The Official Harry Potter thread (SPOILERS - NO tags)

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

Good point about the book- his mother would have been from Voldie's era, so perhaps he inherited her book, but remember the comment about the girlish writing? Hmmmm....

I think that Hermione said it could have been a girl or boy's writing, but no one (I don't think) said the writing was actually girly looking. I do think that Voldemort, Hagrid, and Snape's mother were at Hogwarts at the same time. Though since she grew up to marry a Muggle, I'd hazard a guess that she wasn't a pureblood enthusiast. I don't discredit the theory that the writing was Snape's mother's rather than his own. When Heidi suggested that to me a couple of days after we finished the book I was super excited about the theory. It would also explain how (as told to the Trio by Sirius) Snape arrived at Hogwarts knowing more hexes and curses and dark magic, etc. than anyone else. He learned a lot before from dear Mum. Still, I rather like the idea of Snape being uncommonly gifted. Ingenious, even. And it further explains why he's so derisive of Hermione's textbook answers; there's nothing original about them.