Why Does Snape Trust Dumbledore?

[wynnde1 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 48401

Hello, Everyone,

Something struck me a few weeks ago as I was reading a discussion about why 
Dumbledore trusts Snape, and I've been pondering it ever since. It's not 
something I remember discussion about in the 10 months or so that I've been 
on this list, so I thought it might be fun to explore. We have spent a lot of 
time wondering why it is that Dumbledore trusts Snape, knowing that he'd been 
a Death Eater (Snape, not Dumbledore <g>). We're not the only ones who wonder 
this, of course - Harry himself has wondered the same thing:

****
    "What made you think [Snape had] really stopped supporting Voldemort, 
Professor?"
    Dumbledore held Harry's gaze for a few seconds, and then said, "That, 
Harry, is a matter between Professor Snape and myself." (GoF, Chapter 30)

****
 
Well, I started thinking  . . . maybe we're asking the wrong question. Of 
course wondering why Dumbledore trusts Snape is a valid question, but what if 
we look at it from the other way around: Just why is it that *Snape* trusts 
*Dumbledore*?

What a silly question, you may be thinking. But maybe it's not. What follows 
is my interpretation of a possible backstory for these events. None of  this 
is original thinking on my part, it's just the version I've pieced together 
from the theories of others. 

We'll start with the "prank" (Doesn't it *always* start with the "prank <g>). 
Sirius tells Snape how to get past the Whomping Willow. Snape goes down and 
sees a transformed Lupin. James rushes in and saves Snape from being 
attacked. Snape goes to Dumbledore with the story, and most likely demands 
that Sirius be expelled or sent to Azkaban or kissed or some other suitable 
(in Snape's estimation) punishment. Dumbledore tells Snape how sorry he is 
that this terrible thing has happened, obtains from him a promise that he 
will not "out" Lupin to anyone, and sends him away promising to deal with 
Sirius, and maybe the other marauders as well.

Now, we know that Sirius was neither expelled, nor sent to Azkaban (not for 
this, anyway), nor kissed. As has been recently discussed, we don't know 
what, if any, punishment was given. I do believe that Dumbledore did punish 
Sirius, but *we* don't know what this punishment was, and I think it likely 
that *Snape* also did not know the extent of the punishment. It may have been 
a completely private matter, or maybe it was just a matter of taking some 
house points away. We don't know. But it seems clear that whatever punishment 
Sirius did receive, Snape didn't think it sufficient in light of the fact 
that he could have been killed by Sirius' actions. And of course, Snape 
didn't like Sirius to begin with, so he would be even more outraged to see 
him get off with what he perceived as "too light" a punishment (or none at 
all).

At this point, Snape's hatred of the Marauders, James especially, really 
takes hold and becomes more intense than ever. But, more significantly, Snape 
loses the respect and affection he felt for Dumbledore. The Headmaster was a 
positive father-figure for him, and in letting Sirius get away almost 
literally "with murder" (in Snape's eyes, if not in reality), Snape loses 
faith in Dumbledore, and also in the "good" side, which Dumbledore 
represents. He sees Dumbledore favouring the Gryffindors, and not seeming to 
hold Snape's own life in very high esteem. (Again - I'm not saying Dumbledore 
really did favour the Gryffs, this is just my opinion about *Snape's* 
interpretation of events. Although, honestly, I think we've seen at least one 
glaring example in canon where Dumbledore did just this - the end of PS/SS. I 
don't disagree with the points he awarded Harry and Co, but I do strongly 
disagree with the way they were awarded). 

So, having lost his trust in Dumbledore, it is that much easier for Snape to 
be convinced to join Voldemort. (I'm not excusing that decision, just 
offering a reason as to why it might have seemed more attractive than it did 
before Dumbledore's "betrayal"). So Snape becomes a Death Eater, and goes on 
to merrily commit lots of crimes and atrocities. At some point, however, he 
becomes disillusioned with this path that he has taken, and decides to return 
to Dumbledore's service.

<Taking a breath>. 

