Why Dumbledore trusts Snape -- a theory

[Adia]

No: HPFGUIDX 42046

I'll begin with a quote to set the mood...

' "What makes you think [Snape had] really stopped
supporting Voldermort, Professor?"

Dumbledore held Harry's gaze for a few seconds, and
then said, "That, Harry, is a matter between Professor
Snape and myself." '
     -- 'The Pensieve', Goblet of Fire, paperback, UK,
pg524

***

This is merely speculation.  My theory is mainly based
on the way Dumbledore's become personally involved in
clearing Snape's name as a Death Eater.  It only
occurred to me this week, and although I've checked
the archives, I haven't found anything similar, so
please forgive me if someone has suggested this
before:)

***

Dumbledore has always demonstrated complete and utter
trust in Snape.  On one of my other lists, someone
called it 'unconditional', which I think is a pretty
good description.  There are plenty of examples of
this trust throughout the novels -- such as
Dumbledore's claim that "[Snape] is now no more a
Death Eater than I am" (The Pensieve, GoF, pg 513), or
Snape's supporting role in the last few chapters of
GoF, when Barty Crouch Jr is defeated (he is shown in
the foe-glass, and is present during the secret
meeting in the hospital wing, as Dumbledore discusses
Voldemort).  

Dumbledore's certainly  not the only one to dismiss
Harry's concerns that Snape is evil.  Hagrid, for
example, won't hear a bad word against the Potions
Master when Harry accuses Snape of stealing the
Philosopher's Stone, and although Lupin and Snape
aren't at all friendly, Lupin still shrugs aside the
rumours that Snape "would be anything" for the DADA
job, and allows Snape to brew the potions he needs to
combat his werewolf state during the full moon.  

Clearly, Snape has earned their trust, even though, on
the exterior, he seems slimy enough to double-cross
them all.  Like Quirrell said, "Severus does seem the
type, doesn't he?" (The Man With Two Faces, PS,  209).


 
So how has Snape proven himself to Dumbledore?  Yes,
he became a spy for the good guys, which merits trust
in itself, but what, specifically, did Snape do that
made Dumbledore realise that he would be trusted *as*
a spy?  What information did he pass on that made the
difference?  

My theory is that Snape proved himself to Dumbledore
before he ever became a spy.  That is, I think, Snape
once saved Dumbledore's life.

This is how my theory goes: 

One day, during the height of Voldemort's power,
Dumbledore fell into the hands of the Death Eaters (or
perhaps just Snape himself).  I'm sure that, during
those times, Voldemort had put a price on Dumbledore's
head -- Dumbledore is a very powerful wizard, probably
stronger than Voldemort himself (I think it was Hagrid
who said that Voldemort was *only* scared of
Dumbledore), Dumbledore is one of the few defences the
world has against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, so
Voldemort *needs* Dumbledore dead if he is ever to
conquer it.  If there ever came a time that Death
Eater stumbled across Dumbledore and -- in some quirk
of fate -- over-powered him, I'm sure they would be
under orders to kill him (or, escort him to Voldemort,
and let him kill Dumbledore himself).

I think that Dumbledore somehow fell into Snape's
hands, and Snape was put under that very dilemma --
whether to kill him or not.  But Snape helped
Dumbledore escape -- he put his own life in danger in
the process, but Snape knew that Dumbledore's life was
more important than his own.  Dumbledore needed to be
alive if Voldemort was ever to be defeated.  Snape
made that choice.  

His epiphany, and his saving of Dumbledore's life,
would then have directly lead to Snape's decision to
become a spy for the good side.  After saving his
master's worst enemy, there really was no going back. 
His allegiance has changed, and so had he.

Saving Dumbledore's life (if it happened) is
unequivocal proof that Snape is trustworthy -- at
least, in Dumbledore's eyes.  If Snape were a true
servant of the Dark Lord, there would never have been
any hesitation in killing Dumbledore when given the
chance, would there?  I can think of no other action
Snape could commit that would prove it to Dumbledore
just as well as that does.  I'd like to bring your
attention once again to my original quote, and the way
Dumbledore responds to Harry's question about why he
trusts Snape so completely:

'Dumbledore held Harry's gaze for a few seconds, and
then said, "That, Harry, is a matter between Professor
Snape and myself." '

He says this after we learn that Snape was a spy. So 
Dumbledore is implying that there is a deeper reason
why he trusts Snape than that.  Also, Dumbledore's
phrasing makes whatever he's implying seem very
personal.  If Snape *did* save Dumbledore's life,
then, of course, it would have been.  Very personal
indeed.



So does this mean that Dumbledore is under Snape's
life-debt?  Possibly.  Life-debts are quite important
in JKR's world (ie: Snape and James, Harry and Peter)
and, ironically, it's usually Dumbledore himself that
highlights them (see PS/217 and POA/p311 for examples
-- UK paperback versions).  I don't think Dumbledore
would mind being under Snape's debt-- he found Snape's
dislike of that very thing (with James) quite amusing
-- ' "Yes..." said Dumbledore dreamily, "Funny, the
way people's minds work, isn't it?" '(The Man With Two
Faces, PS p217).  Perhaps Dumbledore's desire to repay
Snape is the reason he is teaching at Hogwarts in the
first place? 

Ah, I'm speculating on speculation now, but I can't
help it!  If my theory really *is* the reason
Dumbledore trusts Snape so explicitly, then it has
marvellous implications for Snape's character (I'm a
Non-Evil!Snape fan) and it opens a window into
Dumbledore and Snape's relationship.

I'll leave my thoughts there, for tonight.

Thanks for reading,

Adia
X(A newbie) 

=====
"We can't fight against obsession.  They care, we don't.  
They win." -- Ford Prefect

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Everything you'll ever need on one web page
from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts
http://uk.my.yahoo.com