Snape and the DE's

[caliburncy at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 23167

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Lisa" <iq255 at h...> wrote:
> how could 
> Snape now go back to Voldemort without seriously risking his life?  
...
> Clearly Snape is putting himself at great risk, and he must be aware 
> of this.  Perhaps Snape is the one who will die in Book 5?

As a minor point of order that I'm sure you already realize, we 
technically don't know that going back to Voldemort is what Dumbledore 
asked Snape to do.  But assuming it is, I think Snape would have a 
rather difficut time getting back in, but I guess it could be done.  
Because almost all the Death Eaters (except Crouch, Jr. and those in 
Azkaban like the Lestranges) have failed Voldemort in some way or 
another, but he accepts them back knowing that they fear him.  Their 
loyalty is all based on fear or ambition and so of course it faltered 
when he disappeared, which I'm sure did not surprise him that much.  
Now that he is back in full power, he clearly expects that same fear 
(and, to a lesser extent, ambition) to make them loyal to him again.  
In Snape's case it might be more difficult to persuade him that he is 
still loyal to Voldemort, but all the Death Eaters are having to make 
similar (albeit lesser) excuses.

Okay, not such a wonderful rationalization, but there's at least a BIT 
of truth to it somewhere.

-Luke