Chapter 36 Summary

[Sarah Waggott]

No: HPFGUIDX 15446

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer <pennylin at s...> 
wrote:

> 
> 8. What do we think about what Dumbledore has asked Snape to do?

I'm not sure about this. At first I thought he could not return to 
the DEs as he would be killed (and we don't want that :)). Then I 
thought it was a possibility as he could probably manage to smart- 
talk his way out of death and get away with the Cruciatus curse. I 
still don't know and am kind of sitting on a leaning fence at the 
moment.

But...what I want to ask is *when* does Snape do whatever it is 
Dumbledore asks him to do? 
I thought at first that Snape left to go on his 'mission' at the end 
of Ch. 36 and would not return until Book 5. However, after 
rereading, I realised that he is at the end of term feast (sorry, 
can't remember how long after Ch 36 this is ~ months, weeks, days?).  
Presumably he has already done part of whatever he had to do or he 
wouldn't have looked so pale when Dumbledore first mentioned it. So 
if he is returning to the DE circle (which is the way I am leaning at 
the moment) he may have made contact with one or two DEs straight 
away and be waiting to meet others during the summer holidays.

I'm also not sure whether the DEs know about Snape being a spy. I get 
the impression it is a highly secret society. Wouldn't Lucius Malfoy 
have done/said something by now? Though perhaps he wouldn't as he 
didn't know V was returning to power until GoF. But this still gave 
him a whole book to do something i.e. tell V, blackmail Snape, 
something along those lines. Maybe.

I like the theory posted that Snape is the coward and Karkaroff is 
the deserter. If V believes this, it may make Snape's task easier. 

And I stand corrected, Snape does not have beady eyes. I think I was 
trying to adapt facts for my theories again. However, I plan to cling 
to this wobbly little branch for dear life, even when the tree 
crashes down! I will be busy, clinging to a wobbly branch and 
perching on a leaning fence! ::grins ~ I would wave, but  I fear I 
will lose my balance::

Sarah