Snape's handwriting

[Igenlode Wordsmith]

I've been re-reading "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", possibly
for the first time since it came out (it wasn't one of my favourites)
but certainly for the first time in years, and was wondering with
hindsight why Harry doesn't recognise the handwriting all over the
"Half-Blood Prince"'s textbook. One would have thought that this small,
cramped hand (sufficiently predictable from Snape's personality that I
had already guessed his writing as 'cramped' when composing my own story
"Water-horse", which came out back before Book 5!) would have been
familiar from lessons and comments on homework etc; presumably his
handwriting must have become even worse as an adult -- since I have yet
to encounter anyone whose handwriting becomes more legible with age...

Why Snape's book with all its development notes, etc., got left in the
Potions cupboard after he had finished his NEWTs in the first place
(even if he already had the information securely memorised by that
point, you wouldn't have thought he would have wanted anyone else
cribbing from his work -- as indeed, at least one of the subsequent
users of his book did!) is another question. Possibly not unrelated to
the rise of Voldemort in Severus'/James'/Sirius' final year[s] at
Hogwarts? (In other words, he may have left Hogwarts rather hurriedly.)

[s***@interfree.ca]

Post by Igenlode Wordsmith
I've been re-reading "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", possibly
for the first time since it came out (it wasn't one of my favourites)

Agreed. I mostly ignore everything after book 5 and read fanfic instead.

Post by Igenlode Wordsmith
Why Snape's book with all its development notes, etc., got left in the
Potions cupboard after he had finished his NEWTs in the first place
(even if he already had the information securely memorised by that
point, you wouldn't have thought he would have wanted anyone else
cribbing from his work -- as indeed, at least one of the subsequent
users of his book did!) is another question.

Another theory I've heard is that he placed the book in the cupboard for
Harry to find. As a way of helping Harry out in secret, without even Harry
catching on. I'm not sure I believe it.

[Darryl Homo Forests]

Post by s***@interfree.ca
Another theory I've heard is that he placed the book in the cupboard for
Harry to find. As a way of helping Harry out in secret, without even Harry
catching on. I'm not sure I believe it.

I heard he was secretly on polyheroin potion and didn't know what the
fuck he was doing.

[s***@interfree.ca]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[Igenlode Wordsmith]

Post by s***@interfree.ca

Post by Darryl Homo Forests
I heard he was secretly on polyheroin potion and didn't know what the
fuck he was doing.

Now I want a crackfic about Snape and his struggles with heroin addiction.
:-)

That might actually explain a lot! :-D

[Darryl Homo Forests]

Post by Igenlode Wordsmith

Post by s***@interfree.ca

Post by Darryl Homo Forests
I heard he was secretly on polyheroin potion and didn't know what the
fuck he was doing.

Now I want a crackfic about Snape and his struggles with heroin addiction.
:-)

That might actually explain a lot! :-D

Explains everything. Ever see Snape with short sleeves? Hiding tracks.

Darryl Forests

[Igenlode Wordsmith]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[eveshi]

Post by s***@interfree.ca
Another theory I've heard is that he placed the book in the cupboard for
Harry to find. As a way of helping Harry out in secret, without even Harry
catching on. I'm not sure I believe it.

T%hen Snape is luck since Ron beat Harry to the new, shiny book and
Harry got left with Snape's.

Don't buy into Snape's leaving his book there.

[Igenlode Wordsmith]

Post by eveshi

Post by s***@interfree.ca
Another theory I've heard is that he placed the book in the cupboard for
Harry to find. As a way of helping Harry out in secret, without even Harry
catching on. I'm not sure I believe it.

T%hen Snape is luck since Ron beat Harry to the new, shiny book and
Harry got left with Snape's.
Don't buy into Snape's leaving his book there.

A good point - as there was more than one book in the cupboard, Snape
had no way of knowing which book Harry would get (or even that he
wouldn't order a new one from Flourish & Blott's!)

[RC]

Wow, after all this time, another interesting discussion. Somehow, Snape lost the book. That's not unbelievable when you think about a student packing up and leaving the school he attended for 6 years,and his handwriting may have changed through the years. Mine did. But what I don't understand is why Snape didn't publish a new Advanced Potions book. He would have made a fortune!
But, as Hermonie said, Wizards are not logical.

[Igenlode Wordsmith]

Post by RC
Wow, after all this time, another interesting discussion. Somehow,
Snape lost the book. That's not unbelievable when you think about a
student packing up and leaving the school he attended for 6 years,and
his handwriting may have changed through the years. Mine did.

