Which characteristics do you like in characters who are paired with Snape?

[valis2]

Some of my favorite discussions in fandom have been about what characteristics you would give a character you intend to pair with Severus Snape. As a reader, too, it's fascinating to hear about which kinds of characters you like to read about with Snape, as well. It's always interesting to hear which Snape-ish character traits people bring up, and how you would balance them or engage them with another character, whether canon or original, or which pairings intrigue you most as a reader.

For example, do you like to pair Snape with an OFC? What character traits do you give her? What sort of background?

Do you like to pair Snape with Lupin? Which interpretation? The clever, sly Lupin, or the angsty Lupin with the world crumbling down around him?

Do you like to pair him or read about him paired with Hermione? Which Hermione? A school-age Hermione, or an adult Hermione? A nervous, brooding Hermione, or a confident, übercompetent Hermione?

I'll give my own example.

For an OFC, I always like pairing him with a woman who is an adult, around the same age, so that she has some of the same experiences, like the first Voldemort war, and Hogwarts. I like a character who is relatively strong-willed, quiet, and someone with a difficult past, which would allow her to understand Snape more fully and be more willing to forgive some of the awful things he's done.

I don't like feisty/spunky/outspoken characters; I don't think he would react very well at all to someone who belittled him publically, or was continually in his face. I think he'd deal better with someone who was more in control of their feelings.

I like an OFC who is stubborn, as well, but not so much that they're going to just shout all day and never give in. I also like an OFC who is intelligent enough to keep up with him.

So tell me...which character(s) do you like to pair Snape with or read about, and what characteristics do you like him/her to have?

Comments

[scribbulus-ink.livejournal.com]

I think anyone who knows me knows whom I like pairing Snape with best. *G* I prefer pairing him with a Lupin who is close to canon - calm, reserved, but mischievous in an understated way and who is capable of letting Snape's vitriol roll off his back. Lupin makes a good match with Snape for precisely that reason: he can handle Snape's temper. He and Snape have similar fields of interest, and they're of an age, so I think they fit well together.

I do prefer adult!Lupin over Marauders Era!Lupin, simply because I prefer to write older characters, and because anything in the Marauders Era is not going to end well unless it turns canon on its ear.

To me, Snape doesn't need someone prone to outbursts of emotion for two reasons. One, he's got enough drama in the rest of his life, and two, he's prone to outbursts himself. I think he needs someone who can and will quietly burrow under his defenses in spite of his attempts to push them away. This mostly applies to scenarios in which Lupin is the pursuer.

I don't know. The more I think about it, the more I realize it varies from story to story, and I have different characterizations and combinations that I like. Mostly, though, I think I tend toward a dynamic involving Lupin being calm and determined and Snape being prickly until he learns to trust and/or mellows out. "Tempest Tossed" is probably the best example of this dynamic, since it's from Snape's POV. "The Way of the World" is too, although it's from Lupin's POV, so we don't get to see the changes except from an external perspective.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I think anyone who knows me knows whom I like pairing Snape with best.

*laughs* Yes, of course!

I prefer pairing him with a Lupin who is close to canon - calm, reserved, but mischievous in an understated way and who is capable of letting Snape's vitriol roll off his back.

Oh, yes. I totally agree. Sometimes I read stories where the writer seems to have forgotten Lupin's sly sense of humor, and that always irks me a little.

I think he needs someone who can and will quietly burrow under his defenses in spite of his attempts to push them away.

Oh, yes! I agree. I think Snape would be relatively prickly and difficult to get to know. He's not the most trusting of sorts, I'd imagine.

Mostly, though, I think I tend toward a dynamic involving Lupin being calm and determined and Snape being prickly until he learns to trust and/or mellows out.

And you write that scenario so incredibly well. I love how you give Snape a vulnerability that makes him open to the relationship eventually. I love how you characterize both of them.

[snegurochka_lee]

I like Snape/Lupin interactions that fit with what we see of them in canon, namely: a calm, friendly, and secure Lupin who knows just how to get under Snape's skin and drive him crazy. :) As adults, I like a Lupin who can verbally spar with Snape, and out-argue him (or try to), and engage him in mind games. As teens, I like a Lupin who has just as many secrets as Snape does, and goes out of his way to coax him into opening up.

There are other Snape pairings I enjoy, but I'll leave it with that one. :)

[snegurochka_lee]

Ahaha, and McKay and I have defended Snupin at exactly the same time! ;)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

As adults, I like a Lupin who can verbally spar with Snape, and out-argue him (or try to), and engage him in mind games.

Oh, absolutely! Not enough is made of how clever Lupin is. He really is an intriguing character, and I think he's a great match for Snape.

[marginaliana]

Interesting question! I've paired Snape with Hermione, Lupin, and Harry, who are all pretty different, but I like that diversity. Snape's too interesting to be paired with only one person consistently - each pairing brings out a different aspect of his personality.

For Hermione, I definitely prefer to see an older, post-war version of her (I suppose that's a given, as I prefer post-war fic in general and I don't like cross-gen fics while the students are still in school). I prefer Hermione as someone who has come into her own sense of self a bit - Snape and nervous Hermione would never work because he has too many problems of his own and no patience with her. He needs her to be determined and stubborn and to have a take-charge attitude, and show him that she's not a little girl anymore.

When I pair him with Lupin, though, I tend to make Snape more insecure himself - they have a lot of history which needs to be overcome, and I can't see that happening if Snape himself is unwilling to accept that the world might not be exactly as he had thought it. I don't like to see young Snupin - I prefer it if Snape's attraction develops after the war, because otherwise it so often turns into soppy drivel ("I've loved you for so long!!") or, worse, love/hate. I want Snape to slowly come to the realization that Lupin is actually a lot more than he seems, and that perhaps they could tolerate each other - a sort of grudging but ultimately adult interest. And I definitely prefer clever, sly Lupin - he has so many untapped depths that we only get hints of in canon.

When I pair Snape with Harry, I think I move more back towards the Hermione motif - Harry has to show himself to be competent and adult, but he also has to force Snape to realize his own childishness and grow up a little. I can't stand fics where Snape is indulgent and Harry is naive or innocent. I especially can't stand fics where the author is obviously a Snape apologist, and Harry comes to him to say "I'm sorry" for all the horrible things he'd done to Snape while he was a student, and isn't it sad that he didn't realize that Snape was a hero all this time. Bollocks. Sure, Snape is a good man and there's something to that, but Harry wasn't automatically in the wrong during all of their encounters - Snape was an ass, too. Both of them have to give a little in their perspective for a Snarry fic to work for me.

I agree that Snape would probably work better with someone who was in control of themselves, but I also think you have to have someone who has an ability to be passionate. Snape is nothing if not passionate, and I think it's weird to have a pairing where the other half doesn't match that. Hermione, I think, has untapped depths - she's wound so tight by her bookishness that I think there must be something underneath that a good author could draw out. Lupin, too, is seemingly mild-mannered but has that hint of the wolf about him. Harry, of course, has always been passionate.

