Is Snape the Original Snape?

[Mistress Siana]

Hm...if Aberforth were really occupying Snape's body, would the marauder's map see him as AD or as Snape? I think that would totally be up to JKR. As we've seen, it wouldn't work with polyjuice, but if there were a way to transfere somebody's mind into another man's body, it would not be a copy, but the real Snape's body.

Do animals show up on the MM? To me, it seems as if in HP, animals had nothing like a soul or something, and if they showed up, it would be a definite sign that the MM shows bodies, not souls. So, unless Mrs Norris is an animagus, it would show Snape, as it is his body, not AD.
I dunno...did I get across what I mean?

[highsorcerer]

Right now, only Lupin and Pettigrew are in a position to tell us exactly how the Marauder's Map works, since they are the only two living people who contributed to it. I suspect Sirius and James did the heavy work on it (as they were the most talented of the four), but Lupin and Peter should know the theory.

However, given the evidence, the map does not work on physical appearance - I suspect people in invisibility cloaks would show up, and people are properly listed, even if they are in animagus form or under the effects of polyjuice potion (Peter and Crouch showed up). I'd have to look up if Mrs. Norris ever showed up.

Somehow I get the idea that the map works on what the person considers their name to be. Barty Crouch, Jr. showed up with his proper first and last name, but without the essential Jr. portion showing up, so the map can give misleading information. Would Voldemort show up under that name, or that of Tom Riddle? In that case, a dominant Snape / submerged Aberforth personality would provide a Snape reading except when Aberforth takes over.

[choki]

I think Mrs Norris did appeared on Marauder's Map. I can't remember which book it was...but it must be either PoA or OotP.

[Mistress Siana]

hm...good explanation, highsorcerer

[Phaerie]

From what i remember of the marauders map, it appears to show you and whoever you're with- always useful as you generally need to know where you are in relation to everything else.
It also appears to show up people and things you want to avoid, such as teachers, peeves, Mrs.Nors and Filtch.
So out of necessity of locating where you are and everybody else the map would have to be able to see through invisibility cloaks (you wouldn't be sneaking around without one really). And i suppose polyjuice potion is really just like wearing a disguise so it sees through that too.

[Mistress Siana]

yeah, polyjuice, but if there was a way to "inhabit" someone's body? it wouldn't be an imitation but the original body, then...

Actually, I don't like that theory very much, because I WANT Snape to be Snape and nobody else, so I'm looking for a hole in it. But it's good...really good!

[Phaerie]

so kind of like Snape has been possesed by a member of the order of the phoenix. Who then have ultimate controll over him, but acts to as great an extent as possible like snape would have, bar being a true servent to Voldemort. Hence his shown dislike of Harry.
My only fault here is that a member of the OotP would not have ended Harry's Occlumency classes.
maybe they simply erased the part of his mind that involved his alegiance to Voldemort.

[choki]

But if Snape didn't know about his obligation/loyalty to Voldemort, he couldn't be able to spy for Dumbledore. To explain, here is a senario in this theory,

You, as Snape, served Voldemort. You were captured by members of OotP and your memory was modified to remove the dealings you had with Voldemort. And now, OotP wants you to be a mole for them. However, would you become a spy?
1. You have no idea what the Death Eaters are.
2. You have no more dealings with them. No feeling, no sense of loyalty.
3. For what reason do you have to become a spy for OotP, risk being exposed and possibly a gruesome death?
4. And the most important - You have no loyalty to OotP

[Phaerie]

ok. Thats a fair point.

However theoretically if you can remove memories, then it is logical to assume that you could implant memories too. So i guess instead of erasing snapes memories of his time as a death eater you could implant memories, so he would call changing sides and being loyal to the OotP.
This way he could still act as a mole for the OotP, but would recall what deatheaters are etc.

[Meg Boyd]

I like the theory, yet I don't. I think the Mauraders Map kinda makes a flaw in the theory that you can't really get around. I truly do think that Snape really just is a double agent, and I think a lot of the cause of his switching sides is his quest for power vs his quest for good (id vs ego and super ego).

[Ferrus]

That would be WIERD, but possible. The only time Dumbledor mentions his bro Aberforth is in GoF when Hagrids feeling terrible after Rita´s article. Dumbledor tries to cheer him up by saying that Aberforth did an "improper charm on a goat" and the Daily Profet wrote about him upon wich Aberforth does not feel shameful (but Dumbledor isnt sure if Aberforth could read so maybe it wasnt a that comforting comment for Hagrid). After that his mentiond by Moody in the foto.

The theory is pretty neat so maybe there´s some truth in it... but I reckon that Aberforth proyected his own mind into Snape´s "possesing" him.