#hp discussion

[hedwigette]

Why are people so against Harry and Hermione having high-profile jobs at the ministry?

You're going to tell me that teenagers who had their lives shaped by politics wouldn't want to take control of them for the better? They saw first hand how the truth can be ignored in favour of opportunities and you want to tell me they will let other random people control that position of power in the future? That they wouldn't fight for better policies? That they wouldn't do anything to make it happen?

They hated those who were in the office like Fudge. They didn't hate the institution that is the Minister or Ministry.

Thinking that they hate everything about the ministry is like thinking British people who hate Theresa May hate the PM as a post and the Monarchy as a whole. Doesn't make sense.

Of course they would want to be part of rebuilding the country after the war and that goes by being a member of one of the Ministry's government bodies.

Hermione would love to fight for elves' rights by lobbying to pass social laws. Harry would love to investigate dark artefacts/magics/death eaters to prevent them from doing any more harm.

It makes sense for them to be ministry officials (especially under Kingsley who is much more liberal) and it makes sense for them to pursue such careers.

But genuinely asking, why are people so against it?

[petals2fish]

There is a clear moral distinction between killing in self-defense or protection and taking the life of someone who poses no immediate threat. Killing for protection is often seen as a necessary act in extreme circumstances, while killing without such justification is considered morally wrong because it lacks the imperative of defense or survival.

Given Snape’s past as a Death Eater, it’s highly likely that he has taken lives, whether through direct action or as part of a group. His close involvement in Voldemort’s inner circle, and the trust Voldemort placed in him—such as revealing the prophecy that targeted the Potters—suggests that Snape had proven himself through acts of violence, possibly including murder. He was indirectly responsible for the Potters' deaths, having informed Voldemort about the prophecy in the first place. As a spy, Snape would have witnessed, overheard, or participated in many acts that resulted in casualties. It’s hard to imagine anyone rising to such a high rank within Voldemort’s ranks without engaging in the same brutal actions as the other Death Eaters, including acts like torture, which often led to death.

I believe Snape’s soul was already scarred by his past, even if some of the deaths he was connected to were indirect or in self-defense. I think he did regret a lot of what he did, and that’s part of the reason he’s so bitter and nasty to everyone. He has always, always lashed out when he’s hurt. He turned all that guilt into a hatred and bitterness over any happiness because he’s literally never been happy. But the guilt rages on, and I’m positive he tried his hardest to make up for it by being loyal to Dumbledore…even though he could never let his hatred for the marauders (aka James Potter) and anything associated with them go…thereby making him particularly nasty to Harry.

BUT I DIGRESS. The murder of Albus Dumbledore was different for Snape—a premeditated act that was both personal and emotionally charged. Killing someone he knew well, who had trusted him, would likely have a much deeper impact on his conscience than killing a stranger in the chaos of war. The betrayal involved in taking Dumbledore’s life, with whom he had a bond, would have weighed heavily on his soul, creating far more guilt and inner turmoil than the detached violence of war ever could. The emotional gravity of killing a trusted figure would have corroded his soul much more.

ALSOOOO, I believe Snape deeply regretted revealing the prophecy to Voldemort, though his remorse was not exactly produced from noble intentions. Lmaooo His motives were entirely selfish. Snape’s request to save Lily was not out of a sense of justice or compassion, but purely because of his own unrequited love. Lily, of course, would never have stepped aside to save herself at the expense of her son. She died protecting Harry, and Snape had to live with the bitter truth that she sacrificed her life for a child she had with James Potter—the very man Snape had despised for years. This awareness must have tormented him deeply, a burden he carried to his last breath. She always, always chose James.

Snape’s inner conflict is heightened by the contrast between his feelings for the Potters. He spent a lifetime harboring hatred for James Potter while remaining hopelessly in love with Lily Evans. This dichotomy—his love for one and hatred for the other—became even more fateful driven as their union produced Harry, the child Snape would be forced to protect for Dumbledore as a spy for the rest of his life. The irony of this situation is not lost on me as a reader. Snape’s love for Lily bound him to a lifelong duty to guard her son, yet he had to constantly confront the fact that this child was also James Potter’s son. His role as Harry’s protector was not just a reflection of his loyalty to Dumbledore, but a complex penance for his past mistakes, an attempt to honor Lily’s memory while wrestling with the bitter resentment he felt toward Harry’s father.

[lady-moonflower]

hot take; A lot of characters people call Gryffindor or Slytherin are actually better suited for Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw.

That is because people will see someone ready to take action and say "oh, they're brave! Gryffindor!", or someone who is bad/evil in a way and say "damn, they must be Slytherin". But bravery or cunning isn't said character's main trait/trait driving them forward, so the sorting just doesn't feel right,

...

that's it. bye.

[rose-colored-glasses7]

Alright, this is an utterly insane theory, but it was also ridiculously entertaining to read. And, okay, I maybe like it more than Snape dying a martyr's death. Terribly un-Snape-like, that.

And, I now wish that Snape had managed to kill Nagini. Personally, I've always assumed that he was about to attack her, not defend against his own death (it would fulfill his orders and be a proper way to hurt Voldemort). The fact that he failed is, honestly, tragic.

The Headmaster Snape Conspiracy

So, here’s a theory for those who, like me, bemoaned the fact that Snape has never been given a second chance. In a way, his biggest flaw was to submit to a master, this being Voldemort. Which then led to him submitting to a second master, Dumbledore, to redeem himself. Although his actions might have helped Harry, in the end, he was unable to start over. It is a sad conclusion, indeed: No matter how hard you try to make up for the damage you caused, you will not be able to start over. I do not wish to engage in the debate whether he would have chosen death over life or not – rather, I would like to offer some hope to those who prefer a kinder, a more gentle world. This is my contribution to the “Snape survived and lived grumpily ever after” theme.

In order to give Snape an escape hatch, we will have to revisit the final battle in Deathly Hallows. Step by step.

Chapter Thirty: The Sacking of Severus Snape

On their way to alert the other teachers, McGonagall and invisible Harry come across Severus Snape, the official headmaster of Hogwarts. After a fierce fight, Snape takes flight, and his decision is met with irony by McGonagall:

“Our headmaster is taking a short break.”

