Why Dumbledore trusts Snape -- a theory

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 42048

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Adia <atonement24 at y...> wrote:

snipping the well-thought out and excellent hypothesis: 


 
> 
> 
> 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.

One problem with the Dumbledore in Snape's debt theory is that Snape 
hasn't really gotten his way around Hogwarts.

Now, this assumes that Snape really wants Harry expelled, kicked off 
the Quidditch team, and really wants the DADA job. Not to mention 
really wants Lupin fired and Sirius put back in jail.

None of these things has happened and Dumbledore has had the power to 
bring all of these things about. Granted, there are probably rules to 
the life debt thing that we don't know about, but it seems like Snape 
would get his way at least once. :)

People with brains that work on 128 different levels would tell you 
Snape really doesn't want any of this, but I have to lie down with a 
gin-and-tonic every time I get too far into that.

BUT... let me add a twist, if I may, to your theory.

What if Dumbledore was in no real danger, but only he knew that? What 
if he could have saved himself in whatever situation he was in, but 
Snape, not knowing that, does something risky to "save" Dumbledore?

The life debt wouldn't be in effect, because Snape truly 
didn't "save" D-Dore, but Dumbledore would trust Snape implicity as a 
result.

Darrin
-- Rum and ginger ale helps too.