Tobias Snape, Magical? |
 Apr 8 2007, 02:21 AM
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#1
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Being Eaten by the Pea Soup Posts: 34 Joined: 8:39pm March 12, 2006  |
Do we know for a fact that Tobias Snape wasn't magical and didn't attend Hogwarts? Look at Hermione....both of her parents are muggles and she has plenty of magical ability.
I don't remember it saying anywhere in the books that Tobias DIDN'T have magical abilities or attend Hogwarts....yet there are a few theories/messages floating around that comment on how strange it is that he and Eileen wound up together. Maybe it isn't that strange at all and we just don't have full information on the subject. Anyone care to comment? |
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Apr 8 2007, 03:13 AM
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Kibble Boy/Girl at the Magical Menagerie Posts: 261 Joined: 2:20am February 19, 2007 Location: Cheering on Oliver at the Puddlemere United quidditch pitch  |
Hermione seemed to think he was a Muggle, but our dear Hermione has been wrong before. It is possible that Tobias was magical, or at least came from a magical family. Eileen seems to have been moderately high-profile, possibly from a society family, so it would make more sense. But since Snape calls himself the Half-Blood Prince, I'm inclined to believe his father was indeed a Muggle.
-------------------- "What are the odds of one true love? You say 'high', but I have my doubts."-Ima Robot
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return." |
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Apr 8 2007, 03:44 AM
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#3
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Flesh-Eating-Slug Catcher Posts: 163 Joined: 9:06am March 22, 2006 |
Strange point is that Snape has a memory of a hooked-nosed man quarreling with a cowling woman. One did asume fist that this was Snape's father beating his mother.
But when Tobias turned out to be a Muggle you wonder how a witch let herself be put so into a corner by a non-magical being. One could expect her to bite back. Or else the hooked nosed man is not papa Snape, but grandpa Prince..... very very displeased with his daughters choice. -------------------- It is tough to be an objective Slytherin
 when y're a Ravenclaw |
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Apr 8 2007, 10:08 AM
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Guest Speaker at Flourish and Blotts Posts: 5,097 Joined: 4:23am August 25, 2005 Location: nowhere to be found  |
This thread focuses on a character analysis and it will suit better in Notable Magical Names (no matter whether Tobias was magical or not
 )Mobilithreadus!! LL mod You_wont_know_who --------------------  OPAST forever!!! |
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Apr 8 2007, 10:14 AM
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#5
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Eeylops Owl Cage Cleaner Posts: 207 Joined: 2:17pm January 2, 2007 |
I think it is like the Merope Gaunt and Tom Riddle Sr. situation. Eileen (Prince) Snape may have lost some of her powers from stress and abuse just as Merope had. I don't think Tobias was magical. I think he resented Eileen's powers or something like that, or felt inferior and threatened by a strong woman. I would guess that she was a determined person, unlike Merope. Look at her son! That is not to mention how Eileen had been captain of the Gobstone's Club. This shows leadership and a certain element of independence and strength. My guess is her devotion fo Tobias was so great she allowed herself to be in an abusive relationship. It happens all the time.
But I don't think Tobias was magical. He's named as a muggle, and although the Daily Prophet can make mistakes, I'm taking its word on this one. |
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Apr 8 2007, 07:09 PM
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#6
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Being Eaten by the Pea Soup Posts: 34 Joined: 8:39pm March 12, 2006 |
So you all think that when we see the word "muggle" in the book, we should assume no magical abilities??
But still, if Tobias did have magic, it would better explain how he could get away with bullying Eileen.....if that was even Snape's dad. I guess it could have been his grandfather, as kamion suggests. Maybe Snape is so fond of his mother's name because he never even knew Tobias and was raised by Princes. (I can't wait for book 7!!!!!!) |
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Apr 8 2007, 07:17 PM
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#7
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Rat Tonic Bottler Posts: 1,103 Joined: 8:21am March 1, 2007 Location: Wales, UK |
I don't think he was magical: like shadowquill said, he's named as a Muggle, and as we find out in PS (or is it CoS? I forget!), "Muggle" is wizard-speak for someone "without a drop of magical blood in their veins".
