this is really lengthy and kind of irrelevant. um, sorry.
I don't, actually, think Snape is as good at DADA as we're led to believe - sure he knew a lot of curses in 1st year (or so says Sirius, known enemy) but who's to say that he could use them competently, that he knew his defence, and that he continued to gain knowledge in this subject as he attended school? In his OWLS he seemed pretty stressed about writing as much as possible.
I applied for Snape in an RPG the other day, and one of the mods (during a lengthy discussion) made a good point - I don't know her LJ, but this is her thesis:
We don't actually know that Snape wants the DADA job from any other source than Percy Weasley's offhand comment to the Trio in one of the early books - PS/SS, I believe. The Trio take this theme and run with it, however I think it parallells the "Snape's really Evil. And he's going to be the bad guy in this book. No really. I promise." thing that JKR does.
So, the Trio think Snape hates Quirrell because he wants his position. However, by the end of the book we know it's because he suspects something fishy, and then we find out Quirrell's Voldemort.
In the second book, Snape really doesn't like Lockhart - but then, neither does Harry, Ron, McGonagall, or quite a few other people. They don't actually want his job - Lockhart's just a prat. Also, she didn't give books so I don't know if it's here, but it's mentioned that Lockhart was the ONLY applicant for the position, and that's why such a buffoon was hired (Dumbledore isn't that incompetent.) This obviously gives the impression that Snape didn't want the job - since Quirrell's been teaching for a fair bit, you'd think he'd jump at the first chance he'd get!
In the third book, we think Snape hates Lupin 'cause he's after his job - and Harry tries to stop Snape poisoning him. Of course, as Eodrakken's already been over, Snape doesn't like Remus for other reasons; namely their school days together.
In he fourth book, the only incidence we see of Snape and Moody tgoether is Moody treating him with no respect. If Moody was Moody, this is appropriate because he's an Auror and Snape's an ex-Death Eater. As Barty Jr, it's appropriate because he sees Snape as a traitor to their Lord, as he explains to Harry (in more general terms) at the end. So we can imagine that Snape really didn't like Moody, either.
And finally, Umbridge. But really, once again, a fairly unlikeable person.
So while it mightn't have been mentioned in this amount of detail, a point was made that Snape seems perfectly happy and competent in his position as Potions Master.
Apart from his 'longing' for the DADA job, his substitution, and an offhand remark about his knowledge of curses (and a few circumstatial pieces of proof in the pensieve scene in book 5) there isn't actually that much evidence towards Snape being a super DADA expert; or even believing he is (arrogance in substitution had more to do with the class members thanthe subject, I feel.)
no subject
I don't, actually, think Snape is as good at DADA as we're led to believe - sure he knew a lot of curses in 1st year (or so says Sirius, known enemy) but who's to say that he could use them competently, that he knew his defence, and that he continued to gain knowledge in this subject as he attended school? In his OWLS he seemed pretty stressed about writing as much as possible.
I applied for Snape in an RPG the other day, and one of the mods (during a lengthy discussion) made a good point - I don't know her LJ, but this is her thesis:
We don't actually know that Snape wants the DADA job from any other source than Percy Weasley's offhand comment to the Trio in one of the early books - PS/SS, I believe. The Trio take this theme and run with it, however I think it parallells the "Snape's really Evil. And he's going to be the bad guy in this book. No really. I promise." thing that JKR does.
So, the Trio think Snape hates Quirrell because he wants his position. However, by the end of the book we know it's because he suspects something fishy, and then we find out Quirrell's Voldemort.
In the second book, Snape really doesn't like Lockhart - but then, neither does Harry, Ron, McGonagall, or quite a few other people. They don't actually want his job - Lockhart's just a prat. Also, she didn't give books so I don't know if it's here, but it's mentioned that Lockhart was the ONLY applicant for the position, and that's why such a buffoon was hired (Dumbledore isn't that incompetent.) This obviously gives the impression that Snape didn't want the job - since Quirrell's been teaching for a fair bit, you'd think he'd jump at the first chance he'd get!
In the third book, we think Snape hates Lupin 'cause he's after his job - and Harry tries to stop Snape poisoning him. Of course, as Eodrakken's already been over, Snape doesn't like Remus for other reasons; namely their school days together.
In he fourth book, the only incidence we see of Snape and Moody tgoether is Moody treating him with no respect. If Moody was Moody, this is appropriate because he's an Auror and Snape's an ex-Death Eater. As Barty Jr, it's appropriate because he sees Snape as a traitor to their Lord, as he explains to Harry (in more general terms) at the end. So we can imagine that Snape really didn't like Moody, either.
And finally, Umbridge. But really, once again, a fairly unlikeable person.
So while it mightn't have been mentioned in this amount of detail, a point was made that Snape seems perfectly happy and competent in his position as Potions Master.
Apart from his 'longing' for the DADA job, his substitution, and an offhand remark about his knowledge of curses (and a few circumstatial pieces of proof in the pensieve scene in book 5) there isn't actually that much evidence towards Snape being a super DADA expert; or even believing he is (arrogance in substitution had more to do with the class members thanthe subject, I feel.)