Questions about English Grammars in Harry Potter Movies.

Now I’m obsessed with Harry Potter movies and I’m watching my fav scenes so much over and over again that I almost memorized all the lines in those scenes. But there are a few grammars that I don’t understand why they can be correct in them.

The first is Snape’s line, “I assure you that were you in Slytherin and your fate rested with me, the both of you would be on the train home tonight!”

Why is it “that were you” instead of “that you were”?

And the second is again Snape’s line to Lupin, in the scene where he found Harry wandering the corridors at night, and Lupin showed up after Harry read the insults to Snape that appeared on a map: “Out for a little walk in the moonlight, are we?”

why is it “are we” not “are you”?

Sorry for my bad explanation and English tho😅

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onewithshoes · 22-25, F

The first is standard word order when 'were' is to be taken as a contrary-to-fact subjunctive.
The use of 'we' in the second example is not really standard, but often used when addressing a child or subordinate when the appropriateness of a noted behavior is being questioned -- as if indirectly asking: 'Is this what we (as members of our family, company, class, &c) should be doing'?

Arukas3 · 18-21, F

@onewithshoes thanks for ur explanation! But my question of the first one was why the order of “you” and “were” changes in this sentence. Then is it correct to say “If were you rich, I would’ve stolen money from you!” instead of “if you were xxx”?

onewithshoes · 22-25, F

@Arukas3
No, the charge in word order is an [b]alternate[/b] way of forcing the subjunctive reading when 'if' is [b]not[/b] used.
When 'if' [b]is[/b] used the normal subject-verb-object order prevails.

Arukas3 · 18-21, F

@onewithshoes thank you so much! I leaned a new thing from you today :)