Life Debts, Ambushes, Toads, and other Snapethings

[judyserenity]

No: HPFGUIDX 35616

Cindy said that the "Mercy" theory involves Lily saving Snape's life.
In reply, I wrote:
>> Wait a minute, Cindy!  Didn't you propose that Snapes owes 
>> *Dumbledore* a life debt?  Because Dumbledore could have killed 
>> him, but spared him instead? I thought that was Mercy, or Mercy II. 

And Cindy replied:
> Life debt to Lily, Life debt to Dumbledore.  Let's face it -- both 
> are so *lame*.  But no...  My initial description of Mercy was as 
> follows: "In this theory, Lily does something truly heroic to 
> save Snape's life while they are at Hogwarts...."<

Cindy, you challenge me at your peril!!! 
In message 34758, Cindy said:
> Uh, maybe there has to be an additional theory, which, for lack of a 
> better name, I will call "Mercy". Maybe Dumbledore had Snape on the 
> ropes in the war and was in a position to blast Snape to little 
> slimy pieces. Dumbledore (inexplicably?) decides to spare Snape's
> life....< 

So, there! That's what happens when you say that my dear Snape is "a 
bad man."

Cindy added:
> Can we just let Mercy die a dignified, quiet death now?  Please?

Certainly, Cindy, certainly.  All you have to do is say, "Underneath 
it is all, Snape is really a wonderful guy, whom I like very much."  
And mean it. 

Cindy signed off:
> Cindy (wondering how Crouch Jr. is able to kill his father when his 
> father sprung him from Azkaban, which ought to create at least a 
> mini-Life Debt)

Yeah, not to mention, Crouch Sr. sprung Crouch Jr. from his loins (You 
can tell that I've been reading the Bible a lot lately.)  You'd think 
that would create a *big* life debt. 

Jake and Cindy then went cruising off, claiming that even though 
Dumbledore was willing to trust that Snape was on his side, various 
Aurors demanded an Ambush as proof of Snape's loyalty.

I really don't like the Ambush theory.  My beloved Snapey doesn't 
ambush his friends.  So, you ask, how can I contradict this claim that 
the Aurors would demand an Ambush?  Easy. I claim that Longbottom and 
Moody didn't even *know* that Snape had offered to spy for Dumbledore. 
 In fact, I think it's likely that *only* Dumbledore knew Snape was a 
spy.  Think about it.  The more people who know Snape is spying, the 
more likely he is to be compromised.  Dumbledore suspected that he had 
a leak in his operation, so why would he go around telling people that 
Snape was spying for him, when it could get back to Voldy? 

I will grant that Cindy's Toad argument is brilliantly creative. 
Cindy said:
> Trevor is no ordinary toad... When Evil Mrs. Lestrange and her gang 
> shoved their way into the Longbottom's home, Frank ...deposited 
> their souls into Trevor. Neville has to take care of Trevor,
> because if anything happens to Trevor, Neville really will have
> lost his parents. Neville, for lack of a better term, is the, uh, 
> Toad Keeper, because he was the only other person present when the
> spell was performed....

Cindy adds as proof, the fact that Neville also keeps Trevor with him:
> For some unknown reason, Neville happens to have Trevor with him in 
> class. The presence of a student's pet in class is largely 
> unprecedented in canon. I don't recall Ron bringing Scabbers to 
> class; Scabbers stays in Ron's bed so that Sirius can attack him 
> there while no one else is around....

And Cindy says that Snape was trying to destroy the Longbottoms when 
he made Trevor drink Neville's Shrinking Solution:
> Snape would be perfectly willing to force Neville to brew the potion
> that kills the last hope that Neville will have his parents back. 

Creative, but I don't think it's true.  First of all, I think other 
kid *do* carry their pets around. Scabbers was often in Ron's pocket 
or backpack.  The reason Sirius attacked Ron's bed is that it was 
night and Sirius expected Ron to be there, with Scabbers.  Also, I 
don't see why there would need to be a "Toad Keeper", someone who 
would have to always stay with the toad.  Given Neville's 
forgetfulness, it would be safer to leave Trevor with Neville's Gran. 
Also, Neville lost Trevor at Platform 9.75 in PS/SS, and his Gran was 
just exasperated -- if that toad had her child's soul, I think she'd 
be a bit more worried.  Anyway, Neville's uncle bought Neville the 
toad after Neville got into Hogwarts; it says so in PS/SS. 

And most importantly, I'm sure that my dearest Snape is a nice guy and 
would have given Trevor an antidote if Trevor had gotten sick.
  
Judy