Yes, I imagine he lost it and somebody subsequently picked it up and
said "This is a mucky old book, but we'll keep it in the cupboard as a
spare". After all, we know that this has happened at least once before,
because there is more than one old book in the cupboard - Ron also gets
issued one!

(In fact, is it actually stated anywhere that this was originally
Snape's mother's book? It probably was -- but it may have been a spare
out of the Potions cupboard in the first place :-)

Post by RC
But what I don't understand is why Snape didn't publish a new Advanced
Potions book. He would have made a fortune! But, as Hermonie said,
Wizards are not logical.

He doesn't seem very eager to *teach* his techniques, either... wizards
seem to be secretive too. (Even if Hogwarts is using standard textbooks,
as Potions master Snape could quite easily add customised information
while teaching his lessons -- such as 'adding a counter-clockwise stir
will produce better results in this potion' -- and gain personal kudos
for turning out class after class of students with higher Potions
abilities than any other school/teacher.)

I think we can probably guess that Snape isn't any more interested in
personal wealth than in personal grooming (for whatever reason...)
judging by what little we see of his private life: the only luxuries in
his furnishings are books. (Whatever Hogwarts pays its masters -- and
remember they are getting accommodation and three hot meals a day into
the bargain! -- Snape's role surely left open an awful lot of potential
blackmail opportunities, if nothing else, if he had wanted to make some
cash...) So possibly the prospect of making a fortune by publishing a
best-seller wouldn't have been much of an inducement versus the prospect
of giving away all his 'trade secrets'.

But one would have thought that the prospect of becoming an
internationally famous and admired authority on the subject would have
been balm to his twisted mind; he appears to enjoy flattery (from
Slytherin students, anyway...)

[Louis Epstein]

Post by Igenlode Wordsmith

Post by RC
Wow, after all this time, another interesting discussion. Somehow,
Snape lost the book. That's not unbelievable when you think about a
student packing up and leaving the school he attended for 6 years,and
his handwriting may have changed through the years. Mine did.

Yes, I imagine he lost it and somebody subsequently picked it up and
said "This is a mucky old book, but we'll keep it in the cupboard as a
spare". After all, we know that this has happened at least once before,
because there is more than one old book in the cupboard - Ron also gets
issued one!
(In fact, is it actually stated anywhere that this was originally
Snape's mother's book? It probably was -- but it may have been a spare
out of the Potions cupboard in the first place :-)

Post by RC
But what I don't understand is why Snape didn't publish a new Advanced
Potions book. He would have made a fortune! But, as Hermonie said,
Wizards are not logical.

He doesn't seem very eager to *teach* his techniques, either... wizards
seem to be secretive too. (Even if Hogwarts is using standard textbooks,
as Potions master Snape could quite easily add customised information
while teaching his lessons -- such as 'adding a counter-clockwise stir
will produce better results in this potion' -- and gain personal kudos
for turning out class after class of students with higher Potions
abilities than any other school/teacher.)

But since Hogwarts is the monopoly comprehensive school for wizarding
Britain,there is no one to rate him against.

Post by Igenlode Wordsmith
I think we can probably guess that Snape isn't any more interested in
personal wealth than in personal grooming (for whatever reason...)
judging by what little we see of his private life: the only luxuries in
his furnishings are books. (Whatever Hogwarts pays its masters -- and
remember they are getting accommodation and three hot meals a day into
the bargain! -- Snape's role surely left open an awful lot of potential
blackmail opportunities, if nothing else, if he had wanted to make some
cash...) So possibly the prospect of making a fortune by publishing a
best-seller wouldn't have been much of an inducement versus the prospect
of giving away all his 'trade secrets'.
But one would have thought that the prospect of becoming an
internationally famous and admired authority on the subject would have
been balm to his twisted mind; he appears to enjoy flattery (from
Slytherin students, anyway...)

Again,I expect the Trio saw to it that he got this posthumously.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

[Timothy Bruening]

Post by Louis Epstein

Post by Igenlode Wordsmith

Post by RC
Wow, after all this time, another interesting discussion. Somehow,
Snape lost the book. That's not unbelievable when you think about a
student packing up and leaving the school he attended for 6 years,and
his handwriting may have changed through the years. Mine did.