Rambly ramble! Thanks for posing this, it was fun to think about.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Snape's too interesting to be paired with only one person consistently - each pairing brings out a different aspect of his personality.

Totally true. He's a bit of a fandom chameleon, in fact...you can interpret him so many ways, and pair him in so many ways.

I prefer Hermione as someone who has come into her own sense of self a bit

Oh, yes. The few Hermione fics I've read that I've enjoyed feature a post-war Hermione, smart, confident, and more than willing to go toe-to-toe with Snape.

When I pair him with Lupin, though, I tend to make Snape more insecure himself - they have a lot of history which needs to be overcome, and I can't see that happening if Snape himself is unwilling to accept that the world might not be exactly as he had thought it.

Ooh, that's interesting. I hadn't put that in the entry, but it's a side effect of the question at hand; how does the character you pair Snape with affect your interpretation of Snape for that fic? Excellent thought, there.

And I definitely prefer clever, sly Lupin - he has so many untapped depths that we only get hints of in canon.

Oh, totally! I always think about the closet Boggart scene as a bit of revenge. Sometimes I think of it as a passive-aggressive bit of behavior. Any way you put it, Lupin's a lot more than what we see.

I can't stand fics where Snape is indulgent and Harry is naive or innocent.

I am reading one right now where Harry, despite having saved the adult wizarding world and having become an adult, acts like an eleven year old would most of the time, with side trips into super sexy behavior. It's making me crazy. And not in a good way.

Both of them have to give a little in their perspective for a Snarry fic to work for me.

So very, very true.

I agree that Snape would probably work better with someone who was in control of themselves, but I also think you have to have someone who has an ability to be passionate. Snape is nothing if not passionate, and I think it's weird to have a pairing where the other half doesn't match that.

One of the biggest draws for me was the idea that there was a volcano brewing inside Snape. He's tightly wound. I love the scene where he's in the staffroom and he grips the back of a chair tightly. And the outburst about Sirius Black in PoA even more obviously displays the storm he keeps inside.

Sometimes I like the pairing of Narcissa/Snape, especially when the author gives Narcissa this icy exterior and a white hot passion inside. I think Snape could be a crazy passionate lover, if he were able to get past the various inner difficulties.

Rambly ramble! Thanks for posing this, it was fun to think about.

Heh...thanks for commenting! I enjoyed reading it.

[agatha-s.livejournal.com]

I've never written about Snape, but in stories I've read I like him paired either with Harry or with an OFC (or, best of all, with no one.)

I like Snape/Harry because their relationship in canon is so complex and stormy. As for OFCs, I agree with you on the description of an ideal OFC for Snape: strong, complex, smart and quiet. (I can't stand Snape paired with Bitchiwitches.)

I believe that Snape/Lily happened in canon, but I've never read any fanfics about them. And I don't like him paired with any other canon characters. (I've tried reading Snape/Hermione, Snape/Lupin and Snape/Ron, but it didn't work for me.)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I like Snape/Harry because their relationship in canon is so complex and stormy.

Snarry stories can have lots of strife and passion, interspersed with moments of love and passion. heh. It is an intriguing relationship.

I can't stand Snape paired with Bitchiwitches.

I wholeheartedly agree with you. I can handle Sparklypoo relationships easier than Bitchiwitches. Bitchiwitches, frankly, bewilder me. Why the author thinks anyone would react positively to their frightening creations is beyond me.

I think, culturally, that a lot of women surpress their feelings, especially those of anger. They have to deal with people they don't like. They're too polite in RL to shout back at the people mistreating them. The power of writing a Bitchiwitch isn't the shouting in the story itself, it's in the reaction. People in the story don't do what they would in RL, namely, head for ze hills. Instead, they either listen and react emotionally, or they're devastated when the Bitchiwitch slams the door and takes off. The outburst never has the realistic outcome that it would have in RL.

Whoa! Sorry for the ramble.

I believe that Snape/Lily happened in canon, but I've never read any fanfics about them. And I don't like him paired with any other canon characters.

I don't like reading Snape/Lily, but it's mostly because I try not to read any Marauders era fics. I'm not into young characters in fanfiction as a rule.

[sylvadin.livejournal.com]

For Snape/Lupin - depends on my mood.

An emotionally downtrodden Remus is always pleasant for an angst read - but - I also enjoy a good story where Remus is portrayed as having hidden depths beyond the 'poor little suffering werewolf' veneer; where Remus is shown as being magically competent, intelligent, resourceful, emotionally mature, and has a backbone.


Snape/Hermione - Post school only! Hogwarts student Hermione shagging her Professor squicks me - feels too much like chan. I prefer my Hermione having some years into adulthood coupled with some experiences that have knocked the sharp edges off her general 'my way is the only correct way because I *know* I'm right' attitude towards life - she can be uber confident and competent at her career but she's also grown up enough to finally understand at times she is wrong, wrong, wrong! (SPEW is a prime case in point).


Snape/OFC - Hmmm, who's the ideal shagmate for our angsty potions master? Maybe a psychiatrist because he definitely needs a lifetime of therapy? LOL!

Seriously, I vote for an adult his age or maybe even a little older. She's been through war or personal hell and has come out the other side, emotionally intact, not because she survived using a Pollyanna attitude but because she kept her wits, kept her perspective, and treated each horrid experience as a learning opportunity rather than an excuse to wallow in the unfairness of life. There's nothing shallow or goody-two-shoes about her - she's quiet, down to earth, yet can snark with the best of them. She is calm in demeanor because she knows from personal experience that she can handle or survive the shit that life hands her and, while it might stink for a while, she knows she'll eventually be able to turn that shit into compost.

Snape needs someone who can show him by quiet example that the are other ways to survive a lousy life than by giving in to bitterness and despair. He doesn't need lectures - he needs someone who 'walks the walk' not 'talk the talk'.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I also enjoy a good story where Remus is portrayed as having hidden depths beyond the 'poor little suffering werewolf' veneer; where Remus is shown as being magically competent, intelligent, resourceful, emotionally mature, and has a backbone.

Oh, I totally love those, too. Lupin is such a great character, and when he's fully realized, he really can bring so much to the fic. I love his sly humor.

I prefer my Hermione having some years into adulthood coupled with some experiences that have knocked the sharp edges off her general 'my way is the only correct way because I *know* I'm right' attitude towards life

I totally agree. The few SS/HG fics I've read and liked have featured an adult Hermione, who has lived through some difficult life lessons.

Snape/OFC - Hmmm, who's the ideal shagmate for our angsty potions master? Maybe a psychiatrist because he definitely needs a lifetime of therapy?

*snort* Yes, I can think of no one who would benefit from it more, honestly. (I think Voldemort's pretty much unreachable.)

She's been through war or personal hell and has come out the other side, emotionally intact, not because she survived using a Pollyanna attitude but because she kept her wits, kept her perspective, and treated each horrid experience as a learning opportunity rather than an excuse to wallow in the unfairness of life.

