Chapter 36 Summary

[catherine at cator-manor.demon.co.uk]

No: HPFGUIDX 15475

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Sarah Waggott" <s_waggott at y...> wrote:
> --- 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

I've been thinking about this theory too, and then discovered on 
rereading some of the comments Barty Crouch says regarding 
Karkarof.  "Karkarof fled tonight, when he felt the Dark Mark burn 
upon his arm.  He betrayed too many faithful supporters of the Dark 
Lord to wish to meet them...but I doubt he will get far.  The Dark 
Lord has ways of tracking his enemies."  (Note the enemies).
So in light of this I agree that Karkarof is the one who has left for 
ever and that Voldemort thinks Snape is the one too cowardly to 
return. 
We don't actually know that Snape didn't go to Voldemort that night.  
I think it is a real possibility.  He can say to V. that he couldn't 
disapparate inside the school grounds, sorry for being late and all 
that (!), and Voldemort would be none the wiser.  Afterall, there is 
no indication that Snape sold anyone out to buy his freedom from 
Azkaban, as he just had Dumbledore vouch for him, and how many people 
apart from Dumbledore knew that he was playing spy?  I think 
Dumbledore told Snape to go and make contact.
Catherine