get by with a little help

[aruan]

I'm doing a project for a university class regarding canon-based speculation about the Harry Potter books, whether the source is Web authors or LJers or fiction writers. It's a very anything goes free-for-all of the best and weirdest fandom's come up with. I'm looking for any special/eclectic resources and also have a few canon-based questions, as it's admittedly been a few months since I re-read the books.

- Any sites devoted to theories - conspiracy, speculation, or otherwise - relating to canon as set forth within the books. Everyone knows about Knight2King, but I'm sure there are heaps more out there. It doesn't matter how outlandish the proposition, I'd just love some off-the-beaten-path sources.

- Any sites that take an in-depth look at the books for whatever purpose, whether character development, hints for possible future events, to check facts (i.e. the population of Hogwarts, the ages of the Weasley siblings) etc.

- Any sites with archived interviews with J.K. Rowling, as I'm willing to consider what she says about the books and events as good as the words within them.

Canon Questions:

- I seem to be operating under the impression that Snape resents Dumbledore. Is this canon or simply something I pulled out of the clear blue (or perhaps fic, as we all know those lines sometimes blur)? If so, have we been given any sort of justification for it? (Or is it just the same as James, that he resents owing his life to someone other than himself?)

- And speaking of Snape, do we have any canon for why Dumbledore hasn't appointed him to his coveted Defense post? Has Snape applied for it every year he's been at Hogwarts? In my head, it shouldn't be any issue of trust, as Snape would be above any sort of suspicion as far as loyalties to be working at Hogwarts, no? (thanks amberdiceless)

- Do we know if the Order of the Phoenix is a rogue vigilante group (essentially) or if they were sanctioned by the Ministry?

- Do we have any instances of Dumbledore lying to anyone, or does he simply leave questions unanswered or only partially reveal the truth (as he deems revelant with regard to whom he's speaking and the situation, of course)?

- Did Sirius not get a trial? All signs point to yes, but he had to have been convicted of a crime to be sent to prison for it (or am I just being too technical)? And for that matter, was killing Peter the only reason he was locked up? In the Shack, he says he wants to commit the murder he was locked away for, which seems to disregard the twelve Muggles who died. (thanks meinnim)

- In CoS, Hagrid was briefly sent to Azkaban. Was it under suspicion of harboring whatever was attacking the students? Or because the Ministry again suspected he was the one to open the Chamber, as he was accused and expelled for early in his Hogwarts career as a student?

Resources I've gathered so far...

MuggleNet
Willow's Harry Potter Character Guides
The Harry Potter Automatic News Aggregator
The Leaky Cauldron
The Hogwarts Galleries
The Harry Potter Lexicon
J.K. Rowling.com
Hogwarts World
The Daily Snitch

I'm fairly new to HP fandom and don't have very many people of that persuasion on my f'list, so any crossposting and/or links back here would be much appreciated, as, of course, is any advice and suggestions of anything mentioned here or that you think I may have missed. Sources used will be appropriately credited, as well as any contributors, should they wish to be. Thanks in advance!

Comments

[rowena742.livejournal.com]

(Here from daily_snitch)

And speaking of Snape, do we have any canon for why Dumbledore hasn't appointed him to his coveted Defense post? Has Snape applied for it every year he's been at Hogwarts? In my head, it shouldn't be any issue of trust, as Snape would be above any sort of suspicion as far as loyalties to be working at Hogwarts, no?

No, there's no canon. In fact, I know people who believe that he doesn't really want the job, and students have misinterpreted his general dislike for those who have held the post in past years as resentment.

Personally, I think it's not so much an issue of trust as of temptation. It's like leaving a recovered alcoholic alone in a wine cellar; while he might be strong enough to resist, why provide the opportunity if it's avoidable?

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

Ooh, Snape as metaphorical recovering alcoholic. Very interesting. And as far as resentment, well, there's an arguably awful lot to resent about the Dark Arts teachers so far, Lupin aside, but that's more personal bias than anything else. Someone I was talking to about Snape suggested his in-class demeanor stems from a general resentment of the coddling he thinks the other teachers show them, that Snape knows what Voldemort is capable of and when it comes to it, the kids won't be prepared with what they're being taught. Maybe that's why he applied (does he keep applying though? Every year, or has he given up on the prospect?) However, my sticking point on that is why he'd do it if he, and I think Snape is pretty honest with himself, would doubt his ability to not indulge in it. Dumbledore's stated that Snape has his highest confidence, which is why I'm disinclined to believe he's worried Snape would be tempted. But that's my own biases, not necessarily the logical conclusions as the facts have been presented.

My one crime in attempting to put this project together is my knee-jerk tendency to doubt every move of Dumbledore's as having a not-so-kosher ulterior motive. Thank you for your comments.

[mandrill.livejournal.com]

Hah! I'm also a believer in the Manipulative!Dumbledore theory. I think he's pulling the strings of everyone in the Order, in particular Snape and Harry. DD has an agenda to pursue and I really wonder if he often just sees other people as tools he can use to achieve his goals.

I've gotten the idea that DD, being a Legilmens, would have been able to see early-on that Snape was a natural-born Occulmens and, knowing that a spy inside Voldemort's ranks would be incredibly useful, not only trained Snape in Occulmency but later allowed an angry Snape to be entrapped by Voldemort (after priming the pump by not expelling Sirius for attempting to kill Snape by using the werewolf). DD had to hope that Snape would return to him, but then again I'm sure that DD planted those seeds of trust in Snape's mind long before.

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

Oh, absolutely. You know, the more one thinks about it, the more and more likely it seems that Dumbledore is playing chess with these people's lives, and while you can't argue with his ends - who doesn't want to see Voldemort vanquished? - he's got no right at all to have employed the means he has, prophecy or no.

But how would Dumbledore have had any guarantee that Snape would come back to the Order? But then again, what made him change his mind in the first place? Gah! I need those last two books noooooooow.