Introducing George (Was Re: Did Snape betray his friends? Round 2)

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 34766

OK, now that we have met George, I suppose we have to flirt with him, 
seduce him, make him ours, and then . . . change him, right?  :-)

***********

Marina wrote:

> Now I believe that Snape originally joined the DEs not because he 
had
> any conviction in their <ahem>ideals, but because they were the
> enemies of his enemies, and he thought they might treat him decently
> and not try to feed him to any werewolves.  (I believe this is
> actually consistent with the Prince of Lies theory, Cindy, but 
correct
> me if I'm wrong).  

Yes, I think our theories converge on this point.  Maybe we can call 
this part Prince George?  :-)  

I think I go a little farther than you do, however.  I believe that 
Snape really did believe in the "purity of blood ideal" plank of the 
Voldemort's platform when he joined the Death Eaters, but that he 
later learned that this was simply a smokescreen for the real purpose 
of Voldemort and the Death Eaters:  evil-doing for fun and profit.  
That's the "Lies" part of the Prince of Lies theory. :-)

I think the reason I have to dispute George's hypothesis that Snape 
only joined the Death Eaters because of The Prank is that it presumes 
Snape had nowhere else to go.  He didn't have to be on Dumbledore's 
team, and he didn't have to be on Voldemort's team.  He could have 
done something else, I would suppose.  I figure the Prank is what 
swayed Snape to act, but that Snape did believe in the purity of 
blood nonsense.  

Can George address that issue?

Marina again:

>I don't think
> there was any one grand epiphany that made Snape realize, "Hey, 
>these
> guys are evil and must be opposed," I think it was a gradual process
> that eventually reached a point where he had to turn around and do
> something, and it's at that point that he went to Dumbledore.

Aw, gee.  This appears to be where we differ.  Doesn't a drastic 
reaction (Snape returning to Dumbledore and spying) require a very 
serious catalyst?  How can it be that Snape just feels gradually more 
out of sorts until he glides over to Hogwarts and hitches his wagon 
to Dumbledore?  Can't we work an ambush in here somewhere?  :-)  

Although I don't buy the Lily Luv theory, it does have the advantage 
of a plausible catalyst:  that Snape learns of the plot to kill the 
Potters and this is sufficient to make him switch sides.  Where I 
differ is that I think that, had Snape learned of the plot against 
the Potters, he would have shrugged and said, "Oh well.  She never 
loved me anyway, so too bad for her."

Marina again:

> So that's George.  Under George, the GoF mission is not a problem:
> Snape opposed the DEs fifteen years ago because he thought they were
> scum.  He opposes them now because he still thinks so.  

Yes, that's true.  George has the advantage of not having a post-GOF 
mission problem.  He does, however, carry the baggage of requiring 
Snape to be rather clueless of what he was getting into when he 
joined Voldemort the first time.  That doesn't sound like Snape.

Cindy (who thinks George is definitely cuddle-worthy)