Now, there is an obvious discrepancy between the title of the chapter, the content, and the comment itself. Snape was not sacked, because it is the Board of Governors and the ministry which hold the power to sack a headmaster. We have been reminded of this fact twice, in book 2 when too many children had been attacked by the basilisk, and in book 5 when Dumbledore was sacked by Fudge. Of course, one may argue that the teachers sacked their boss by resisting his orders. For now, I will let this argument stand as it is. It is worth mentioning, though, that although McGonagall makes important decisions concerning the security of Hogwarts, she is not called headmistress at any point in the chapter, nor is she shown to enter the headmaster’s office, a tell-tale sign of being acknowledged as the official headmistress.

In an interview, Rowling claimed that Snape “abandoned his post”, which contradicts the chapter’s title as well.

Obviously, the title intends to mislead the reader. The teachers’ actions have nothing to do with his desertion. Effectively, they did not sack him, even if their actions led to him fleeing the castle.

The second information that I take away from the chapter and the interview is that Snape has officially been acknowledged by Hogwarts as headmaster.  Bear with me, this argument is more amazing than it sounds. Snape had been installed as headmaster in a similar way to Umbridge: He was chosen against the better judgement of the other teachers by the governors/ministry, and both candidates were promoted not with the best interest of the children in mind.

Now, Hogwarts actually is not bound to acknowledge the person chosen by the ministry. Umbridge was denied the post, and due to that, she was unable to enter the headmaster’s office. Yet, it acknowledged Snape: Thus, Hogwarts is able to pick up the intention of the candidate. Snape was accepted and allowed entrance to the office, because he intended to serve the school to the best of his abilities. In order for him to be able to abandon his post, he must have controlled access to the headmaster’s office.

Next, let us remember what happens when Hogwarts is without a headmaster: The office remained closed to everybody, not just Umbridge, when Dumbledore had been sacked. The castle therefore does not distinguish between intention when allowing somebody entrance: Only the headmaster may pass. And when there’s a headmaster, the headmaster controls the admission of guests. Every time that Harry was allowed into the office, either Dumbledore was in the office (thereby letting Harry in without a password) or the headmaster’s password served as proof that the headmaster invited the person.

Let us move ahead to chapter thirty-three: The Prince’s Tale

Harry received Snape’s memories, and in order to watch them, he must gain access to the Pensieve in the headmaster’s office.

The gargoyle then asks Harry:

“Password?”

Do you spot the discrepancy?

If Snape had abandoned his post, there would, in effect, be no headmaster. Therefore, the gargoyle would have to remain silent, because nobody but the new headmaster would be able to enter the office. Snape’s password would have been rendered invalid.

At this point, the office still recognises Snape as the headmaster.

The most logical explanation, of course, is to assume that the castle is unaware of Snape’s death, because it happened in the Shrieking Shack, which is located in Hogsmeade, and despite its connection to the Whomping Willow, it is outside the boundaries of Hogwarts itself. And when Snape failed to return in due time due to his death, he effectively abandoned his post.

But here’s the thing: Rowling offers her words above in a very specific context.

Fan: Was the absence of snapes portrait in the headmaster’s office in the last scene innocent or deliberate

J.K. Rowling: It was deliberate. Snape had effectively abandoned his post before dying, so he had not merited inclusion in these august circles.

If Hogwarts was unable to recognise the death of the headmaster outside the boundaries of Hogwarts, all the people who received a portrait must have died in Hogwarts. Which is, statistically, unlikely.

Hogwarts had, according to legend, been built 1000 years ago. According to harrypotterwikia, there are 23 recognisable portraits in the office (movie version), with eighteen additional ones. These people would have on average served 24 years. Taking wizard lifespan into account, this makes sense, especially since some of these headmasters are known to have served up to 40 years alone. Basically, almost all of the headmasters in the past 1000 years would have had to have died on the premises to receive a portrait. Which is incredibly unlikely.

Even if you disregard movie information: In the books, there are enough portraits to cover the walls. They have been described as “rows” of portraits. Let us assume that there are enough portraits in the room for them to debunk the aforementioned theory.

Conclusion: Hogwarts does recognise when a headmaster dies outside the castle.

Which leaves us in an uncomfortable spot: If Hogwarts would have recognised Snape’s death, and Snape had still been headmaster by the time Harry entered the office, then Snape was not dead yet.

Yet Harry claimed he was. And of course, he is the master of death, right? He must know…

Which brings us back to the Shrieking Shack.

Chapter thirty-two: The Elder Wand

Snape is bitten by Nagini, because Voldemort thinks him the master of the Elder Wand. Harry approaches the bleeding man, and he receives the memories Snape is ejecting. Before Harry abandons the man, they lock eyes:

[…] after a second something in the depths of the dark pair seemed to vanish, leaving them blank and empty. The hand holding Harry thudded to the floor, and Snape moved no more.

Seems quite dead to me. But here’s the thing: Harry never checks Snape’s pulse, nor his breathing. For all we know, his eyes have gone starry due to shock, induced by blood loss. Which is… incredibly likely. Since he is bleeding out. And nobody is even attempting to do first aid.

To our knowledge, Snape is still alive, albeit half-way on the other side already. Somehow, Snape survives far enough into this battle for Harry to walk back to the castle and into the headmaster’s office.

Still, there are issues. For instance, we said that Snape did not abandon Hogwarts yet, otherwise the gargoyle would not ask for a password. So… did he abandon Hogwarts by being such an ungrateful bastard as to die before his time?

Even it being a rhetorical question, there is a definitive no as an answer. After all, Dumbledore died before his time, too, ungrateful bastard that he was, leaving everybody in this utter mess, and yet he deserved a portrait. Snape did not.

Here’s the thing: Snape must have abandoned his post after having been left for dead in the Shrieking Shack. Therefore, he must have lived through this gruesome ordeal.

There are two very obvious problems with this one.

    Shock due to blood loss

    Poison

Since Snape lost control over his extremities due to shock, he is unable to take a potion. Remember?

The hand holding Harry thudded to the floor, and Snape moved no more.

He would have needed somebody’s help to survive. Even if the poison was kicking in slowly, because he was bleeding it out, too, the wound had to be healed. And Nagini’s poison makes healing the wound quite a difficult task, as we have been told in book 5 when she bit Mr. Weasley.

However, I do know of a creature who is able to not only heal deadly wounds, but also the poison of even a Basilisk. Fawkes.

Now, Fawkes has left Hogwarts when Dumbledore died, and he would have no reason to approach Snape. How would he even know to look for him in the Shrieking Shack?