I always want to pull out my hair when I read a fic with a character who is bright and bubbly and somehow attracts Snape. It just makes no sense to me! When this character type is written, especially by inexperienced writers, it's like raking fingernails across a chalkboard.

Snape needs someone who can show him by quiet example that the are other ways to survive a lousy life than by giving in to bitterness and despair. He doesn't need lectures - he needs someone who 'walks the walk' not 'talk the talk'.

Hmm...I'm thinking of a very large character who is very good at quiet examples, especially involving Nifflers...*grins*

[gmonkey42.livejournal.com]

Ooh, ooh! I like questions like this.

I'll say "not applicable" for Snape/OFC, as I don't read those.

I like Snape/Lupin and Snape/Hagrid. They're sort of different flavors of the same thing. With both pairings, I see each person being able to learn something from the other: Lupin and Hagrid are both very warm and I like it when being around them influences Snape to stop shutting down his emotions so much and to stop being so hard on himself, which I think he is, though that's more fanon than canon. Even though that doesn't change the persona he shows students, it can make him a little more emotionally healthy in private. And I see Lupin and Hagrid as being too nice for their own good, letting people take advantage of them. Snape would have a no-nonsense, "don't be ridiculous" attitude about that and would deliberately encourage them to stand up for themselves more. Whereas their influence on Snape would be more subconscious, not that they're trying to get him to change, just that being around them and learning that he can trust them shows Snape he doesn't have to have so much emotional armor on all the time.

The difference is that with Lupin you have the added angst of having to overcome the problems between them from earlier, both when they were in school and in PoA. With Hagrid, there's hardly any interaction between him and Snape in the books so authors are more free to take it in whatever direction they want.

...reading that over, I've realized I pretty much completely avoided answering the question. OK. Characteristics. I don't like any character to be totally over-the-top angsty to the point where they can barely function. That's too far from canon for me. Hagrid and Lupin may have reasons to be depressed but they're not. They seem to be mostly happy and optimistic. If they're filled with angst deep down inside and nobody knows, then they'd have to be even more emotionally repressed than Snape and I think that would cause some kind of aneurysm. I also don't want the whole "Snape's so touchy, they have to handle him carefully" (no, not handle like that) thing. He's very perceptive, he'd realize they're just trying to manipulate him and get seriously pissed off. It has to be more like they know him and know how to interact with him with mutual respect. Not that Snape doesn't wildly distort things in his head sometimes. I totally agree with the fandom diagnosis that Snape's clinically depressed. But he's also high-functioning. And he's very rational. To get close to him, the other person would understand depression and the communication problems it can cause.

OK, that's enough long-ass paragraphs for now.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I like Snape/Lupin and Snape/Hagrid. They're sort of different flavors of the same thing. With both pairings, I see each person being able to learn something from the other: Lupin and Hagrid are both very warm and I like it when being around them influences Snape to stop shutting down his emotions so much and to stop being so hard on himself,

Oh, totally. That is one of my favorite things about both pairings, that they bring out the vulnerability in Snape and allow him to begin healing.

And I see Lupin and Hagrid as being too nice for their own good, letting people take advantage of them. Snape would have a no-nonsense, "don't be ridiculous" attitude about that and would deliberately encourage them to stand up for themselves more.

Yes, there is so much potential for growth on both sides of that pairing. I think they're a fairly good fit, realistically. I really love Snack, but honestly, I wonder if it's truly possible for those characters to have a long, committed relationship. With Lupin and Hagrid, they're much more patient, I think, and they would be more open to solving problems together.

I totally agree with the fandom diagnosis that Snape's clinically depressed. But he's also high-functioning. And he's very rational. To get close to him, the other person would understand depression and the communication problems it can cause.

For some reason I've never heard of this diagnosis! I feel all hermit-like now. But it totally makes sense.

After all, it's not like there's a lot of good happening in his life. If ever.

[gmonkey42.livejournal.com]

No, on second thought, here's another:

What I'd like to see - and isn't it great how I go around saying what I'd like to see but, not being a writer, take no responsibility for making it happen? heh heh - is a story where Snape's the active one, rather than Hagrid or Lupin pursuing him. Snape has needs too. We have almost no idea from the books what Snape's like socially, with his peers (not his co-workers). We just got that one glimpse with Narcissa and Bellatrix but even that was not a normal social interaction because Snape and Bellatrix wouldn't choose to socialize with each other. And we saw Snape being courteous (and gallant and debonair and it totally didn't make me go all swoony, I don't know where you ever got that idea) and not expressing any doubts about how Narcissa obviously held him in high regard. It wouldn't be out of character for Snape to be the one to initiate something.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

What I'd like to see...is a story where Snape's the active one, rather than Hagrid or Lupin pursuing him.

Yeah, sometimes that really, really pushes my buttons! I absolutely love a super-competent Snape once in a while, you know, who pulls the events along himself, instead of being buffeted about in the winds between Dumbledore and Voldemort.

And we saw Snape being courteous (and gallant and debonair and it totally didn't make me go all swoony, I don't know where you ever got that idea) and not expressing any doubts about how Narcissa obviously held him in high regard. It wouldn't be out of character for Snape to be the one to initiate something.

I always wonder about his reaction to Narcissa's tears. Is it because he thinks it's a disgusting weakness? Is it because he remembers his own mother crying and flailing about? Is it because he thinks she's manipulating him? I would love to know.

[jen-deben.livejournal.com]

Like you, if it's Snape with an OFC, I like it to be an OFC who can handle him - someone strong, emotionally sensible and intelligent. I'm not a fan of Ravisher!Snape, who always dominates. That's totally due to my personality and politics. I believe in equality in relationships, and have never found a depiction of unequal power to be sexy.

Lupin is about the only other person I pair Snape with consistently, and that's because they are so different and yet so complementary. Snape is the ultimate jerk and Lupin is the ultimate nice guy. Snape can't hurt Lupin, no matter how hard he tries, and Lupin is endlessly patient and gentle-humoured with Snape's eccentricities. I think they'd make a great couple if Snape could get over his grudge.

I don't like Snape/Hermione simply because I think they'd make a terrible couple, personality-wise, even if they were both adults. On top of that, I am seriously icked by the idea of a student/teacher relationship (it's the unequal power issue again). The only authors who have pulled off Snape/student without provoking my "ick" reaction have done it by making the student extremely mature, strong and intelligent - in other words, by giving them equal power in the relationship.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I like it to be an OFC who can handle him - someone strong, emotionally sensible and intelligent.

Oh yes, absolutely, especially the "emotionally sensible" part. I abhor OFCs who flail about and are completely upset by the smallest thing. If you're going to create a character who can walk with Snape, you should be certain she can walk a mile in his shoes as well, don't you think?

Snape can't hurt Lupin, no matter how hard he tries, and Lupin is endlessly patient and gentle-humoured with Snape's eccentricities. I think they'd make a great couple if Snape could get over his grudge.

Yes, absolutely. I love them as a couple! I think there's a lot of room there to write a great pairing.

