A Dark Mark thought

[lea.macleod at gmx.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 15996

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Amanda Lewanski <editor at t...> wrote:
> I just had the rather grim thought that there might be a bit more to 
the Dark Mark on the Death Eaters than we've heard. Perhaps Snape's 
task is simply that he must work directly for Voldemort's Ultimate 
Destruction, and the reason he looks pale but ready is that the Dark 
Mark also will kill its wearers when Voldemort dies. Snape is being 
asked to systematically, directly, purposefully work toward his own 
death, and if I know Voldemort, a nasty one. 

-----
That gives me the shivers, even as I sit here in my office in bright 
daylight... That´s an excellent theory. It´s almost like a classical 
greek tragedy, where you see the tragic end coming all along, but it´s 
unavoidable...

I DO support the theory that Snape will die a hero´s death fighting 
Voldemort. But if his own fate was tied to Voldemorts as Amanda 
suggests - 

> It seems very Voldemort-ish that the Mark would be conditional like
> that--a Death Eater must tie his destiny to his master so 
completely, and it would ensure their loyalty and fanatic protection 
of him, too.
-------

- and Snape was to die along with Voldemort ANYWAY, I don´t think 
Dumbledore would be as cruel as to ask him to speed things up 
actively.

 We know Snape turned against Voldemort "at great personal risk" while 
Voldemort was still in power. That was a very heroic thing to do. 
Harry probably realises that too, which makes him view  Snape 
differently at the end of GoF. 

I think JKR will want her readers to appreciate, through the eyes of 
Harry, this heroism. But that will not be possible if Snape´s mistake 
(e.g. joining the DE in the first place) can´t be forgiven. And his 
mistake getting him in the end anyway WILL mean that there can be no 
forgiving and no atonement. That simply wouldn´t fit with the humanist 
background in the books.