Let us remember what happened in book 2: Fawkes found Harry in the Chamber of Secrets, although it is basically inaccessible and unknown to anybody but the heir of Slytherin. Fawkes’s appearance was blamed on Harry’s loyalty to Dumbledore, and Fawkes acknowledged this act by offering his protection. This teaches us an important lesson. In order for Fawkes to offer his tears, Snape would have to perform an incredible act of loyalty to Dumbledore in the Shrieking Shack.

And he did. Remember when Voldemort preferred to hear himself talk, like any good, old-fashioned villain? He had to first make Snape understand why he had to die, before going for the kill.

“The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you have, Severus, the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine.”

And Voldemort even remarks on Snape understanding what this implies:

“Perhaps you already know it? You are a clever man, after all, Severus.”

Snape is aware of the fact that his promise to Dumbledore is about to get him killed. In this moment, he must realise Dumbledore’s original plan: To sacrifice not only himself, but also Severus for the greater good. Dumbledore had planned to have the ownership of the Elder Wand die with him, yet Voldemort would believe Snape to be the master. Once he killed Snape, he would become cocky, giving Harry a chance to strike back. Snape was never supposed to live.

And yet, he remains silent. Sure, revealing his betrayal would have gotten Snape killed as well, but I imagine that it would have been tempting to take revenge on Dumbledore this way. Instead, Snape raises his wand.

Oh, we all know Snape to be no fool. The book never tells us which of the two enemies he prepared to attack. Because it would have told us about his allegiance before the grand reveal: Despite being betrayed by Dumbledore, being sacrificed without his consent, Snape decided to do Dumbledore’s bidding once more.

In Snape’s memories, Dumbledore told him:

“There will come a time when Lord Voldemort will seem to fear for the life of his snake. […] when Lord Voldemort […] keeps it safe beside him, under magical protection.”

In the Shrieking Shack, Snape decided that Nagini had to be killed. He could not do so openly, because she was in a magical cage to protect her from harm. Despite the fact that Snape is a talented wizard, he took too long to protect himself – because he was not even attempting a defensive spell. He was collecting his strength to attack Nagini in her cage.

This is his act of incredible loyalty towards Dumbledore. Snape is brilliant at defending himself – that is what he has been doing all his life. He showcased these particular skills when he disarmed Lockhart in Book 2, when he applied to become teacher for Defense against the Dark Arts, when he protected himself against the onslaught of attacks by McGonagall and the others in chapter thirty-one. Occluding, too, is a defensive technique, and Dumbledore considers it Snape’s strength. His entire existence is shaped by defending himself against bullies, emotions, those that consider him of less worth due to his blood, children’s remarks on teachers… you get the picture. Snape is a master at defending. He would not have failed to defend himself. Instead, he failed to attack in time.

Just like when Fawkes found Harry simply because Harry was loyal to Dumbledore, no matter the consequences, Fawkes appeared in the Shrieking Shack to save the day.

And Snape decided to disappear. He abandoned Hogwarts whilst still being headmaster, and therefore, he did not receive a portrait, even after he died sometime in the distinct future.

Probably when he heard that Harry named a bloody child after him. And Dumbledore, of all people. And weirdly, that child’s sister has the same name as his first crush. And to mock him, the brother is called after the two people he probably despised more than Voldemort.

For all we know, Snape moved to Jamaica, got a brilliant tan, and is the proud owner of a strange book shop in which you are anything but welcome.

[fafodill]

The exact wording of the ask I got was: 'what if someone was asking deprived!Snape (read my whole essay about him) to "break them off a piece of that KitKat bar?" How would they go about it?'

So today we're going to discuss this. Buckle up people.✨

SO his reaction will largely depend on the context and their current relationship but one thing that will happen FOR SURE every time before anything else is that he's going to think they're messing with him.

What else could it be? This man had been so heavily bullied as a teen his self-esteem is buried and has its own tombstone.

"Here lies Snape's self-image. Spit to pay your respect."

We don't have any canon proof of it happening but many people headcanon that some of the bullying might have been people being dared to come up to him and fake attraction or compliment him (so funny omg) only for him to realize they were just messing with him. It's totally the kind of immature stupid shit kids will come up with (speaking from personal experience here). Not funny but deeply scarring for one's self-image. So being told he's attractive would trigger him in his adult life. Any potential suitor asking him out would be welcomed with him immediately closing up and getting angry at them. They'd need to find a way for him to believe them first.

If you're thinking "this already sounds like a pain", yes it is. Welcome to deprived!Snape. Welcome to Snape, basically. If they want a piece of him, they have to brace themselves for the long run.

He will get angry and leave a lot. Fleeing the situation - since it's a very vulnerable subject for him - will be his go-to move. The whole ordeal will require patience. So what should this person do?

Friend or Stranger?

If it comes from a DE he'll think it's an angle. If it's from a member of the Order, he'll think it's a joke. If it's from a colleague at Hogwarts, he maaaay be a tad less suspicious? In any case, it will depend on how close they are. The more time they have spent together, the closer he'll be to not flip out... too much.

I'm a bit torn about his reaction if it was coming from a stranger. Either it's easier because he can lean into the idea that maybe they're lying about their attraction and he doesn't care (and if he's horny then why the fuck not, it won't affect him as much since they both now they're here for physical release) OR he might not be into it at all because he actually needs a real connection (and I think this is more realistic). Severus is a feral cat, he needs time to trust people.

What else? He could also maybe open up faster with someone not from his usual inner circles (a foreigner or a muggle) as the interactions wouldn't be charged with the same deep-rooted habits and expectations.

I also believe he'd unconsciously feel way more at ease with someone coming from a modest background. A pureblood aristocrat hitting on him would have little chance of getting past his natural distrust of them (unless he knows them very well).

So what should they do?

Build trust

The quality of their interactions and conversations will have a huge impact. Do they have an interesting personality? He needs someone capable of taking him on and keeping up intellectually. Can they keep up with him and challenge him?

Severus has a temper. Can they deal with his bullshit and not give up on him at the first scowl? Argue with him? It doesn't mean they can't be nice, but I don't see him get worked up over someone cowering under his gaze.

They need to be stubborn. He's a Capricorn and he's got the horns. He's hard-headed. They need to not back down when he bites or dismisses their attempts at flirting. One of Severus's classic tactic is to hurt people so they leave him alone, so they need to be able to dodge the attack, make fun of him or retaliate.