I don't like Snape/Hermione simply because I think they'd make a terrible couple, personality-wise, even if they were both adults.

I really don't get this pairing at all. Honestly. I have read a few adult SS/HG that were very good and that definitely were enjoyable, but mostly I just can't believe them as a couple.

And even worse is the student/teacher thing. Not only does it bother me a lot, usually it's done in such an embarrassing manner...with Ddore shoving them together inelegantly. Ugh. I usually just avoid the pairing.

[cruentum.livejournal.com]

I prefer pairing Snape with no-one, I think. Meaning my perfect Snape is the lonely old man with a past no-one knows and a personality he does not allow anyone to appreciate or even get to know.

When there is another character and a writer depicts Snape as having relationships I prefer, much like you, I suppose, complex characters with a past that equal Snape's. It's easier to do with original characters, but even Lupin and Harry can be written into having their past weighing down on them rather than jumping along happily.

While the Snape I have in mind needs to be pursued and seduced into a relationship I prefer the characters not to be too active about it.

I'd be interested in reading him paired with a(n original) character for once who does not keep up with him intellectually, and to see it work nevertheless. Undoubtedly, the relationship would be more difficult, but the whole 'Snape with rather smart, witty, equally sarcastic character' is overused, some.

In general though, I go with what an author does, and more often than not the Snape they write determines the kind of character they write him with. I don't have a clear preference, as long as it works in the story.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I prefer pairing Snape with no-one, I think. Meaning my perfect Snape is the lonely old man with a past no-one knows and a personality he does not allow anyone to appreciate or even get to know.

Heh...honestly, that's the one true pairing for Snape. Especially if he's very canon-based. I've always thought that, in order to write any sort of believable Snape/other person relationship, Snape must be softened at least a little into a bit more fanon Snape.

When there is another character and a writer depicts Snape as having relationships I prefer, much like you, I suppose, complex characters with a past that equal Snape's. It's easier to do with original characters, but even Lupin and Harry can be written into having their past weighing down on them rather than jumping along happily.

I do think that having a darker past would be a key to a character understanding Snape and being able to embrace him. A character who has never committed a crime, who never had misery and difficulty, would most likely be hesitant to involve her/himself with the Death Eater/Dark Art/Hexing Snape. Even if he's truly repented, it takes a dark creature to truly and wholly understand another.

I'd be interested in reading him paired with a(n original) character for once who does not keep up with him intellectually, and to see it work nevertheless. Undoubtedly, the relationship would be more difficult, but the whole 'Snape with rather smart, witty, equally sarcastic character' is overused, some.

Yes, I totally see what you mean; it could be fairly interesting. A lot of Snape/Hagrid writers go that route, actually, and it works, because Snape wants a safe harbor, and Hagrid wants a dangerous creature of his own.

I'm very wary of stories with OFCs who are just as witty and sarcastic. It often turns me off. I like having a cautious, smart OFC...

Y'know, once in a while I toy with the bunny of having a seriously cultured and elegant OFC come to Hogwarts, and having him really yearn for her, yet hating himself and feeling generally unworthy. If the Sue aspects were skimmed over, it could be interesting.

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Hm. Good questions all...

For Snape in general, I really dislike characterizations where Snape is an utter bastard with no redeeming qualities. First, *no one* is so one-sided - even Hitler loved his dog, God help us, and if the greatest monster in modern history could do that, Snape surely can do the same, or better. Secondly, a lot of writers forget the little matter of Snape being an effective enough leader that Slytherin House won six straight House Cups before Harry showed up. He doesn't like Gryffindors, obviously, but we have no idea what sort of teaching methods he uses on Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. He seems to have cordial relations with his colleagues and the staff at Hogwarts (his reaction to McGonagall's recovery; his reliance on Filch to bandage Fluffy's bit; Pomfrey's horrified reaction to the news that he killed Dumbledore). Snape clearly is more than a nasty SOB with a tongue like a whip, even if he has a sarcastic streak a mile wide.

Sexually, I don't at all like fics where Snape is a heavy-duty dominant and/or sadist and his partner is a collared submissive and/or masochist, or a "pet," or in some way at an extreme disadvantage. If anything, I tend to see Snape as the sort of tightly wound character who would need to give up control in an intimate situation. He has to keep his true feelings in check when dealing with his superiors (Voldemort if you think he's ultimately good, Dumbledore if you think he's a true Death Eater), he has to restrain himself while working with people he dislikes (Lupin, Sirius Black, Harry in the occlumency lessons), and despite his bullying and pointed comments in the classroom, he still is able to restrain himself enough while marking papers and exams that students he clearly loathes get acceptable or better grades. He would need to be able to let go somewhere, and I can much easily see him as bottoming during gay sex or letting a woman take the lead sexually.

As for straight versus gay...I've read both types of fics and enjoyed them, even though I prefer slash. Here's my take on the three types Valis mentioned:

OFC: about his age, strong-minded but not openly sarcastic, knows proper etiquette in a social situation, most likely a pureblood or a halfblood, almost certainly a Slytherin or a Ravenclaw. He's a self-made man in a lot of ways, and I could see him angling to marry a younger daughter from a respectable pureblood family as a way of covering his own past.

Hermione: only after she's an adult, most likely in her late 20s, and only if she has the backbone to stand up to him. And only post-War, when it's common knowledge that he's not a pureblood. Angsty, brooding, teenage Hermione doesn't seem his type at all, nor does he strike me as a Humbert Humbert clone.

Lupin: of all the canon character slash pairings, this is the one that makes the most sense IMHO. Lupin is strong, albeit quiet, and has the leadership vibes to tell Sirius to sit down and shut up in Sirius's own house and make it stick. He's intelligent, another academic, and Snape sees attracted to him in an almost Tillichian sense.* There's clearly a bond between them in PoA, and it's notable that Lupin seems to be the only Marauder who didn't actively torment Snape in school (and the only one who's sorry for what he did as an adult). I could see them reaching a modus vivendi at some point, and eventually admitting an attraction.



*The great Protestant theologian Paul Tillich believed that God is both attractive and repellant, terrifying and wonderful, and that to feel attraction and repulsion for the same thing is to taste of God. This is a fancy way of saying that there's a thin line between love and hate, and that extreme fascination with something/one that one professes to loathe is often a cover for love of the same thing/person.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

For Snape in general, I really dislike characterizations where Snape is an utter bastard with no redeeming qualities...Secondly, a lot of writers forget the little matter of Snape being an effective enough leader that Slytherin House won six straight House Cups before Harry showed up...He seems to have cordial relations with his colleagues and the staff at Hogwarts...Snape clearly is more than a nasty SOB with a tongue like a whip, even if he has a sarcastic streak a mile wide.

Oh, totally! I could not agree more. I mean, the whole bit about him telling Lockhart "You're the very man..." in CoS...the other teachers were behind him, no doubt laughing. I think he gets along passably well with the other teachers. He's clever as hell, too. I think he's undermined by his refusal to let go of past grudges.