Yes, I imagine he lost it and somebody subsequently picked it up and
said "This is a mucky old book, but we'll keep it in the cupboard as a
spare". After all, we know that this has happened at least once before,
because there is more than one old book in the cupboard - Ron also gets
issued one!
(In fact, is it actually stated anywhere that this was originally
Snape's mother's book? It probably was -- but it may have been a spare
out of the Potions cupboard in the first place :-)

Post by RC
But what I don't understand is why Snape didn't publish a new Advanced
Potions book. He would have made a fortune! But, as Hermonie said,
Wizards are not logical.

He doesn't seem very eager to *teach* his techniques, either... wizards
seem to be secretive too. (Even if Hogwarts is using standard textbooks,
as Potions master Snape could quite easily add customised information
while teaching his lessons -- such as 'adding a counter-clockwise stir
will produce better results in this potion' -- and gain personal kudos
for turning out class after class of students with higher Potions
abilities than any other school/teacher.)

But since Hogwarts is the monopoly comprehensive school for wizarding
Britain,there is no one to rate him against.

There are school in other nations.

[Darryl Homo Forests]

Wow,

*SHADDUP*

[eveshi]

Post by RC
Somehow, Snape lost the book. That's not unbelievable when you
think about a student packing up and leaving the school he attended
for 6 years,and his handwriting may have changed through the years.
Mine did. But what I don't understand is why Snape didn't publish
a new Advanced Potions book. He would have made a fortune! But, as
Hermonie said, Wizards are not logical.

Snape was too smart and too wily to have lost such an important
re-write of Potions class.

How the book ended up in Harry's hands is pure Rowling poetic-book
license.

[Louis Epstein]

Post by RC
Wow, after all this time, another interesting discussion. Somehow,
Snape lost the book. That's not unbelievable when you think about a
student packing up and leaving the school he attended for 6 years,and
his handwriting may have changed through the years. Mine did. But
what I don't understand is why Snape didn't publish a new Advanced
Potions book. He would have made a fortune!
But, as Hermonie said, Wizards are not logical.

I see Hermione as editing a new edition of the book (bylined Borage and
Snape) that incorporates Snape's improvements on Borage's text.
There might have been a bureaucracy to get through to get a new text
approved that Snape had no time for.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

[Darryl Homo Forests]

Post by Louis Epstein

Post by RC
Wow, after all this time, another interesting discussion. Somehow,
Snape lost the book. That's not unbelievable when you think about a
student packing up and leaving the school he attended for 6 years,and
his handwriting may have changed through the years. Mine did. But
what I don't understand is why Snape didn't publish a new Advanced
Potions book. He would have made a fortune!
But, as Hermonie said, Wizards are not logical.

I see Hermione as editing a new edition of the book (bylined Borage and
Snape) that incorporates Snape's improvements on Borage's text.
There might have been a bureaucracy to get through to get a new text
approved that Snape had no time for.

You're cute. Can I tickle your back?

Darryl Forests
***@mes

[Timothy Bruening]

Post by Louis Epstein

Post by RC
Wow, after all this time, another interesting discussion. Somehow,
Snape lost the book. That's not unbelievable when you think about a
student packing up and leaving the school he attended for 6 years,and
his handwriting may have changed through the years. Mine did. But
what I don't understand is why Snape didn't publish a new Advanced
Potions book. He would have made a fortune!
But, as Hermonie said, Wizards are not logical.

I see Hermione as editing a new edition of the book (bylined Borage and
Snape) that incorporates Snape's improvements on Borage's text.
There might have been a bureaucracy to get through to get a new text
approved that Snape had no time for.

However, the Half-Blood Prince's book got incinerated in a fire before Harry could recover it.

[Timothy Bruening]

Post by Igenlode Wordsmith
I've been re-reading "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", possibly
for the first time since it came out (it wasn't one of my favourites)
but certainly for the first time in years, and was wondering with
hindsight why Harry doesn't recognise the handwriting all over the
"Half-Blood Prince"'s textbook. One would have thought that this small,
cramped hand (sufficiently predictable from Snape's personality that I
had already guessed his writing as 'cramped' when composing my own story
"Water-horse", which came out back before Book 5!) would have been
familiar from lessons and comments on homework etc; presumably his
handwriting must have become even worse as an adult -- since I have yet
to encounter anyone whose handwriting becomes more legible with age...
Why Snape's book with all its development notes, etc., got left in the
Potions cupboard after he had finished his NEWTs in the first place
(even if he already had the information securely memorised by that
point, you wouldn't have thought he would have wanted anyone else
cribbing from his work -- as indeed, at least one of the subsequent
users of his book did!) is another question.

Yet another is why Snape didn't write a potions textbook containing his improvements.