If they manage to deal with his temper, they will start to see what's on the other side of the snarky exterior. Then, they'll be able to start kneading the dough (Severus is the dough).

Convince him the attraction is real

That person could go the gentle/honest way, assuring him they're not kidding and explaining what they find attractive about him (he'd be super wary and need days to digest it - if he can). Genuine compliments could work quite well as he's good at reading people but it would be a process and it shouldn't be too much at once. He's NOT USED to compliments so if the person goes too hard, he's going to get overwhelmed, distance himself and reject it. A good trick would be to compliment his intelligence and magical skills alongside physical traits. A 2/3-1/3 ratio would be a good start. He would trust compliments about his big brain way more than anything regarding his cute butt.

Complimenting his presence, aura, voice might be good too as it's not directly related to physical traits. Else, physical starters could include hands and eyes. But I also love the idea of taking him by surprise and complimenting his nose. Might weird him out in a good way.

Or they could go the blunt way (or what I now refer to in my mind as the @maxdibert way) and be like "dude, I really think you're hot, deal with it" and leave him to sort his feelings out like a big boy.

The two strategies can be mixed of course. But at the end of the day, the real problem is that Severus as approximately a thousand confirmation bias in his mind telling him this is not happening. So what could they do to help ease this process?

Make him horny

Less overthinking = more chances to get this piece of ass.

Severus Snape needs to be warmed up. And as stated in my previous essay, he's plagued with the core beliefs that he's ugly, ridicule and undeserving. These beliefs need to be kneaded and challenged enough (not healed, this would take decades and it's not their job), so that he can relax and open up to the idea of intimacy.

Here are a few strategies to do so.

First, de-dramatize the subject. Making the topic less taboo by talking about it in a lighthearted way (no flaunting! certainly not!). A good move would be to joke about it. Deprived!Snape isn't comfortable with the subject but it's because it's evaded him and then he convinced himself he wasn't concerned or interested.

-> Here are some of the things he could benefit from hearing: that sex is not a big deal at all and we can laugh about it. It should be fun, a shared moment, trials and errors are part of it and there should no be judgment about experiences and preferences. People with a high 'body count' aren't necessarily good lovers, it's all about presence and intent etc.

His potential partner could share funny mishaps that happened to them and - when there's an opening - ask him what he would expect from a pleasant intimate moment (that's a very advanced move, don't forget he's bad with words)(it would only work in my opinion if they're both drunk and have been going at it for a while).

Also sharing experiences is a great way to build trust and intimacy (and arousal). He thrives on knowledge so learning more about his potential partner might ease his mind in some way (and give him some free intrusive thoughts). See it as added ingredients to make him simmer.

Though they shouldn't talk too much about the number of partners they had and said partner's skills. This might make him retreat. Again: low self-esteem and always on the lookout for an excuse to sabotage it.

Wait what about drunk!Snape you say? That's a trope we enjoy around here. Although I headcanon him as not being a heavy drinker (if a drinker at all because of his father) it would be a great way to lower a bit his inhibition. A DE would have a hard time sharing a drink with him, same for an Order member (he never stays after meetings but could be coerced), but a colleague could maybe drag him to the Three Broomsticks with other members of the staff and then leave early with him. wink wink Come on, rub his foot under the table and look at him choke on his ale. He'll skin you alive with his eyes and you can just raise a suggestive eyebrow back.

Persistence, persistence.

Of course a bit of physical baiting could help with his dusty libido. After all, they'd kinda be dealing with an teenager, experience-wise. Nothing too bold (though I headcanon that his sooty Cokeworth self would get way more worked up over unabashed desire than delicate courting but he's buried a bit too deep at the moment) but a nice cleavage, some leg showing, a fitting pair of pants or robes might not be a bad move. Since he might be uncomfortable with words, they could flaunt the goods in his face! The man has eyes, let him look and scold himself for looking. Also a few heavy looks, biting a lip and lingering fingers could go a long way for such a deprived man, especially if it's directed at him.

At the end of the day, the trick is to make him able to put his worry aside (or snap, if you find the word sexier).

They could go the provocative way, being insufferable and making him want to shut them up.

They could try some endless teasing until he's a lost hot mess, unable to express what he wants except by going 'fuck it' and going for it.

They could go slower and create a safe space with a weekly ritual (every Friday night meeting for a drink/to grade essays/to hang out) which can lead to a late night snog (floating candles optional).

They could be blunt and go 'I want to kiss you so bad right now' as they leave Hogsmeade together and are walking on the dirt path towards the castle. A gust of wind will prevent him from hiding himself behind his hair and they'll see the flush creeping on his face.

They could hammer the compliments and validation, because Severus craves recognition (is there a praise kink in there? yes). So first it could be his mind, his work, his skills... then the way his cape suits his frame so well, his silky voice... and then bam, hitting the nail on the head with complimenting his mouth. Blabbering mess guaranteed. Might flee but blush deliciously. Or might stop dead in his track and then it's time for them to claim these lips.

Kissing

Clumsy. Tentative. Awkward.

But earnest.

He might freeze at first. Wait, these lips knew how to do that once upon a time... how does it go again? He'll need a bit of time to remember but the best way to (re)learn is practice.

It will be a lot for him. As he's extremely touch-deprived he'd be literally rediscovering human contact. So much to feel, the supple of the lips, their shape, the softness, the wetness.

Honestly, deprived!Snape could get really worked up just from kissing.

(They could honestly make him cum just from this and some grinding. Amen. If he does he'd need reassurance after and still might flee and hide and snarl for a few days because male performance blahblahblah. Hopefully they'd be able to skip this step at this point in the relation.)

But I believe he'd enjoy it greatly and this might be a step he'd want to stay at for some time before going further.

Undressing

I headcanon deprived!Snape as being very self-conscious about revealing his body so it might only be possible with someone he really trusts. It might be painfully difficult for him (might require dimmed light if not obscurity but I mean come on, they're here to look at him and it'd be better for him to rip the bandaid... but giving him the option might help).

Either he'll be too aroused to care (or act as if he doesn't) or he'll feel very self-conscious and look for cues to confirm his belief that his partner will find him disgusting. It's the right moment for them to express their desire.

If for some reason he gets too triggered and leave, they wouldn't be back to square one but again, patience is key. He needs time. Or maybe they could convince him to stay and try to resolve the situation by stopping the intimacy and just talk about something else. It could be good practice to show him this isn't a big deal and that everything is fine.