I also see parallels in some ways between Voldemort's parents and Snape's: just as Voldemort's Muggle father ditched his witch-wife when he found out what she was, so I think that may well have been the case with Tobias Snape - in previous readings of the books, I've always imagined that he didn't know she was a witch until after they were married; that (for whatever reason) he disliked that fact; and took it out on her in a physical way. Just speculation, obviously.. but that was what I assumed when I first read those scenes in OotP and HBP when we find out that Snape's father was a bully, and a Muggle, respectively. --------------------  |
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| -BookishPhoenix_ |
Apr 9 2007, 09:01 AM
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#8
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QUOTE(*ellen marine* @ Apr 8 2007, 07:17 PM) [snapback]1172772[/snapback] I don't think he was magical: like shadowquill said, he's named as a Muggle, and as we find out in PS (or is it CoS? I forget!), "Muggle" is wizard-speak for someone "without a drop of magical blood in their veins". I also see parallels in some ways between Voldemort's parents and Snape's: just as Voldemort's Muggle father ditched his witch-wife when he found out what she was, so I think that may well have been the case with Tobias Snape - in previous readings of the books, I've always imagined that he didn't know she was a witch until after they were married; that (for whatever reason) he disliked that fact; and took it out on her in a physical way. Just speculation, obviously.. but that was what I assumed when I first read those scenes in OotP and HBP when we find out that Snape's father was a bully, and a Muggle, respectively. I agree that there are parallels to be drawn between Riddle's parents and Snape's. They are very alike. However, unlike Riddle Sr who ditched his wife and unborn child without a second thought, Tobias seemed to stick around and rub Eileen's nose in the fact that he despised her--though we really aren't given any indication that he abused her because of her magical ability. He might've just been an abusive guy who enjoyed beating on women--there are a lot of them out there that don't need a reason other than she's there. Riddle Sr left no doubt that he hated his wife for her magic and had no interest in a magical son and heir. With Tobias Snape, we just don't know if it was because of her magic or because of something else. I'm inclined to think, however, that he was a pure-Muggle. It would also explain a little more of Snape's hatred of James--a pureblood whose family wasn't in turmoil, on top of everything else. But the reason given to Harry about why Snape hated James was that James was everything, had everything that Snape did not--the talent, the looks, the popularity, even the bloodline. |
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Apr 9 2007, 09:13 AM
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Flesh-Eating-Slug Catcher Posts: 151 Joined: 12:38am March 27, 2007 Location: Strolling along Diagion Alley looking for an Owl |
QUOTE Strange point is that Snape has a memory of a hooked-nosed man quarreling with a cowling woman. One did asume fist that this was Snape's father beating his mother. But when Tobias turned out to be a Muggle you wonder how a witch let herself be put so into a corner by a non-magical being. One could expect her to bite back. Or else the hooked nosed man is not papa Snape, but grandpa Prince..... very very displeased with his daughters choice. It is very likely the hooked nosed man was grandpa Pince. It is clearly said that Tobias Snape was a Muggle (the note in the dayly prophet). It would also help the "Madame Pince is Snapes mother" theorie, because then the nose would go through the Prince line. -------------------- Petunia cares for Harry and Lily, no matter what she says!
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Apr 10 2007, 10:44 AM
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#10
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Monster Book Stacker Posts: 364 Joined: 6:29pm August 7, 2005 Location: Nicking food from the kitchens |
I still think that the hooked nosed man is Tobias Snape. Severus lives in the house that was his fathers. Maybe Eileen was afraid to leave her husband, even though he did abuse her. It does make sense to think the man was Grandpa Prince though.
