digs
November 28, 2011, 3:20pm
21
I was going to go into a long dissertation on the extent of Snape’s powers, and what that would mean, but I realized I could just sum it up as:
Sure, a zombie wizard, but it’s still an intriguing question…
kimera
November 28, 2011, 3:54pm
22
From The Order of the Phoenix:
But whether James really did take off Snapes pants, Harry never found out. A hand had closed tight over his upper arm, closed with a pincer‐like grip.
Wincing, Harry looked round to see who had hold of him, and saw, with a thrill of horror, a fully grown, adult‐sized Snape standing right beside him, white with rage.
ʹHaving fun?ʹ
Harry felt himself rising into the air; the summerʹs day evaporated around him; he was floating up wards through icy blackness, Snapeʹs hand still tight upon his upper arm. Then, with a swooping feeling as though he had turned head‐over‐heels in midair, his feet hit the stone floor of Snapeʹs dungeon and he was standing again beside the Pensieve on Snapeʹs desk in the shadowy, present‐day Potion masters study.
ʹSo,ʹ said Snape, gripping Harryʹs arm so tightly Harryʹs hand was starting to feel numb. ʹSo… been enjoying yourself, Potter?ʹ
ʹN‐no,ʹ said Harry, trying to free his arm.
It was scary: Snapeʹs lips were shaking,his face was white, his teeth were bared.
ʹAmusing man, your father, wasnʹt he?ʹ said Snape, shaking Harry so hard his glasses slipped down his nose.
So in the book, Snape was witness to the memories in person. He also had enough time to read Harry’s mind during the part where he holds Harry’s arm tightly and then shakes him.