[abouttimeoc]

[obsessivevera]

Teaching a core subject, running a House, marking essays, doing rounds at night, attending staff meetings, being available for students, and preparing potions for the infirmary—all while secretly spying for the Order, attending Death Eater meetings, and keeping Harry alive.

For most people, a schedule that demanding would border on torture. But it’s no wonder Snape kept himself so busy: anything to drown out his feelings, and maybe punish himself a little (or a lot) in the process.

That also explains why he never sought or accepted recognition; praise probably would have meant nothing to him. To Snape, it was all just a form of penance, an attempt at atonement.

[obsessivevera]

Snape’s obsessiveness is one of my favourite things about him

[dinarosie]

I've noticed something about Snape—one of his biggest red lines, the thing that truly pushes him to his limit, is when someone's life is in danger.

In those moments, he becomes the most vulnerable version of himself. He forgets everything—every grudge, every precaution, every defense mechanism—and his only focus is getting people out of harm's way, no matter the cost.

So vulnerable that hearing about Ginny Weasley's kidnapping forces him to lean on the back of a chair. So vulnerable and unguarded that while saving Harry from Quirrell’s curse, an eleven-year-old sets him on fire. So vulnerable that, in his attempt to manage the chaos of the Shrieking Shack—with children, a werewolf, and a supposed murderer—he’s disarmed by 13-year-olds. He's so reckless that he makes an Unbreakable Vow for Draco. So reckless that he chases a werewolf, without Wolfsbane, under the full moon near sunset. So reckless that he ventures into the Forbidden Forest to find lost children. So reckless that he roams the hallways in the middle of the night, in his nightgown, chasing the sound of a scream. So reckless that, as a Death Eater, he risks everything to warn the leader of the opposite side about Voldemort's plans to kill the Potters—and is willing to give anything to save them. He's so ungrudging that he carefully carries an unconscious Sirius Black. So ungrudging that when Black is captured, he checks on him immediately and alerts the Order of the Phoenix. So ungrudging that he risks his cover to save Lupin.

And I think these moments say so much about his humanity—things the books never fully explain.

[danadiadea]

“You are being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of my office!”

Question one: how many times did Lucius talk about Severus Snape being great to the Ministry officials like Umbrige? Not "Lucius spoke most highly of you" – but he "always speaks".

Question two: to who else Lucius "got trusted with Voldemort's soul piece during the first war" Malfoy might've been actively praising Snape?

Question three: how did Severus feel about his rich, powerful, influential friend vouching for him? No way that would've made one feel a sense of gratitude and obligation, right?

[its-a-date]

Ah, I doubt not that in old time, when such things were, many a man who set forth to do such a task as mine, found at the last his heart fail him, and then his nerve. So he delay, and delay, and delay, till the mere beauty and the fascination of the wanton Un-Dead have hypnotize him; and he remain on, and on, till sunset come, and the Vampire sleep be over.

"Dracula" - Bram Stoker

[xoxothesubwayfugitive]

Now WHAT am I supposed to take away from this

[danadiadea]

I don't think we are using snucius to it's full toxic potential. Lucius (17, wealthy, aristocrat, pureblood, prefect) "befriends" Snape (11, poor, working class, half-blood, outcast) – I've never heard one more predatory thing in my life. 6 years is not a big age difference for adults, but we know that Snape had some connection to Lucius at school. How? Sirius is aware of it, and Sirius had nothing to do with Snape after graduation – didn't know he's a Death Eater, nothing. But he's aware of Snape’s relationship with Lucius enough to call Snape his "lapdog" as an insult, and use that relationship to hurt Snape – considering it about the same level of hurtful as Snape's comment on Sirius hiding in his mother's house.

Sirius also is the one who mentions Bellatrix and Rodolphus as a part of Snape's "gang". Bellatrix is 9 years older, Rodolfus – at least 7. Now, Bella and Severus don't behave like they had ever been close – so is Sirius just listing older DEs who Snape could be seen with if he sticked to Lucius? How old Rosier and Wilkies were? Rosier held his own against Moody well enough, I don't think a teenager was likely to do that. Avery and Mulcibier, people we know Snape had something to do with during his 5th year, could be his classmates (I think it's likely), or could be a bit older. So how old were underage Snape's "friends"? The ones who already had social, economical, psychological upper hand in the relationship because Snape was a neglected, dirt poor, muggle raised, traumatised child?

Lucius pats Snape on his back when he sits at the Slytherin table. Just a welcoming Prefect greeting a new student, sure. But for some reason this particular kid, with a muggle surname and visibly unloved, uncared for look, found a place to sit near the Prefect (and quite popular I'd imagine) Lucius Malfoy himself. How very convenient. Narcissa calls them "old friends" – how old, exactly? Even if we take Snape's oldest school year – 18yo being "friends" with 27yo is plenty predatory, especially considering their gap in social standing. Especially considering the organisation Lucius was a part of and his closeness to the Dark Lord himself during the first war.

This shit is deeply disturbing. Snape was a child and a teenager groomed by adults. Adults with very low morals and great proficiency in manipulation. Adults who had all the instruments to pull his strings. Is it any wonder Severus fell for it?