But at this stage, complimenting him sincerely (no coddling) whilst not hiding their arousal could work nicely. Sprinkling some of the fantasies they had about him as well. ('I've been dreaming about these hands on me', 'You have no idea how much I've been wanting to kiss these lips to make you shut up', 'I laid awake at night thinking about touching this part of you'). Showing appreciation with touch could convince him more though and it has the advantage of preventing him to think too much.

But really, he won't like to focus on his appearance as it's something he has no control over so they should -unfortunately- bite their tongue and keep the flood of horny compliments to themselves at first. A new one might be fed to him once every two weeks to slowly build his confidence.

In Bed

Deprived!Snape is: prideful, yearning for control and very sensitive.

Now honestly I could make a whole other post with the different scenarios where he'd be more top or bottom. Instead, I will focus more on what would happen either way.

He'll want to learn. Because Severus is nothing if not a scholar. He's got a very curious nature regarding topics that interest him so if his partner is showing him how they like something, he'll get super serious about it. He will try to touch them in the exact same way at first and he's a fast learner so once it's mastered, he'll experiment. And he's going to be good at it.

That man got dexterity and an inventive mind. And that's canon.

But his focus on his partner might also be a way to keep control during this highly new situation. Depending on how self-conscious he is about his inexperience, shifting the focus on him might be a challenge. Maybe letting him take the lead could be a good idea. But maybe shoving him against the mattress and seizing control is the way to go here.

Now, he will be very sensitive, won't he?

Yes, he might. He might be a whimpering mess in no time. His partner should be cautious and gentle with him. Severus letting his guard down and letting them touch him is a very big effort coming from him so they should savor it and be sure to make it feel safe if they want this to happen again. Help him relax, let him breathe, don't hesitate to pause if he gets nervous. The walls will be destroyed, moan after moan.

But what if he isn't sensitive?

That's a possibility as well. He's been by himself for years and his wariness of intimacy and people is wired in his cells at this point. He's disconnected from his own body and never pays attention to it. He might also tense heavily once in bed with his partner, the vulnerability of it accentuating the disconnection. He might not feel pleasure, might get frustrated and feel angry or inadequate.

This situation - which I find very interesting and seems like a realistic follow-up to him wanting to kiss for a long time and struggling with undressing - is tricky and will require diplomacy and more patience.

But maybe this could be a dealbreaker for him. If the payoff isn't worth the discomfort, he could easily take it as a confirmation bias that intimacy isn't for the likes of him. The best course of action could be to focus on non-sexual aspect of intimacy.

But this essay is way too long already so I'm going to stop here.

What should I write about next? Is there something you wish I had addressed here? Is there something you'd like me to discuss next?

UPDATE: so a few people seem to be mad at me, demanding I keep on elaborating SO. Let's say I'm done here for the 'how to bed him' part (which was the premise of this essay) and I'll do another one following thoughts and possibly... focusing on the different roles in bed (top/bottom/switch) for our dear Severus. See you there.

TLDR: He's gonna be a pain, his partner needs to have calming draught for their nerves but in the end it will be very rewarding because he's starved and inventive.

[moonlightdancer26]

I feel like no one ever talks about the fact that Snape canonically has a cute nickname, like he is literally called “Sev” by his best friend. We don’t even need to come up with our own nicknames for him in fanfics because it’s already canon. He got called Sev for at least 6-7 years of his life by his best friend, how cute is that??

[neverenoughmarauders]

Lily's meaningless sacrifice

One thing that irks me is when people suggest that in canon, Lily had any idea that Harry would survive (this is merely a canon post, nothing to do with fanfiction). It irks me, partly because it's just incorrect and that's the sort of person I am. More importantly, however, it irks me because Lily not stepping aside when she had nothing to gain from dying is fundamental to the story.

Let's start with JKR own words from an interview in 2005:

MA: Did she know anything about the possible effect of standing in front of Harry? JKR: No - because as I've tried to make clear in the series, it never happened before. No one ever survived before. And no one, therefore, knew that could happen.

Lily knew nothing about the possible effect of standing in front of Harry. Lily was faced with this choice:

Scenario 1: Steps aside, and Harry is killed.

Scenario 2: Be killed, and Harry is killed.

Scenario 1 is (on the surface) objectively better (unless you're a DE and thus want less muggle-borns around). To Voldemort, it's a simple choice: In both scenarios Harry will die, in one, Lily will survive. In fact, this is what makes a lot of people defend Severus' choice to only ask Voldemort to spare Lily. Severus could not save Harry (and apparently it's totally cool not trying to save others if they bullied you).

Lily could not save Harry.

Lily's choice, as far as she is aware, is not whether to save Harry or not, but whether to save herself. And yet, Lily cannot stand aside. As JKR points out earlier in the interview, what Lily did is not that surprising to us readers ("I don't think any mother would stand aside from their child"). Why? Love. Because, as Dumbledore reminds us on multiple occasions: there are worse things than death - most notably in DH:

"Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love."

Love, and life with and without love is an undercurrent in the story. Lily's sacrifice is meaningless when made, and yet it's the biggest and most understandable expression of love anyone can show someone else. Lily cannot, and does not want to, live in a world where she has witnessed her son being murdered - especially when her husband has been murdered too. A world without Harry and James is no world for Lily Potter.

It is also - bear with me - not that different from what it was like to be in the Order at that time:

[Y]ou weren’t in the Order then, you don’t understand, last time we were outnumbered twenty to one by the Death Eaters and they were picking us off one by one...

“He — he was taking over everywhere!” gasped Pettigrew. “Wh — what was there to be gained by refusing him?”

The Order operated against the odds and were being picked off one by one. As Peter asks - what was there to be gained by refusing him? What was there to be gained from standing (metaphorically or not) in front of Voldemort's victims? I've said this before and I'll say it again, Sirius' answer is powerful:

“What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?” said Black, with a terribly fury in his face. “Only innocent lives, Peter!” “You don’t understand!” whined Pettigrew. “He would have killed me, Sirius!” “THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!” roared Black.

Only innocent lives. They weren't fighting this war because they were winning. In fact they were very much losing. But they were fighting because it was right thing to do. Many Order members chose to die, rather than to step aside and let Voldemort take over. Only in their case it didn't make a difference - or at least, it didn't feel like it at the time. Members were murdered, and Voldemort was just getting stronger and stronger.