Okay, after all that, we're back to my original question: Why, now, does 
Snape choose to trust Dumbledore? In Snape's mind, Dumbledore let Snape down 
once before, and since that time Snape has been hanging around with people 
who are hardly good role-models in the trust department, and has probably 
(okay, certainly) not been acting in the most morally upright manner himself. 
Is it just that Snape, out of the blue, finally sees that Dumbledore was a 
really great guy after all? This seems a bit unlikely, to me. I would think 
that Snape would want to have something of a bit more substance in order to 
restore his faith and trust in Dumbledore. It might even be something *bangy* 
<G> (but it doesn't *have* to bang for me to like it). Furthermore, has Snape 
"forgiven" Dumbledore for "betraying" him in favour of the Gryffs? Does Snape 
now see that Dumbledore was right in the way he handled the aftermath of the 
"prank?" Snape returns to Dumbledore - not just to the good side, but 
specifically to be a spy for Dumbledore. So something must have changed 
Snape's mind and convinced him that Dumbledore was trustworthy and an 
honourable ally, after all. 

And I think it's clear that Snape does not now have complete faith in 
Dumbledore's judgement: We learn in Chapter 9 of PoA that Snape does not 
trust Dumbledore's judgement in hiring Lupin: 

****
       "Remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before - ah - the 
start of term?" said Snape, who was barely opening his lips, as though trying 
to block Percy out of the conversation.
       "I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, and there was something like warning 
in his voice.
       "It seems - almost impossible - that Black could have entered the 
school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed -"
       "I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped 
Black enter it," said Dumbledore, and his tone made it so clear the subject 
was closed  that Snape didn't reply. 
****

This exchange makes it obvious that Snape does *not* trust Dumbledore 
implicitly, and where Lupin is concerned (assuming that it is, indeed Lupin 
to whom Snape was referring), Snape continued to press Dumbledore on the 
subject, even after receiving a "warning" look from him. 

So, although the general impression I have from the text is that Snape *does* 
trust Dumbledore now, it is clear to me that he doesn't always trust 
Dumbledore's *judgement* about things. (We also have examples of where Snape 
does not agree with Dumbledore's treatment of Harry). And, after all, at this 
point, as far as the Wizarding World (including Dumbledore) is concerned, 
Snape was *right* about Sirius' murderous tendencies. This is the guy who, 
after setting up Snape to be murdered by a werewolf, went on to betray his 
supposed best friends, and then blow up a whole street full of muggles, plus 
the heroic (and Dead Sexy . . . NOT! <G>)  Peter Pettigrew. 

So, why does Snape trust Dumbledore at all? It doesn't seem as though Snape 
has ever received satisfaction from Dumbledore on the subject of the "prank," 
(for example, Dumbledore giving an explanation of the punishment Sirius 
received and why he deemed it appropriate), as Snape still obviously has 
"issues" surrounding this event. And, at least at this point in the story, 
Snape would also believe that Dumbledore's judgement about Sirius was 
seriously flawed. He may even feel that if Dumbledore had punished Sirius in 
an appropriate manner, things might have been different and the Potters would 
not have been killed.

It makes me wonder if part of the reason Snape now believes Dumbledore so 
entirely trustworthy is part of the "matter between Severus Snape and myself" 
I quoted above. Certainly Snape must have done something significant to prove 
to Dumbledore that he was sincere in returning to the "good" side, but I 
think that there must also be some proof on Dumbledore's part - proof that 
Dumbledore can be trusted, and that he does value Snape's life. After all, 
Snape became a spy "at great personal risk" - why would he do that, unless he 
believed that Dumbledore would not, once again, undervalue Snape's safety or, 
indeed, his very life (as he did by showing an inappropriate level of concern 
after the "prank"). I would be hesitant to risk my life for someone who'd 
behaved as Snape perceives Dumbledore to have behaved regarding the "prank." 
(IMO, anyway). That someone would have to do something pretty meaningful to 
convince me that he or she was, indeed, trustworthy. 

So, I ask again: Why does Snape trust Dumbledore? I can't think of a single 
thing in canon that offers an explanation, other than the fact that 
Dumbledore vouched for Snape during the Death Eater trials. And I believe 
that whatever brought Dumbledore and Snape back together must have happened 
before that (or else why would Dumbledore be willing to vouch for Snape?). 

So, I'd love to hear any thoughts and speculations about this. Although I'm 
pretty certain that this is one subject upon which we *will* receive 
satisfaction eventually from JKR herself. I'm sure the subject of Snape's 
trustworthiness and Death Eater Days will come up in future books. Book 5, 
preferably. (I am not a patient woman) <G>

:-)
Wendy



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