I also think that Tobias had no magic abilities. He was a muggle, not a wizard. -------------------- "We may know what we are, but not what we may be."~~ William Shakespeare
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Apr 19 2007, 08:11 PM
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Assistant Shopkeeper at Flourish and Blotts Posts: 1,579 Joined: 9:23pm December 23, 2006 Location: Either at Hogwarts,Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley. |
It might seem that Tobias is magical,but I think Hermione read in the newspaper that he was a muggle.
--------------------  Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy. Enter The World Of Harry Potter |
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Apr 19 2007, 08:28 PM
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#12
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Gringotts Dragon Tamer Posts: 1,932 Joined: 1:57pm May 20, 2006 Location: Probably at a Harry Potter fansite! |
We have no canon proof that Tobias abused Eileen. All it says was that she was cowering and that he was shouting. Whether she was a witch or not, she couldn't stop him from shouting (other than a well-placed Silencio - but that would do nothing to settle the conflict other than postpone it). Maybe it's just the fact that Snape's father had frequent temper tantrums or something, not necessarily that he abused anyone.
-------------------- Hurrah for censorship! Apparently I'm not allowed to say that I wasn't allowed to say something in my sig. Point is, PM me if you wanna know why I've stopped posting. |
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Apr 20 2007, 01:28 AM
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#13
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Knight Bus Driver in Training Posts: 592 Joined: 12:05am April 20, 2007 Location: um.. doing something harry-potter-related... in ocala, FLORIDA |
(yes im new, but here i go
)i did question a witch cowering before a muggle a bit before i read book 6 and saw meropes deal.. not only did eileen probably love her husband and not dare curse someone that much weaker than her (assuming she had that kind of heart), she had a kid with the guy!! even if she did have too much self respect to be battered by an abusive husband, severus was a "small boy" at the time. she probably needed to be home takeing care of her child while someone went out and provided for them. why risk driving him off? also take into account the fact that she wasnt concidered pretty.. though she may have been a hermione-ish bookworm, good at almost everything she tried (if she was a team capitan), and popular among her girlfriends, she was probably never a boys first choice.. JKR seems to set her up as the type or girl who would cling to the first man who shows that kind of interest.. OF COURSE she wouldnt hurt him.. she "loved" him too much. another thought, and this is probably just me reading too far into it, but he might have been abusing severus too. i get that impression from him crying in the corner and sitting alone in his room shooting flies. ..no i have no real reasoning for that, but its the first thing i thought of.. harrys uncle vernon always got livid when he showed signs of magic and tobias, being a muggle, probably didnt like his son being a "freak" even if he had come to accept it of his wife. maybe she was submissive to let him take his anger out on her, rather than her young un-magicaly-schooled son. and finally, i dont think the man was his grandfather. if im not mistaken, she DID say we would learn more about snapes past in book 7, but i think that was just about his love life. his childhood now, i think, is of little consiquence. harry was unable to see details in snapes memories so they couldnt be givin, but i think she implied everything we need to know.. and in this case, the "obvious" conclusion IS the right one: snape had a nasty childhood with a broken home and every reason to hate muggles thanks to his father, and get addicted to power. --------------------  |
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Apr 20 2007, 08:51 PM
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Eeylops Owl Cage Cleaner Posts: 236 Joined: 7:58pm August 6, 2005 Location: In Front of the Computer |
[font=Garamond]I have a feeling that this may be like a Merope/Riddle thing, and that was what made Snape look up LV so much, because they had so much in common.
-------------------- *meep*~! |
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Apr 20 2007, 10:27 PM
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#15
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Knight Bus Driver in Training Posts: 592 Joined: 12:05am April 20, 2007 Location: um.. doing something harry-potter-related... in ocala, FLORIDA |
^snape had no idea about LV's past.. even if he does NOW, either due to dumbledores confidence in him or LV's, he couldnt possibly know before he was "in" with him.. nobody did.
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