What was there to be gained by refusing Voldemort?

I firmly believe this is a theme that is repeated throughout the book: not just love and choice, but the obligation to choose what is right, no matter the odds (the irony that this was written by JKR will never be lost on me), and how love is a powerful motivator to do just that. Doing the right thing might seem hopeless in the moment - wasteful even - but that doesn't mean it's not worth doing, or that in the end, it won't add up.

Imagine what Harry felt like at the end of PS/SS when he risked his life to stop Voldemort, only to realise that Voldemort would keep trying to come back:

“Well, Voldemort’s going to try other ways of coming back, isn’t he? I mean, he hasn’t gone, has he?” “No, Harry, he has not. (...) Nevertheless, Harry, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time — and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power.”

Harry Potter isn't about doing the right thing because it will bring you rewards, but because it is the right thing.

“Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory.”

This speech doesn't sit well with a few people because it sounds like you're asked to remember what happened to someone who did do the right thing (spoiler: he died). But that's not the point, of course. Cedric wasn't killed for doing the right thing or making a hard choice - Dumbledore asks the students to remember Cedric because the enemy is willing to kill innocent people indiscriminately. Standing aside will not be good enough against people like Voldemort. There is, as Dumbledore put it, a need to keep fighting what seems a losing battle. Why? Only innocent lives.

Both James and Lily die that evening because they are unwilling to let Voldemort near their innocent son as long as there is breath in their bodies. James had no choice (this irks me because he did, he could have run away - he could have not fought Voldemort in the Order to being with. They all had a choice, but not the point). Lily had a choice. And she chose, like many had before her, to fight what seemed like a losing battle. She died, not knowing that she had saved her son. Her sacrifice was meaningless - like so many before her - and yet her sacrifice changed the world.

In the end, by choosing to do what was right, she was granted the wish she most desired: Her son lived.

[farsight-the-char]

HP fans are truely the proof of exemplary of fandom being terrible

AO3 Top Relationships Bracket- Round 1 Side 2

This poll is a celebration of fandom history; we're aware that there are certain issues with many of the listed pairings and sources, but they are a part of that history. Please do not take this as an endorsement, and refrain from harassment.

[hedwigette]

I think there is a misconception in the fandom about how some of the jobs in the Wizarding world work.

I don't quite agree that Harry shouldn't be an Auror because it's not OOC for him. And the police system in the Wizarding world might be similar to the muggle one but there are differences.

And saying that he's like a cop, exactly as how it's viewed in the muggles world (especially American) isn't really true either.

There is a separation between Aurors and Hit Wizards (a bit like barristers and solicitors).

Just gonna summarise the wiki:

Aurors chase dark wizards like Hit wizards but unlike the latter, they are highly trained law enforcement who primarily deal with investigations. They are trained intensively for 3 years and only few can join. They must have "Exceed Expectations" (2nd highest grade) in basically everything. They also have a series of characters and aptitude tests. They're magically trained (not physically) especially in defense magic.

It's a special member of the ministry that is highly regarded. It's extremely difficult to qualify as one.

They must have knowledge on Dark Arts because they're investigating crimes related to it. And they apprehend Dark Wizards and Witches.

Though, they do have a sort of military training which relies on discipline and intelligence agency.

In conclusion, they're a specialised unit trained to investigate and occasionally fight against Dark Wizards and Dark arts. That's it.

Hit-wizards however, deal with highly dangerous combat situations, such as high-risk arrests and riot control. They back up Aurors to capture dark wizards. They're the ones arresting suspects (like Sirius) and most of their work is about maintaining the public order and dangerous situations.

Unlike Aurors who have abilities that are far beyond arresting suspects or investigation skills, Hit wizards are primarily a fighting and controlling force, not trained to investigate.

The stark difference is that Aurors are trained extensively in methods of criminal investigation, intelligence gathering and crime prevention (not repression at least not always), Hit wizards, again, are a force made for fighting and controlling the mass.

The equivalent for the Muggle word would, roughly, be like Homicide and Major Crime command/FBI equal to Aurors and Metropolitan Police/SWAT equal to Hit Wizards.

As we all know, Harry isn't someone who enjoys fighting because it's always life and death for him. But, he loves putting his nose into other people's business and investigating what's going on. Moreover, Harry is someone active: he would not just stand arms cross behind a DADA desk, watching the world burn down. He would partake in what's right, no matter the law. And lastly, Harry has always viewed the wizarding world as his home. Unlike with the Dursleys, Harry felt safe there. There is no scenario in which he wouldn't do everything he can to protect his home. He would fight against the corruption of the ministry because he would not stand back against injustice, he would face it.

That's a fundamental part of his character.

So no. Saying it doesn't make sense for him to become an Auror is to not know what an Auror is like and who Harry is. He definitely would become one. The right job, and qualification people look out when they talk about Aurors is actually, Hit-wizards, and yes, It wouldn't make sense for Harry to be one.

[tomatobasill]

True crime & wine is moonwater's fave activity they told me bc I was there

[farsight-the-char]

Classic New Mutants, which is the “Xmen as a School” done best

Art by the Legendary Bill Sienkiewicz

"Name a series better than Harry Potter" Ok.

[ghostinwinterfell]

whenever I’m sad that harry lost his family on halloween night, I remember that he found them again in ron and hermione ten halloweens later because family always finds its way back to you.

[scarheadferret]

Why are people suddenly comparing regulus’s sacrife and draco’s deserved redemption arc?!

No one hates R.A.B. — he made his choices, recognized his mistakes, and acted on them. But that doesn’t mean Draco’s hesitation to fully commit to either side, or his quiet defiance against the Dark, makes him any less worthy of redemption.

Both were kids when this heavy responsibility was thrown onto them

[fafodill]

On Snape depriving himself sexually...

SO, I got hyperfocused and I hope you'll enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I needed only one person to tell me they were interested so thank you @severus-snaps haha. And thank you @wisteria-lodge for encouraging me !