Sexually, I don't at all like fics where Snape is a heavy-duty dominant and/or sadist and his partner is a collared submissive and/or masochist...If anything, I tend to see Snape as the sort of tightly wound character who would need to give up control in an intimate situation.

Y'know, I have always thought that myself. I mean, once in a while I read such a fic, and it can be interesting in a PWP sort of way, but I'm much more interested in the opposite. Controlling people sometimes find it a relief to give up the control for a moment and just let someone else make the decisions.

OFC: about his age, strong-minded but not openly sarcastic, knows proper etiquette in a social situation, most likely a pureblood or a halfblood, almost certainly a Slytherin or a Ravenclaw. He's a self-made man in a lot of ways, and I could see him angling to marry a younger daughter from a respectable pureblood family as a way of covering his own past.

Oh, totally, I agree here very much. I definitely could see him grabbing a pureblood witch and being very pleased with himself for doing so. It would be the ultimate in thumbing his nose at a lot of different people.

Hermione: only after she's an adult, most likely in her late 20s, and only if she has the backbone to stand up to him. And only post-War, when it's common knowledge that he's not a pureblood. Angsty, brooding, teenage Hermione doesn't seem his type at all, nor does he strike me as a Humbert Humbert clone.

I never can understand the Humbert thing, seriously. I have to say that I was never really that attracted to any teacher, other than the usual hero/heroine worship. When I read student/teacher fics, I get squicked, and this pairing in particular troubles me. I think people put them together so much simply because they're both smart, but (in my opinion) I really don't think they have enough in common to have a decent, sustainable relationship at that age, and the power structure is much too imbalanced between the two.

There's clearly a bond between them in PoA, and it's notable that Lupin seems to be the only Marauder who didn't actively torment Snape in school (and the only one who's sorry for what he did as an adult). I could see them reaching a modus vivendi at some point, and eventually admitting an attraction.

Yeah, I agree. The only difficulty I've always seen has been the prank, which, with Snape's ability to hold a grudge, has been a big problem with him for a long time.

Totally fascinating talk about Paul Tillich, and it reminds me of the older meaning of sublime, which was wonderful and terrifying all at the same time. People used to call mountain ranges sublime, for example, because they were so frightening and yet so beautiful. Nowadays we just fly over them, and sublime has been simplified somewhat into meaning lovely, as you probably already knew.

[rexluscus.livejournal.com]

I like pairing Snape with people who force him to confront his own weaknesses and insecurities. People who get under his skin; people he hates himself for being attracted to. People like Harry. :-D I love a Snape who is incredibly out of his comfort zone.

But I also occasionally like pairing him with characters who are peculiarly immune to his form of defence (or offence). People who are more than they appear, who seem weak or weird but are actually incredibly clever and more than a match for Snape. People like Luna or Lupin. :) I love those two in particular because Snape's usual methods of intimidating people just...wouldn't work on them. And then, we are back to Snape being out of his comfort zone. He would be forced to adapt a bit, to show a different side of himself.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I like pairing Snape with people who force him to confront his own weaknesses and insecurities. People who get under his skin; people he hates himself for being attracted to. People like Harry. :-D I love a Snape who is incredibly out of his comfort zone.

Oh, yes, that can create such amazing tension. And if there were ever a character radiating tension, it would have to be Snape. rawr!

But I also occasionally like pairing him with characters who are peculiarly immune to his form of defence (or offence). People who are more than they appear, who seem weak or weird but are actually incredibly clever and more than a match for Snape. People like Luna or Lupin. :) I love those two in particular because Snape's usual methods of intimidating people just...wouldn't work on them.

Oh, yes, those are just amazing pairings. I love it because he's out of his element, in a way.

I love it when we see vulnerable Snape. When he's forced to open himself up to something, forced to let someone take control of him, or forced to let someone in.

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

I paired him with an OC--a wacko, scary woman with a dead ex-husband who'd gone kool-aid crazy.

'coz after all, it's Snape.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

bwhaahaha!!

Hilarious!

You're right, it is Snape, after all. hahaha!!

[corvus-coronis.livejournal.com]

I've never tried Snape with an OFC (or an OMC), & I've not been tempted to do so though I've seen a couple of SS/OFCs that have really worked - like sigune's Snape/Brynhild. Canon character-wise, I've paired Snape with at least the following so far: Harry, Lupin, Black, Moody, Neville, Luna, Dumbledore, Hermione, Lucius (in a threesome with Harry) & Ron.

I think my favorite Het Canon Snape pairing would be Snape/Luna, because of the way she can get directly under his skin & remind him he's a human being (etc). She's someone he cant ever completely intimidate, because his ego-stripping methods simply don't work on someone who is as focused on the truth (as she percieves it) as she is. Snape/Luna I've found is good one for hurt/care (or protective!Snape) situations where Snape is forced to tone down his abrasiveness whether he likes it or not ... she's someone that he has to adjust to, not vice versa which I like. In a way, they can also have another good thing in common too - an meeting inquiring & inventive minds.

Re SS/HG, that is a pairing I'm finding it hard to get my head around, because unlike SS/LL Hermione's basic need for approval makes her *very* vulnerable to Snape, and he'd know that he's got that power over her. Even if he was besotted enough with her to resist that temptation, he'd still be ultra-protective/ultra-controlling & completely smother her unless he could be somehow gotten to (again) tone down.

With Slash Canon, though I don't really have an OTP I first started off with Snarry, and I tend to go back to that though I'm willing to try anything there. I prefer to pair him with a mature Harry who is very used to his petulant ways & knows how to handle him. I also like a Harry who is devoted to Snape in a long-suffering, but not in a victim-like or too fluffy way. I also don't like to see the mutual hatred they had in their past glossed over too much. That Harry can be capapble of being very understanding & loyalty, plus having a bit of maturing to do gives me a bit of scope in steering him into someone who can deal with Snape & appreciate him in spite of everything else.

Re SS/RL - I enjoy reading fanfics with a close to Canon but more assertive Lupin, but because Lupin in the books comes across to me as a very frustrating character, passive & very much into denial a lot of the time. It seems to me that Fanon Lupin is everything that Canon Lupin should be, but won't. In SS/RL pairings, I also like to see their Canon past properly dealt with as well.

SS/RW was interesting, & I wouldnt mind exploring it further. Ron *will* stand up to Snape, which is a good thing, and I think Snape would secretly respect him more for that. Snape, on the other hand will remind Ron when he's being a lazy klutz, so there is some possibility of mutual benefit there.

SS/SB, like SS/HG is another pairing I've yet to get my head properly around. I can see it being a goodie if you appreciate a good, testosterone-enhanced atmosphere *g* but the pairing needs to be convincingly handled in a way that works with both characters, like Black's loyalties turning towards Snape for a good reason.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Canon character-wise, I've paired Snape with at least the following so far: Harry, Lupin, Black, Moody, Neville, Luna, Dumbledore, Hermione, Lucius (in a threesome with Harry) & Ron.

So he's your little black dress! hee!

Once in a while I find a Snape/Dumbledore that really interests me. It's a fascinating pairing, especially because of the power balances involved.

