Did Snape betray his friends?

[marinafrants]

No: HPFGUIDX 34734

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "judyserenity" <judyshapiro at e...> wrote:
> Cindysphynx wrote:
> 
> My theory of why Snape left the Death Eaters is that he was in 
love 
> with Lily.  The Death Eaters did a lot of awful things, and Snape 
> could handle that, but when they were going after the one person 
he 
> cared about (and planning to kill her only child, if not Lily 
> herself), he couldn't stand it.  So, he went to the only person 
who 
> could help -- Dumbledore.  Dumbledore saw that Snape actually 
cared 
> about someone, and was even willing to risk his life for this 
person, 
> so he gave Snape a second chance.
> 
> Sure, this is pure speculation.  But, it has a big advantage over 
the 
> theory that Snape betrayed his friends.  Dumbledore didn't just 
strike 
> a deal with Snape that kept Snape out of Azkaban, he *trusts* 
Snape.  
> Why would Dumbledore trust a guy who sells out all his friends? 
> 

Well, I happen to believe that Snape *did* turn in his friends, and 
that it makes him *more* trustworthy to Dumbledore, not less.  See, 
I have no idea whether or not Snape loved Lily (though I rather hope 
not, as I think that would be really trite); but I definitely don't 
buy the idea that love of Lily turned him away from the DE's because 
such a shallow conversion, frankly, isn't worth crap.  If one is 
going to turn from the side of evil to the side of good, then one 
must do it out of genuine moral conviction, a sincere belief that 
evil is, well, *evil* and must be fought.  "I don't care how many 
innocents they kill, it's only if they hurt my girl that I object" 
just doesn't cut it.

And look at it from Dumbledore's point of view.  Snape falls for 
Lily, the DEs want to hurt Lily, so Snape defects?  Well, bully for 
him.  And what happens if, a little down the line, he falls for 
another girl and she's on the DEs side? I wouldn't trust a spy like 
that any further than I could throw him.  

No, I think that somewhere down the line Snape came to genuinely 
hate Voldy and everything the DEs stood for; and to hate them *on 
principle*, not just emotionally.  And Snape has generally been 
shown as willing, and even determined, to put principle and duty 
ahead of his emotions.  Several people have pointed out in the 
course of this discussion that Snape protects Harry and friends, 
even though he loathes them, because it's his duty to do so.  It's 
his duty as a teacher, and as a player on Dumbledore's team -- not 
to mention his life debt to James.  And if he can help people he 
hates, even at risk to his own life, because it's his duty, then I 
think he can also turn against people he likes because it's his 
duty.  And if Snape is clear on what his duty is, and is willing to 
stick to it regardless of his personal feelings, then Dumbledore can 
rightfully trust him.

Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com