(no subject)

[ebonlock]

Snape's death, now are we to believe he died from the venom or from bleeding to death (or perhaps the combination of the two?). I can't quite buy the venom angle, for one thing he's been handling toxins his entire life, for another Arthur was bitten multiple times and survived without too much difficulty, and even if a bezoar wouldn't have neutralized the venom (and as venom could be used as a poison and imbibed rather than being received in a bite, it should be able to), are we to believe he wouldn't have kept some sort of anti-venom on his person? Severus is a planner, nearly to an obsessive-compulsive degree, he's had to be in order to stay alive for so long. So he couldn't have foreseen that working for a guy with a great big venomous snake might make preparing for getting bitten by said snake rather prudent?

Now let's consider the bleeding out thing. If I'm not mistaken Ron nearly bled out after he was splinched earlier in the book. Hermione pulls out her bag of holding and uses some dittany to staunch the bleeding. Was she all out by the time they reached the Shack? Did she lose her head and forget about it, but still have the presence of mind to conjure a damn flask? Or did she think Severus was getting his just reward and so stood by and watched him die? I don't recall any mention of the fact that the dittany was all gone after the trio took care of their burns but it's a possibility. It's certainly the one I'd like to believe as the other two are not terribly flattering to the character.

It's not that I hated the scene entirely, it just doesn't feel quite logical to me somehow and I can't seem to shake that.

But, on an unrelated note, I was also thinking that what might be fun to read would be scenes from the book told from an entirely different character's perspective. If I felt inspired enough I'd take a whack at "The Silver Doe" from Severus' point of view but I am lazy and will hope someone else will take the plot bunny and run with it. But my question to you guys is, if you could re-write one scene or chapter from another perspective, whose would you choose and why?

Comments

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

I believe I would write the whole 'we are teleporting around England starving and bored and tainted by an evil artefact' from Neville's point of view.


.....

I think I would rewrite the whole book from Neville's point of view.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

I certainly would love to read about his adventures as the Robin Hood of Hogwarts 7th year.

[rickey-a.livejournal.com]

for titillating smut purposes I think a short Hermione POV of changing into Harry would be fun (7 potters)

for a more interesting exploration of the story and characters I think a bit of Ron after he left H&H - but like you I"m feeling a bit lazy and I'm more apt to write some post last chapter slash

[rickey-a.livejournal.com]

ps here's the link to that Luna POV H/D
http://community.livejournal.com/hd_holidays/48156.html

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

Just finished it and I'm totally reccing it, that was just a delight!

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

BTW, I would totally read post-last chapter slash, should you write it ;)

[rickey-a.livejournal.com]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20070725/cm_csm/ysawyer_1
my flist had a link to this cool snape article
thought you'd like it

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

OMG, like is not the word...love, that's much closer.

[windrose.livejournal.com]

With a snakebite, a lot depends on where you're bitten as well as how much venom the snake injects. In terms of survivability, it is much better to be bitten in the extremities than someplace like the throat. Also, a lot depends on what type of venom the snake has, and how it affects the victim's body.

Oh, and pet peeve time: properly, it's called antivenin, though the term "antivenom" has become acceptable over the years.

[tersa.livejournal.com]

I think E--'s comparison to Arthur was done because he was also bitten by Nagini--negating the differences in venom types.

But if Snape was bitten in the throat, then I would pretty much agree he'd die pretty quickly. I just forget the specifics from the book.

[windrose.livejournal.com]

Actually, I was referring to what type of venom Nagini has (neurotoxin, hemotoxin, cardiotoxin, &c.) because that will factor directly into how much time the victim has, as well as what treatment options are available: i.e., whether or not Hermione's dittany would have been effective.

From the descriptions of Arthur's attack in OotP, I would say it's a hemotoxin of some sort; at least, that's what I decided when I wrote LOVE, BLOOD, AND RHETORIC. IIRC, I based the effects loosely on the bite of a King Cobra, as that appeared to fit both canon and the fact that the naga is a creature from the mythology of India.

[windrose.livejournal.com]

Only not; king cobra venom is a neurotoxin.

(Yes, I'm an obsessive snake-lover and had to go and check.)

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

And Arthur seemed to have been bitten not only on the extremities but right in the face as well, and he was hit several times.

My argument is that if Severus had time to do the memory thing then Hermione would've had time to apply the dittany, thus stopping the bleeding. And if a bezoar would've canceled out the venom I just can't see Severus being foolish enough not to carry one around with him.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

So your theory is that the venom did him in rather than the bleeding?

[windrose.livejournal.com]

I'll have to go back and re-read the attack on Arthur to be sure, but it does sound like Snape took a concentrated dose of venom in a very, very bad location; even the face would be preferable to being hit in the throat.

That's the only way I can handwave away the fact that Arthur was hit multiple times and survived long enough for help to arrive, while Snape was struck once and died quickly. Either that, or we can attribute it to Harry be unfamiliar with the effects of a neurotoxin and mistook paralysis for death.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

Oooh, now that's intriguing and seems far more believable to me.

[windrose.livejournal.com]

And if I had the time, I would write something that takes this into account.

(Which reminds me, did you ever read my Riddlefics? I know it's not your preferred cuppa, but you might like them anyway.)

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

I could swear I'd read one of your Riddle fics, but are they in your journal's memories? If so I'll go check them out. If not I shall beg you for URL's :)

[windrose.livejournal.com]

They're on my fic page, but here are direct links: Devil's Advocate, and the sequel Love, Blood, & Rhetoric.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, I'd read Devil's Advocate before but not Love, Blood & Rhetoric. I have to say I rather preferred your version of the final battle to all that Elder Wand nonsense. Though I will admit every time I say DEATHSTICK!!! I have to laugh.

Also prefer your Tom to the rather one-dimensional version we got in the books. If I knew you didn't already have enough on your plate I'd be hounding you to do your own version of his story as a young adult as he slid into evil.

[windrose.livejournal.com]

You know, every time I read the name Deathstick, I would invoke Ash from ARMY OF DARKNESS: "This is my DEATHSTICK!" *vbg*

Also prefer your Tom to the rather one-dimensional version we got in the books.

Well, yes. That was one of the reasons I wrote the things. Really, the books do make one wish someone had sent JKR a copy of the How To Be An Evil Overlord list.

[phillipalden.livejournal.com]

I would re-write "Order Of The Phoenix" and remove the Delores Umbridge character completely.

I HATED that character!

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

LOL, I'd probably do the same with Chamber of Secrets and Dobby, but that aside I rather like Umbridge as the kind of smiling sociopath archetype. She's all pink and kittens and will rip your heart out with her bare hands without batting an eye if it gets her ahead.

[phillipalden.livejournal.com]

I felt she was an unnecessary torment to Harry at the time, that he didn't need another antagonist. I noticed that Rowling kept the character and used her even into the final book, but I never cared for her.

I guess I like my evil to be fairly straightforward, like Cthulu or Dick Cheney.