I think my favorite Het Canon Snape pairing would be Snape/Luna, because of the way she can get directly under his skin & remind him he's a human being (etc). She's someone he cant ever completely intimidate, because his ego-stripping methods simply don't work on someone who is as focused on the truth (as she percieves it) as she is.

Yeah, I've developed a growing respect for this pairing. It really seemed like a bizarre idea the first time I read it, but now that I've read some great ones (rexluscus wrote an awesome one recently) I've come to really appreciate it.

Snape/Luna I've found is good one for hurt/care (or protective!Snape) situations where Snape is forced to tone down his abrasiveness whether he likes it or not ...

I absolutely love h/c. I read horrible h/c all the time, just because I am so into it. And certain pairings really lend themselves well to h/c...Snape/Luna seems to have its fair share, which makes me like the pairing even more. I absolutely love fics where Snape is made vulnerable.

Re SS/HG, that is a pairing I'm finding it hard to get my head around, because unlike SS/LL Hermione's basic need for approval makes her *very* vulnerable to Snape, and he'd know that he's got that power over her.

Yes, that uneven dichotomy really bothers me, because it's just a bit too lopsided. I can see him hurting her too easily.

I also like a Harry who is devoted to Snape in a long-suffering, but not in a victim-like or too fluffy way. I also don't like to see the mutual hatred they had in their past glossed over too much.

One of my favorite Snarry stories is Conduits, by pen_and_umbra. It really was terrific, and I felt like the characters had both grown and matured in realistic ways. I really like it when writers take the time to extrapolate from canon what they think the characters would be like in the future. It's fascinating because it's also open to interpretation.

Re SS/RL - I enjoy reading fanfics with a close to Canon but more assertive Lupin, but because Lupin in the books comes across to me as a very frustrating character, passive & very much into denial a lot of the time.

I sometimes think that the boggart episode was very much a passive-aggressive stunt on Lupin's part, and then on other days I think it was just his sly naughty humor coming out. Heh.

SS/RW was interesting, & I wouldnt mind exploring it further. Ron *will* stand up to Snape, which is a good thing, and I think Snape would secretly respect him more for that.

Such a rare pairing, that. I have read one or two that were intriguing, and it has some interesting possibilities.

SS/SB, like SS/HG is another pairing I've yet to get my head properly around.

I really love the pairing for, well, PWP reasons, but as far as working out a long-standing, backrubs kind of relationship...hmm. It's hard for me to buy it, really.

Thanks for the comments!

[b2wm.livejournal.com]

Hmm... When I write Snape, I'm usually too worried about keeping him in character to pair him off with anyone. As cruentum put it, Snape doesn't seem the type to let anyone in enough for true love.

When I'm reading him, though, I often find myself enjoying his relationships with the other teachers (gen or otherwise). The inter-house rivalry with McGonagall, in particular, offers many opportunities for misinterpreted affections in the hands of certain writers. Both have the capability to feel (or more usually, suppress) strong emotions, and they've gone through plenty on the front lines of the wars. They also seem to share a slightly off-kilter sense of humor that goes with so much suppression.

Lupin goes without saying; others have commented on how well Snape's backbone would fit with Lupin's ability to let go. I don't particularly like total and complete angst-fests, but if the werewolf and Potions Master can find something worth respecting in one another, then the pairing works for me.

A lot of the Dumbledore/Snape fic I stumble across is too saccharine for my liking, taking away all of Snape's snark fu, but Dumbledore seems to have the ability to put Snape in his place, at least temporarily. Seeing how Albus earned this respect is interesting, and Death-Eater-to-the-Core!Snape/Dumbledore adds a non-trainwrecky can't-look-away shininess to a fic.

I'll admit it: I'm also a sucker for the old love/hate relationship. A misguided, more or less one-sided affection for Snape from a more innocent figure can be a great read, provided that said innocent gets thrown through the blender and wises up a bit before Snape gives her (or him) a second glance. Student/teacher fics don't do much for me, though, especially while the student's still in school. Postwar Hermione or Harry can be all right, every now and then, but I really can't see either of them getting over their previous history with Severus enough for a romance. That goes double for Sirius. Too much bad blood all around, there.

Snape/Lily I could see during their school years, provided that Lily (like McG or Lupin) doesn't take any of Sev's shit. Requited affections with Snape means that someone is going to have to remind him that he has feelings, if only by not showing them more than he does, if you know what I mean.

Basically, when I do read Snape romance, I have to admit that the romance I look for isn't usually the saphic or sexy type. Usually, it's not even stable. I tend to see his relationships like I see him: smart, powerful, but extremely screwed up.

That or morphic twincest... Havvie/Den/Sev threesome crack, anyone? [/rambling]

[valis2.livejournal.com]

When I'm reading him, though, I often find myself enjoying his relationships with the other teachers (gen or otherwise). The inter-house rivalry with McGonagall, in particular, offers many opportunities for misinterpreted affections in the hands of certain writers. Both have the capability to feel (or more usually, suppress) strong emotions, and they've gone through plenty on the front lines of the wars. They also seem to share a slightly off-kilter sense of humor that goes with so much suppression.

You know, I think some writers miss the fact that he isn't a pariah at school. Far from it! Despite his difficult relations with Gryffindor students, he seems to be fine with the staff, and I really get what you're saying about Minerva and Severus, seriously.

Lupin goes without saying; others have commented on how well Snape's backbone would fit with Lupin's ability to let go.

Yes, absolutely. I really think they fit together well.

A lot of the Dumbledore/Snape fic I stumble across is too saccharine for my liking, taking away all of Snape's snark fu, but Dumbledore seems to have the ability to put Snape in his place, at least temporarily.

Some of the most crazy fics I've ever read have been dd/ss. It does seem to draw out some of the strangest relationships, honestly. But when it's done in a realistic manner, I really enjoy it.

A misguided, more or less one-sided affection for Snape from a more innocent figure can be a great read, provided that said innocent gets thrown through the blender and wises up a bit before Snape gives her (or him) a second glance.

How interesting! That's a scenario I don't think I've ever read, but it certainly sounds fascinating.

Snape/Lily I could see during their school years, provided that Lily (like McG or Lupin) doesn't take any of Sev's shit. Requited affections with Snape means that someone is going to have to remind him that he has feelings, if only by not showing them more than he does, if you know what I mean.

Yeah, I've always wondered about them. I've thought recently that she probably didn't return his affection, but I think he still has some sort of feeling for her, especially since he has never mentioned her once in the books so far, and yet he's talked about James a lot.

Basically, when I do read Snape romance, I have to admit that the romance I look for isn't usually the saphic or sexy type. Usually, it's not even stable. I tend to see his relationships like I see him: smart, powerful, but extremely screwed up.

Very interesting. I like relationships that take aeons to develop and bring together, like molasses, but with no false "idiot plots" (you know, where if the characters weren't being idiots it would be solved in an instant), and then they go through a few bumps, but it's pretty much strong after that.

