[HPforGrownups]Re: LOLLIPOPS, Harry's right to know

[Mary Shearer]

No: HPFGUIDX 34922


Cindy wrote:
> > Canon, OK, I need some canon.  Dumbledore gives us
> a key line in 
> the 
> > Pensieve chapter that means that something
> happened between 
> himself 
> > and Snape that caused him to trust Snape's
> conversion.  When Harry 
> > asks about this point-blank, Dumbledore says,
> "That, Harry, is a 
> > matter between Professor Snape and myself."  If he
> had just 
> followed 
> > his gut or instinct, he wouldn't have said that. 
> He would have 
> said 
> > something like, "I just know."

Marina wrote:

 -- the "that's between Snape and
> myself" answer 
> seems to go against the notion that Snape's
> conversion had anything 
> to do with the Potters.  Because if it did, then
> Harry would have a 
> legitimate right to know about it, so Dumbledore
> wouldn't be able to 
> honestly say that it wasn't any of Harry's business.
 
First of all, I'll share that my first post on this
board was a request for permission to come aboard the
good ship LOLLIPOPS, and though I've spent most of my
time in my cabin, I've really enjoyed the recent
debate. 

To me, Dumbledore's refusal to discuss the details of
Snape's conversion with Harry is the *best* evidence
to date that LOLLIPOPS will reach port safely. Whether
Harry has a right to know or not, (and I don't believe
he does) it is not Dumbledore's place to reveal that
information to him. That would be a matter between
Snape and Harry.  Snape's confession was probably
given in the strictest confidence, and Dumbledore has
too much integrity to violate it.  Furthermore - there
would be nothing to gain by trying to explain such a
thing to Harry.  Imagine his reaction - he hates Snape
anyway, and "oh, by the way, Snape had the hots for
your sainted mum." Harry is in no way mature enough or
objective enough to process that kind of news - he'd
probably just implode. At the very least, it would not
improve relations between him and Snape. He would
probably visualize something akin to Cindy's hilarious
rant that she posted earlier about Snape's crush
(Snape's pathetic dungeon room with various eeewwwy
stalker-type items, my favorite being Lily's wedding
picture with Snape's head pasted on James' body - been
laughing about that since this morning!)  

Suffice it to say that in no way would it be a good
thing for Harry to know at this point - especially
from a third party.  The news should come to him in a
heart-wrenching confession from Snape
himself...preferably just before he dies, yeah
DIES!... following a GLORIOUS act of SELF-SACRIFICE
that REDEEMS him COMPLETELY in Harry's eyes!  (Mary's
eyes are unnaturally bright and her nostrils are now
flaring)...ahem...yeah...(small voice)...sorry.

Carried away or not, as you can see, I'm really
hopeful that Snape does, in fact, have a soft squishy
center beneath that hard, cold, cruel exterior - or at
least *had* one before life dealt him his current
hand. If anyone knows this about him, Dumbledore does.
 And his refusal to discuss such a deeply personal
thing about Snape with Harry makes perfect sense. 

-Mary, who, as she plants herself on a deck chair in
the sun with a margarita and a copy of "True
Confessions," wonders how many licks *does* it take to
get to the center of a L.O.L.L.I.P.O.P.S? 
    

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