Fandom Discussion and Poll: Snape and His Accursed Bloodline

[themostepotente]

sinick and I had a discussion not too long ago on Snape's bloodline and whether or not his bloodline was truly a secret.

I can buy that Dumbledore and McGonagall were privy to his familial bloodline, but anyone else? I think Snape being as unpopular as he was would have done just about anything to make certain his background was kept as secret as possible. It's been suggested that a lot of the kids sorted into Slytherin were actually half-bloods masquerading as pure-bloods to escape scrutiny or worse. This makes a lot of sense to me.

I guess the crux of our debate was whether or not Lucius knew Severus was a half-blood. I maintain that Lucius did not. I can't imagine Lucius would have had much to do with him otherwise, but then Lucius doesn't seem to mind that Voldemort isn't of pure blood.

sinick maintains that because pure-bloods are fewer in numbers than half-bloods and Muggle-borns, Lucius would be familiar with family names in conjunction with bloodlines. Goddess forbid, he would rub cocks noses with anyone of inferior status.

I must also stress that because Snape is an accomplished Occlumens, wouldn't he be able to keep his skeletons closeted? Well, maybe not from Voldemort. He, of course, is a skilled Legilimens.

Fuck, I'm confused :P

And while I'm on the subject of Snape's bloodline, there are ticky boxes to check regarding your thoughts...

[Poll #557878]

Lastly (I'm making this an essay style question :P), who might have been aware of Snape's bloodline? How did they come to find out?

--P

Comments

[cordelia_v]

I have to say that I side with Sinick on this one. The pureblood wizarding community is just not that large. That's why they all intermarry with each other, as Sirius observes to Harry (when he's explaining that Black family tapestry in book 5): there are so few of them, and they're all interrelated.

So, the "real" pureblood family names are going to be very common knowledge. And so someone could try to hide the fact that he had a Muggle (or Muggleborn) mother, perhaps, and get away with it. But a Muggle father means that your half-blood status will be given away to someone like Lucius, the second you introduce yourself. I just don't see how it could be otherwise, in such a small community.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

But would Lucius really be 'okay' with it?

It hasn't seemed to affect the Snape/Lucius pairing though.

[cordelia_v]

Well, that's a very good question, isn't it? I honestly can't guess how Lucius would feel about it. But I do think he would have to have known, because we now know that "Snape" just isn't on the (apparently limited) list of pureblood family names.

How close are they? Dunno. Narcissa talks in chapter 2 of HBP about how Snape is Lucius' friend, of course. But she's there, begging for a favor. And Dumbledore (in his discussions with Harry) seems fairly well informed about Lucius' standing and interactions with Voldemort, which means that Snape is reporting on Lucius to the Order.

So, I'd say we just don't have the evidence to say exactly what the nature of Snape's relationship with Lucius is, although clearly they must know each other and have some sort of history together. But it might be that Snape was always one down to Lucius, and fagged for him at school, because he was younger and a half-blood. Perhaps he was so clever and useful that Lucius was willing to overlook Snape's ancestry, as long as Lucius was the dominant partner.

But that's all speculation. The only thing I'm pretty sure about is that Lucius has to have known that Snape's not a pureblood.

[ickle-c.livejournal.com]

sinick maintains that because pure-bloods are fewer in numbers than half-bloods and Muggle-borns, Lucius would be familiar with family names in conjunction with bloodlines.

What you said! I agree completely, and wonder if the adult Weasleys knew also.

Needless to say, it came as a huge shock to me... Even through all the potions hints, I was thinking, "But it can't be Snape, because he's not a half-blood."

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

Even with all the book spoilers I was privy to days before, I was still shocked.