This is a continuation of my previous post about Snape's relation with intimacy. I'm always a sucker for the pent up and deprived trope and I feel like Snape could fit the profile perfectly. Of course this is complete HC, as we literally have zero information about him having any personal life whatsoever so... pure speculation and meta discussion. Let's have fun, buckle up, here is why I think he'd make a great candidate for it :

Early teens: Many of us tend to interpret Snape as sexually inexperienced. This of course comes partly from his unpopularity in school, a time where teenagers start experimenting a bit. It's hard to imagine the little scrawny greasy potion nerd getting a lot of action. Though I'm open to thinking something might have happened here and there. I mean, girls also like smart and scrawny guys, I would love to read a fic where a Ravenclaw or Slytherin has a crush on him and he's utterly clueless because he's too engrossed in his books and when he realizes he's so flustered and clumsy about it. And they snog in the library and he's so afraid of getting caught by Mrs Pince. But being consistently bullied would have hurt his reputation, thus making people avoid being associated with him to not become targets as well. Also, his bullies were good-looking guys and it may have contributed to highlighting his bad looks in the public eye way more than if he had been left alone. And just with the nickname alone, but you won't tell me James and Sirius never insulted his nose, his hair, his complexion or his thin frame.

So one of the first core belief that might have emerged and latched itself to his sexuality would have been: I'm ugly/repelling.

But we don't have any proof in canon that he wasn't interested in romantic/sexual interactions back then. For all we know, he was a socially awkward teenager going through puberty. Even if he was certainly anxious and angry due to the bullying, he was still going through the same hormone cocktail as everyone.

HC : I've been wondering how the students find places to masturbate in peace and of course we don't exactly know why he invented the Muffliato charm but give me a Snape who was too whimpery to be completely silent and used it for this.

Post SWM though, I think it's safe to assume the trauma scared him unconsciously regarding the subject. Being perceived before wasn't easy, as he was aware he wasn't exactly good-looking and his self-esteem was impacted for sure, but after... oh boy. I can imagine him so traumatized that the mere idea of undressing in the vicinity of people was making his blood freeze. This may have led to hygiene issues as well, or only feeling safe to shower in the dead of night or at times where the dormitories where utterly empty. The shame linked to having his body and underwear exposed could have definitely stunned his sexual awakening as it happened at such a crucial age. How can you safely explore your own sexuality if every time you think about how ugly you are and that so many people saw your body and laughed at it ? (and the adults doing nothing to punish the people who did that hammered the beliefs that he was indeed laughable)

So second core belief added: I'm ridicule.

Also the SWM incident might have triggered his need to cover/shield his body from head to toe at all time and nobody can convince me otherwise.

At the very least I imagine masturbating would then be heavily linked to the anger and shame of that moment. The memory would either unlock or at least impact it unconsciously in some way, marking the act with a profound bitterness or stopping it altogether. The result: every time his body would ask for attention, he'd be overcome with very intense traumatic feelings and have no idea how to deal with them; so he'd start recoiling instinctively from any sexual thought. Also, since undressing/changing clothes became a triggering act, being even partially nude to touch himself would also stress him immensely.

So instead of indulging, he'd start developing coping mechanisms like focusing on anything else that brought him a sense of pleasure to trick his brain : potions, the dark arts, creating spells etc.

And of course, we can assume that even if someone was trying to approach him at that point, he'd recoil like a wounded animal, expecting mockery and reacting very aggressively.

After Hogwarts: We don't know what might have happened during his 3-4 years after school. We have a lot of creative space, though we know he got a Potion Mastery (??) so he must have studied somewhere and he was active within the DE circles. As @maxdibert pointed in a few posts - which I think is an astute point - the Dark Lord was aware of the affection/attraction Severus had felt towards Lily and, to prove his disinterest, he might have engaged with a few pureblood women. We could speculate on different situations here (and if anyone's interested we could explore this), but as I'm going for deprived!Snape, I'd say it wasn't helpful. At this point he's a young adult, torn between his inexperience and his limboing self-esteem. On top of that he's a deeply proud individual, obsessed with controlling the way he's being perceived. He's already occlumenting his emotions to remain safe, and well, engaging sexually does require some sort of vulnerability he isn't capable of at that point.

Maybe he said some harsh things to his partners when confronted with his clumsiness (even if they were kind), maybe he got bit back (and deserved it). He'd use these instances as confirmation bias to convince himself intimacy wasn't something emotionally safe, interesting nor even remotely pleasant enough.

Then there's Lily's death, and I personally don't see her as having a lot of influence on his sexuality directly (except maybe for the fact that when he had feelings for her, he might have felt she was 'too pretty for him', which fed the first core belief), but it did fuel a ton the last core belief which is : I'm undeserving (because I'm a bad person).

The undeserving part existed prior to her death. It stemmed from his upbringing (undeserving of care), of his social status (undeserving of material comfort), his blood status (undeserving of opportunities), his social awkwardness (undeserving of friendship), his special interest in the dark arts (undeserving of respect).

Lily's death crystallized such deep guilt inside of him that he devoted his life after that to atoning. I'm a firm believer that there's a clear before and after regarding the way he treated his body. Not that things were drastically different, but it made it worse. He ate less, slept less and touched himself even less. Probable not at all for a good few months, maybe even up to a year or so as he was extremely stressed from his new job, depressed and overcomed with grief. Honestly, at that point in his life he was barely functioning.

Then we have his adult life at Hogwarts: at that point in his life he's working and living where his worst trauma occurred. Not great for healing. During those years, he mastered the art of shutting down with occlumency everything he couldn't deal with, including his body's basic needs. He had excuses for everything. Sleeping? How could he rest when he had so much work to do dealing with the little shitheads and that infuriating Headmaster? Eating? Pfft, he had been fine all his childhood, so now he'd eat what he needed to function, but craving something and getting it wasn't something he'd allow himself. Masturbating? Tricky part, because he almost never thought about it anymore. He would not even treat it as a basic need. Like, sleep and food were still required to function, even in limited amount or he would pass out, but he could function without sex. Bottom line is, deep down he would feel undeserving of any sort of pleasure.

Rewarding his body, taking care of it wasn't allowed. It was part of his self-inflicted punishment.

But it would be still natural for his body to seek sexual release from time to time. He'd have hard-ons sometimes in the morning and ignore it until it went away, maybe take a cold shower or - why not - even take a potion he'd have invented to calm it down (or worse, to make it hurt so it would go down, if you want to go the masochistic way). The way I see it, every time he'd have an unwanted sensual/sexual thought (oh, this person at the Three Broomsticks has disarmingly pretty lips, this other person's got very elegant hands, or this one's hips look live they're meant to be grabbed), he'd shut it down immediately.