[b2wm.livejournal.com]

A misguided, more or less one-sided affection for Snape from a more innocent figure can be a great read, provided that said innocent gets thrown through the blender and wises up a bit before Snape gives her (or him) a second glance.

How interesting! That's a scenario I don't think I've ever read, but it certainly sounds fascinating.

These fics are relatively rare; I get sidetracked by fluff or angst when looking for them, and all too often, one that starts out great takes a turn for the Sue. It's the whole schadenfreude of a realistic reaction to the would-be Bitchiwitch/Pollyanna that really draws me to such fics. A character who's really in the wrong and is forced to acknowledge it and live with the consequences (like Snape so often is,) is love.

When I go back and look through my favorite fics, I have to admit that I don't see the full arc of it in any Snapefic that I can recommend to you, but I so rarely go into the Potterverse pit section that I lose half my links every time, anyway...

Lamentations of a Starry-Eyed Twit is at least making a good start on it.

In the Darkness of the Day is LotR fic, but the scene with the warden? (Among others...) Now that's what I'm talking about!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, links! Excellent. I'll check those out.

[larilee.livejournal.com]

Depends on which Snape I'm writing.

My first story is set five years after the war's conclusion (and pre-HBP), so my Snape is a bit mellower than we've seen. The OFC I've chose for him is independent, but soft; insecure, stubborn, but can take control of any situation as long as it isn't her personal life. She a woman who can lead, but is more secure following.

I prefer to have whomever I partner him with a few years younger. She should be intelligent and a less dominant personality. Yet strong enough to stand up for herself.

Wow, I just realized how I draw some points in stronger on some characters in some stories, and lighter in others. Yet the points are visible in all the females. That sounds weird, but I'm going to have to thinka bout this some more.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Depends on which Snape I'm writing.

Yes, definitely! I didn't really mention that, but it is an important component, for certain. Each interpretation of Snape calls for different tactics on the pairing front.

I prefer to have whomever I partner him with a few years younger. She should be intelligent and a less dominant personality. Yet strong enough to stand up for herself.

Yes, I see where you're coming from. I personally prefer an OFC who is smart, as well, as I think he would have difficulty with anyone he doesn't respect, and I don't think he could respect someone who didn't measure up to his own standards.

Wow, I just realized how I draw some points in stronger on some characters in some stories, and lighter in others. Yet the points are visible in all the females. That sounds weird, but I'm going to have to thinka bout this some more.

I've noticed that I give most of my original characters the same traits; I just emphasize some traits more than others.

Thanks for the comment!

[sigune.livejournal.com]

Despite a lot of my reading and some of my writing, I don't have a favourite Snape ship - Snape is best left alone on the relationship front :). If I'm really, really honest, I don't think I can see him with anyone at all, especially in canon :D.

But we're talking about ships, so ships you shall have.

I have no idea why, but I really can't see Snape as gay. Even if he did have feelings for another man, he'd repress them, I think; for some reason I see him as very conventional and conservative in that field. That rules out slash as "what works" for me, even though I do read it.

My favourite slash pairing is Snupin, for the reasons everybody else has mentioned: Snape and Lupin are wonderfully complementary, and Lupin has had his share of pain and trouble in the past. But if I'm honest, apart even from the slash issue, I can't find it in myself to believe in this pairing because of the Worst Memory scene. Nobody is going to make me believe that Snape can start a relationship with the boy who did not raise a finger when teen!Severus was pantsed. It seems to me a psychological impossibility, especially for a man who nurses his grudges.

SS/HG I can't see at all; I have gone over the reasons in another of your discussions some time ago. Although teacher/student squicks me out big time, rexluscus is responsible for one of my guilty pleasures: Snape/Luna. Somehow that does sort of work for me, though I'm not sure I can see it go on in the long run :). It's Luna's unique combination nuttiness and uncanny wisdom/maturity that somehow works well with this man who sometimes has a hard time placing things in perspective.

I came late to shipping (if I have come to it at all) because I couldn't really find a plausible partner for Snape in canon. There's always something - a past, an attitude, whatever - that doesn't work for me. That's why I learned to enjoy a good OFC *g*... I like an OFC with a sense of humour, someone not afraid to poke at Snape's buttons, but also someone who knows very well when to stop - or if she doesn't, there should be an argument, not Snape accepting everything because it's his sweetie who does/says it. _vocalion_'s Clancy Norgard is a wonderful example, and in a comedy at that :D.

In order for a Snape pairing to work for me, there has to be a balance between the partners. Snape/perky? He'd go crazy. Snape/slave? He'd get bored. Snape/dominatrix? He'd never tolerate it. Snape/stupid? He'd get frustrated. I see the best possibilities with someone who resembles him in many ways, or is at his own level in most things. Only, his partner should be more emotionally mature. I think she'd have to push him, too.

Obviously, I think my OFC works perfectly with Snape ;P. My approach was to make her someone who has known him since childhood and so knows how he is constituted - that helps her interpret him. Her status as a long-term friend also gives her a certain authority to correct him. She is reserved, but generally more optimistic than he is; she has a past, but it hasn't left her bitter or scarred. She's similar to him physically as well, but she takes better care of her appearance. Basically she is a lot like Snape, only a tiny bit softer and more humane ;). I like to have the two of them fight a kind of friendly war for supremacy in the relationship, but since they accept each other as equals, they don't have to be frightened of defeat either, if that makes any sense. Actually I made them best friends rather than passionate lovers; I found it hard to imagine Snape as submitting to passion because - well, I agree with those people who said he's the type to give all once he has decided to engage himself, and I think he would be afraid of that aspect of himself, of losing his freedom and being made to do things he doesn't really want to do. That is a position he has been in as a spy; I don't think he'd want to be in a similar one in his private life.
[/ramble] (I think my brain is mush right now; I apologise!)

Ah well. If you create an OFC, you can suit her to Snape's needs, can't you? It's fun as a challenge :D...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

If I'm really, really honest, I don't think I can see him with anyone at all, especially in canon :D.

I couldn't agree with you more! Canon!Snape is really a very difficult man, and I can't imagine anyone voluntarily signing up for his abuse. heh. Which is why I think most writers have to soften him, at least a little, to fanonize him and make him just open enough for a relationship.

My favourite slash pairing is Snupin, for the reasons everybody else has mentioned: Snape and Lupin are wonderfully complementary, and Lupin has had his share of pain and trouble in the past. But if I'm honest, apart even from the slash issue, I can't find it in myself to believe in this pairing because of the Worst Memory scene.

Yes, definitely, this would be a near-impossibility for a very canon!Snape. I thought the same thing when I first started reading the pairing; it was, actually one of the first slash pairings I ever read. At first I was kind of put off by the idea, but the story worked so well that I just went with it.

Snape/Luna. Somehow that does sort of work for me, though I'm not sure I can see it go on in the long run :). It's Luna's unique combination nuttiness and uncanny wisdom/maturity that somehow works well with this man who sometimes has a hard time placing things in perspective.

