tell them apart!” said Ron. “When we come face-to-face with one down a dark alley, we’re going to be having a shufti to see if it’s solid, aren’t we, we’re not going to be asking, ‘Excuse me, are you the imprint of a departed soul?’

Once again, Harry demonstrates his practical and straightforward approach. He gives a simple, clear distinction based on what would be most useful in a real-life situation—whether the entity is solid or transparent. This shows how Harry tends to focus on what’s immediately relevant and actionable, and Ron’s defense of Harry’s answer highlights this practicality. Ron even points out that in a real-world scenario, Harry’s answer is actually the most helpful, contrasting it with Snape’s more academic approach.

Snape, though, dismisses Harry’s answer as too simplistic and mocks him for stating what he sees as the obvious. Snape’s communication is more about the theoretical and precise understanding of magical concepts. He emphasizes the deeper, more complex nature of an Inferius, which, while academically accurate, is less practical in the context that Harry is thinking of. Snape’s disdain shows that he values this deeper, nuanced understanding more than the direct, practical knowledge that Harry offers.

These moments really bring out the deeper divide between Harry and Snape. Harry approaches things with instinct and a straightforward mindset, while Snape is all about nuance, precision, and seeing the layers in everything. Because they see the world so differently, they struggle to communicate, which only adds to the distrust and misunderstanding between them—a tension that echoes throughout the entire series.

[the-south-north]

more than a joke the earliest point, chronologically, in the series is about snape, and the series ends the day he dies

Marauders Era should be changed to Severus Snape Era- now don’t get me wrong- I like the Marauders (if you couldn’t tell-) but- Severus was a lot more relevant in canon in the 70s than the Marauders. Same with him being extremely relevant in the 90s in canon as well. Snape deserves his own era more than the Marauders who are background characters- but that’s just my opinion take it as you will I suppose

[the-south-north]

just caught myself thinking “nooo i cant post that they’ll think i’m uncool” like brother you are on www.tumblr.com/dashboard