Fantasizing wouldn't be pleasant either. Each time, it would trigger the self-depreciating thoughts. Who are you fooling ? This person would never touch you, never look at you. And if they did, you wouldn't deserve it and would fuck it up anyway. Faceless people then, but it would still always be tainted with the ghost of years of bitterness, loneliness and unmet needs. So it'd be easier to pretend he doesn't have them or doesn't care. Of course this would do nothing to soothe his sour mood (and here talking from experience: I've been sexually frustrated quite a lot in my twenties, and I can definitely say that the mental relief you feel alongside the physical release when you get it is quite something. Like, I'd be a changed person, just because chemically my brain would finally be swimming again in endorphins. So yeah, at that point in his life I believe he's in dire need of a good shag and is partly always on edge because of this).

And when he would indulge in masturbation, it'd be because he's too tired to fight it or just because he knows that if he does, his body would leave him alone for a while. It would be quick, mechanical, in the dark, the mess cleaned up immediately and then forgotten about. The less thinking involved, the better so it wouldn't trigger the core beliefs. Maybe it'd happen when being tipsy after a night out with the other professors, or just when he was too stressed or exhausted at the end of terms and it was his body's way of asking for a break and a distraction.

I think he'd be also more prone to having his sexual needs resurface when he's not at Hogwarts and the mental toll of being there isn't weighing on him (maybe during summer or maybe even if he goes into the Forbidden Forest to gather potion ingredients, or a trip to Diagon Alley). He would find it really annoying, not realizing how the two are linked.

Then how would he be dealing with the constant tension and redirecting the release ? (fun stuff)

I think he could get a sick pleasure from being able to not indulge for long periods of time, thriving on his sense of control. He'd maybe even feel shame when he finally does, chastising himself for being weak.

When too tired to notice, late at night in his office, his body would hijack control a little bit and he'd start rubbing himself unconsciously with one hand while correcting essays and immediately stop upon realizing.

He'd be a GREAT candidate for edging. Like telling himself that if there's no release it doesn't count and he could get some pleasure whilst still shaming and punishing himself. Maybe sometimes even without touching himself directly, just letting the fabric rub on him, while shifting his hips just a bit. A good compromise he wouldn't want to analyze too closely.

Being pent up all the time makes one irritable, so some of that tension is fueling his already short-tempered nature and getting out by lashing out at idiots. It would also be a way to... spill out but with words (classy I know).

I don't see him doing any sport to get endorphins and relieve tension (though he does prowl the castle at night, that counts as walking haha).

The only part of his body I could see him pay attention to would be his hands as he uses them for potion work. He could be proud of their dexterity and I can imagine him taking care of them. Like, once of twice a week he'd put a cream or an ointment (self-made ofc) and massage his fingers and palms. Nothing sexual about it but it would be the closest he has to a gentle self-touch.

But mostly, his sole source of pleasure would still come from focusing on his interests. Working all night on improving a new potion, loosing himself in the method and appreciating his own skills, or reading about and experimenting with the Dark Arts (I don't think he ever stopped seeking knowledge, which is why he was able to save Dumbledore's ass from Marvolo's ring). These two things are his private garden, something that's inherently his despite everything, and it would be his way of pleasuring himself in an acceptable way: intellectually.

But what about the people around him or potential partners ?

He'd hate any sexual jokes or comments about him or in general. Sexually open people would make him angry (jealous). It'd irk him. As it's such a loaded and repressed subject for him he'd see them as flaunting their unspoken good experiences. He'd try to unconsciously shame them into silence by telling them they're being inappropriate. At the end of the day, it's just his way of protecting himself because he wouldn't know how to navigate the conversation, and his pride wouldn't let him feel ridiculed again.

He would also hate being looked at, even clothed. People judging his body would definitely trigger the awful memory from SWM. He would struggle immensely to accept the possibility of being looked at in an appraising way. If someone was sincere and stubborn enough to convince him they're not lying, he'd be extremely confused and wary.

And if he was to be attracted to that person as well, he'd have to deal with an almost second puberty on top of his core beliefs. He'd be so clumsy, so out of touch with his body and very frustrated with all the unwanted sensations he's not used to deal with. And that's such an interesting and fascinating subject aaaah.

At the end of the day, deep down he doesn't believes he deserves pleasure or comfort in his life so a partner would have to be patient with him. There's a lot of strategies they could try and I'd be delighted to explore them but I'm gonna stop here because this essay is so long already haha. SO, in conclusion:

He needs a good shag.

Thank you for reading.

UPDATE: go here to read how to bed deprived!Snape

I'd love to discuss how it would go with different characters trying to approach him, or I could talk about the classic trope of losing control because of his short temper but with him deprived, so many possibilties aaah, I love it when he's angry AND horny AND clumsy-

Also, my current favorite oneshot of deprived!Snape here : Cursed into Temptation by @marvel-snape-writes (very smutty, amazing, I'm on my knees)

[thalthanmadanus]

I want to know what you think about the whole dudley and draco comparison. In terms of both their upbringing and behaviour or rather as generally labelled as their “bullying nature “

Cause i genuinely dont understand it and i want to know how and why people draw this inference.

Honey, I can answer you but my answers will only be a direct copy of other posts that talked better about this "Draco and Dudley parallel"

Some posts that I loved that try through watsonian analysis to dig deep into this:

Why does Harry see Draco as a worse bully than Dudley? by @wisteria-lodge

Is Draco even a bully? by @wisteria-lodge

On Draco and Harry's first meeting by @blorger

These are good metas.

Now if you ask me why people always bring up the parallel, well it's because Harry said it. And Harry is the protagonist so he must be right.

If Harry said this person this evil, then this person must be evil. And if he said they're good then they must be good.

If Harry said Draco is worse than Dudley, then Drack must be worse than Dudley.

The idea that Harry could be a *biased* narrator doesn’t cross these people's minds.

That maybe it isn't as simple and deterministic as jkr wants it to be. That the reason why Harry thinks Draco is worse than Dudley could be much more complex and influenced by internal psychological factors.

Just because Harry judged a person so and so, doesn't mean he's right on the account of him being the protagonist.

Another favorite post of mine is this haha

Dudley vs Draco redemption

[moonlightdancer26]

Can we take a moment to discuss Snape refereeing a Quidditch match and flying around on a broomstick and having to learn the rules just because he wanted to keep Harry safe?