Yes, she had the same effect on me! I'm starting to become intrigued by the pairing. Luna is such an interesting character to write, and she has such an openness and fascinating nature...I think that even though it's a pretty rare pairing there's definitely something there.

I like an OFC with a sense of humour, someone not afraid to poke at Snape's buttons, but also someone who knows very well when to stop - or if she doesn't, there should be an argument, not Snape accepting everything because it's his sweetie who does/says it.

Oh yes, absolutely! I can't take stories where he becomes a cream puff simply because he's found love. I think he'd still be tightly wound and sharp as a knife, honestly.

In order for a Snape pairing to work for me, there has to be a balance between the partners. Snape/perky? He'd go crazy. Snape/slave? He'd get bored. Snape/dominatrix? He'd never tolerate it. Snape/stupid? He'd get frustrated.

And Snape/bitchy just makes me INSANE. I can't stand it when the OFC "stands up to him" in a really stupid manner. Such as shouting at him in front of students, or teachers, or saying a stupid comment that leaves him "speechless". Please! The man is just about never speechless. Even when confronting a furious Sirius in his own home he doesn't back down, and he keeps the insults coming.

She is reserved, but generally more optimistic than he is; she has a past, but it hasn't left her bitter or scarred.

Ah, yes! That is such a great approach. I made my OFC very reserved as well. I just think he would never get on with a chatterbox. Though I have to say that my OFC is pretty fatalistic.

Ah well. If you create an OFC, you can suit her to Snape's needs, can't you? It's fun as a challenge :D

Exactly! There are as many OFCs as there are writers. ;)

[purplefluffycat.livejournal.com]

Hi! This seems a very interesting question. As people have already said, Snape is such a complex and multi-faceted character there are a myriad of different interpretations possible, each bringing different character traits to the fore. It also occurs to me that the HP books are largely written from Harry's perspective, so we often see Snape through the prism of Harry's rather immature and highly unflattering gaze - I therefore think there is plenty of room for more appealing and intriguing private Snape characteristics that don't make it on screen, so to speak.

In connection with this narrative point, a story pairing Snape with any of Harry's generation of characters would have to be extremely well written to engage my interest, because I think he would find any show of immaturity very repellent. Snape strikes me as a man who had to grow up too quickly, and as a result he has no desire to maintain anyone else's sheltered young existence or tred carefully around their adolescent emotions. Much as Hermione is markedly more grown-up than either of her friends (and therefore seems the most plausible to pair with Snape from the Golden Trio, if push came to shove), I think the interplay between her and Ron in HBP shows that even she still has a long, long way to go before being a suitable partner for our dear Slytherin.

In some circumstances I would make an exeption to this rule for Snape/Luna though, simply because Luna's progress in terms of maturity cannot be plotted on any conventional chart. She strikes me as a character who will always simply be, regardless of age or experience, and her wacky world view might complement Snape's well - he strikes me as an inventor and an innovator who would not dismiss unconventional thoughts too lightly. As previously mentioned, Luna is also largely immune to Snape's snark and sarcasm, and in my opinion Snape is most likely to be attracted to someone who is not intimidated by him. The best fic I have read of this pairing is Implausible, Irrational, Preposterous, Peculiar, and Just Plain Luna (http://thetreacletart.livejournal.com/268789.html) by thetreacletart and I would recommend it heartily.

I agree very much with the above comments that Snape/Lupin make a good pairing, for similar reasons. Lupin has masks of his own and plenty of reasons not to open-up and trust another person. Therefore the burrowing-under-defences would be a two-way, not one-way process here, and it seems likely that any successful relationship with Snape would have to contain give and take on both sides.

Snape/Hagrid is not a pairing I have ever seen tackled in a serious way (i.e. other than Crack! fic), and I'd be really interested to read a good, emotionally-centered fic, if you could recommend one?

In connection with the maturity dynamic, cross-gen pairings with Snape as the younger party can really work for me if they are done well. As I said above, I think Snape's ubringing taught him the harsh realities of the world too soon, and this, mixed with his high intelligence and bookishness gave him a fundamental scorn and distrust of his own peer group. I therefore think it likely that Snape would have looked to older, more experienced people for a relationship/encounter as he would want to turn to someone he respects. I explored this dynamic in my Snape/McGonagall fic, Awakening (http://purplefluffycat.livejournal.com/3411.html) and in my Snape/Slughorn fic Gilded Youth. (http://community.livejournal.com/kinda_lush/3481.html)

Snape/Dumbledore is no something I have (yet?) tackled, but I have read some excellent examples that weave closely with cannon and deal with some very complex loyalty issues.

So in summary, a character who I would pair with Snape has to (grudgingly?!) earn his respect, be under no false-illusions regarding the nature of the world and to offer a strength that will complement one of his weaknesses. In other words, the couple would have to be greater than the sum of its parts.

PurpleFluffyCat x

[valis2.livejournal.com]

In connection with this narrative point, a story pairing Snape with any of Harry's generation of characters would have to be extremely well written to engage my interest, because I think he would find any show of immaturity very repellent.

I think he really doesn't like kids that much, and especially Harry and his friends, as we've seen from canon.

But I do think he has this superiority streak, which is why he has this sekrit crush on teaching.

In some circumstances I would make an exeption to this rule for Snape/Luna though, simply because Luna's progress in terms of maturity cannot be plotted on any conventional chart.

Yes, I totally have to agree with you here. Luna is completely her own, and I think that not only is she rather intriguing, she'd definitely be more than a match for Snape in many ways.

And that story is excellent, absolutely!

I agree very much with the above comments that Snape/Lupin make a good pairing, for similar reasons. Lupin has masks of his own and plenty of reasons not to open-up and trust another person.

Oh, yes. I very much see Lupin as a rather sly character, who conceals things very well.

Snape/Hagrid is not a pairing I have ever seen tackled in a serious way (i.e. other than Crack! fic), and I'd be really interested to read a good, emotionally-centered fic, if you could recommend one?

I would definitely recommend sylvadin's series of stories. They run the gamut from amusing to hurt/comfort to serious angst. You can find them at Sweet and Sour archive (http://www.sweetandsour.netfirms.com/). It starts with this story (http://www.sweetandsour.netfirms.com/christmaskisses.htm), and progresses. (The first story is humorous in tone, but like I said, they vary, and they grow more complex. There is a second series as well. The relationship takes some time to grow.)

Sweet and Sour is devoted to Snagrid, so you might want to poke around a little there.

Snape/Dumbledore is no something I have (yet?) tackled, but I have read some excellent examples that weave closely with cannon and deal with some very complex loyalty issues.

Yes, I've read a few stories with that pairing that were very interesting, and a few really scary ones, too. ;)

So in summary, a character who I would pair with Snape has to (grudgingly?!) earn his respect, be under no false-illusions regarding the nature of the world and to offer a strength that will complement one of his weaknesses. In other words, the couple would have to be greater than the sum of its parts.

Yes, absolutely, respect is key for Snape. I can't imagine him treating the other party well otherwise, honestly.