Did Snape betray his friends? Round 2.75

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 34798

> Cindy said (about why Snape risks his neck after GoF):

> > Oddly, this is a problem under all of the theories....
> > It's also a problem under the Snape loves Lily theory, because 
Snape 
> > continues to risk his neck after GoF when Lily is dead, dead, 
dead.
> 

Judy responded:

> Well, Harry still loves James and Lily, even though they are dead, 
> dead, dead.  

Mmmm, it doesn't really seem like quite the same thing.  First, 
Harry's motivation for risk-taking has never been to avenge the death 
of his parents.  Ironically, Harry's motivation for risking his neck 
in his confrontations with Voldemort appears to be avoiding Harry's 
own premature demise.  In PS/SS (going from memory here), Harry goes 
after Voldemort because if he doesn't, Voldemort will kill Harry 
later.  In CoS, Harry is motivated to save Ginny.  In GoF, Harry is 
motivated to get out of that graveyard alive.  It's not Harry's 
fault, of course; Dumbledore hasn't explained any higher purpose to 
motivate Harry to wish to defeat Voldemort . . . yet.

The Snape-Loves-Lily theory, on the other hand, says that Snape 
performs all of these heroic tasks and puts himself in harm's way for 
the stale memory of a relationship with a woman Snape never had. If 
that's true, then that makes Snape, well, kinda pitiful, no? <g>

What we have here, in the final analysis, is what appears to be my 
hard-headed, firm, irrational ability to believe any theory in which 
the character is motivated by SHIPping to do something critically 
important.  It's not anyone's fault; I'm a hopeless non-SHIPper.  
<heavy sigh>  Maybe the Snape-Loves-Lily idea has potential that I 
just can't see.

Judy again (on the Mercy theory):

> Yeah, except Snape *hates* James for saving his life.  Snape 
doesn't 
> hate Dumbledore.  

Ah, but is that the real reason Snape hates James?  Ironically, it is 
more likely that Snape hates James . . . wait for it . . . because 
James got Lily!  (No, wait, that's SHIPping, so that won't work).  :-)

Actually, I think Snape has been straightforward about why he hates 
James:  (1)  Snape tells us he thinks James was in on The Prank but 
got cold feet; and (2) Snape is jealous, complaining about James' 
arrogance, strutting around with his friends and admirers.

Snape hates James for these reasons.  His perceived debt of gratitude 
isn't it, IMHO.  (And it doesn't really make sense that someone would 
hate someone for saving his life).  So there's no inconsistency 
between how Snape treats Dumbledore and how he treats James' memory, 
IMHO.

That said, I do have to question why Snape doesn't hate Dumbledore 
for Dumbledore's non-response to The Prank.  Why be so mad at Sirius 
when Dumbledore behaved equally badly (from Snape's POV) by sweeping 
the whole thing under the rug?  Thoughts?

Judy again:

> No, face it, Snape just has to be a genuinely decent guy (deep down 
> underneath) to stay loyal to Dumbledore.

Oh, no.  I haven't reached "Snape is a genuinely decent guy" yet.  
In fact, I can't even see "Snape is a genuinely decent guy" from my 
low-slung perch on the deck of the Good Ship L.O.L.L.I.P.O.P.S., 
sipping a marguerita and occasionally heckling Captain Tabouli 
with, "Are we there yet?"  And yes, I have a seat on the Ship because 
I believe L.O.L.L.I.P.O.P.S. neatly explains why Snape hates 
Harry. ::waves boarding pass to prove it::

Judy again:

> (By the way, saying Snape would be blasted into *slimy* pieces was 
a 
> nice touch; I liked that.) 
> 

Why, thanks!  If you want me to insult Snape, I've got a million of 
them, although JKR wrote that one.  :-)

Cindy