So, why did Snape turn on Voldermort?

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 39975

Joe Black wrote: 

<snip some stuff about Snape>
 
> Snape is clearly NOT a nice person. Snape doesn't seem to 
> care about hurting others at all. Yes, I realize that Crucio is a 
little 
> more extreme than yelling at your students, but I think its 
> important that we realize that this is someone who feels its 
> appropriate to publicly mock a thirteen-year old nerdy girl about 
> her large teeth in front of her enemies. (And I think any former 
> thirteen-year old, girl or boy, can attest to the scars that sort 
of 
> treatment can leave).
> 


DB: I think Snape has special hatred for Hermione because he sees a 
lot of himself in her. Snape very likely came to Hogwarts as a know-
it-all -- knew more curses than most seventh-years -- but perhaps he 
didn't have the same kind of friendship that Ron and Harry have given 
Hermione. Ron felt bad about insulting her and they went and saved 
her, and then she lied to save them.

Maybe Snape never got that. And he despises Hermione for having the 
best of both worlds -- the top student in her class AND good 
friendships.

The counter-argument, just to play devil's advocate, is that Snape 
has to be so mean as part of his cover. If he wasn't so hateful, 
Draco and the others would go running to their Death-Eater dads, 
complaining about Snape being a "Gryffindor Lover", which would raise 
suspicions.

I subscribe to a mix of these. Snape has to maintain his cover, but 
it is certainly NOT a strain for him to do so.


> While I will not dispute that Snape is clearly devoted to the side 
> of good (in fact, that's key to what I'm about to say), I don't 
think 
> Snape has any sort of conscience at all. His actions attest to the 
> fact that he doesn't care about hurting others.
> 
> So there we go. Point number one, Snape is not a nice person 
> who doesn't feel a stitch of regret about his behavior as a Death 
> Eater.
> 
> On to point number two. Voldemort, while he may reward his 
> followers handsomely for their work, will also turn on them the 
> minute they are no longer useful to him. 
> 
> Yeah, so maybe Wormtail did get that silver hand. Do you really 
> think that Voldemort would hesitate for a second if he decided 
> there was something to be gained by AK-ing the rat? Or even if 
> he was bored wanted some fun?
> 
> We've heard claims that certain people thought they would 
> become Voldemort's second in command when he took over. 
> But anyone who stopped to think would realize that second-in-
> command means nothing when you're dealing with a guy like 
> Voldemort. He's totally power hungry, and there's not an ounce 
> of Hufflepuff in that man. One servant is as good as the next.
> 
> Third, Snape is one smart cookie. I don't think anyone would 
> dispute that. 
> 
> Put it all together, and I think that Snape switched his allegiance 
> for entirely selfish motives. 
> 
> That ambitious drive in Snape's belly told him that he would 
> never get the power and recognition he wanted as long as he 
> was with Voldemort. In fact, working for an evil nutcase like that 
> is downright dangerous – the guy's in a bad mood one day and 
> all those evil deeds were for nothing. 
> 
> No, much better to work for someone like Dumbledore, who 
> keeps his promises and passes out credit where credit is do. 
> Also, unlike Da V-miester, Dumbledore will actually die someday 
> and leave the top spot open.
> 
> Yes, that's right. Severus betrayed his master for no other 
> reason than he was looking out for number one. He switched 
> sides solely for personal gain. He's ambitious to the core, and 
> knew he would never get the glory he deserves from that crazy 
> monster.
> 
> Also, I think Snape probably has more faith in Dumbledore than 
> Voldemort (brilliant and evil as the man might be, he's totally 
> unstable and you really don't want to put your money on a ticking 
> time bomb like that). He's determined that Dumbledore will 
> eventually triumph, and he really wants to be on the winning side 
> when this messy war is all over.
> 


Your last sentence is key. Perhaps something happened to convince 
Snape that the winning side is NOT with the V-Meister. Would Snape 
get more power as a Death Eater? Certainly. But he could have decided 
that it's better to be a Potions Master on the winning side than a 
Death Eater on the bad side -- dead or in Azkaban.

My own theory is that Snape hates the situation he's found himself 
in. All things considered, he'd rather be a Death Eater, hanging out 
with former Slytherins. BUT... he had that pesky life debt thing to 
James, so he maybe tipped Dumbledore off that James was a target, 
never dreaming that Voldemort would go kablooey when he attacked the 
Potters. 

I also think he still despises Harry, but understands, however 
grudgingly, that Harry is the best chance they have. 

Where will Snape's ambitions take him? First, let us not downgrade 
the position of Headmaster at Hogwarts. It is THE Wizarding school in 
England and therefore is a very crucial position, molding the wizards 
and witches that go out in to the world. 

But I do agree, Snape probably has higher goals. My guess is that he 
wants to be the Top Auror, or head of the Magical equivalent to M.I.6 
or the CIA. He'd be good at that. But he's not getting there without 
Dumbledore's wholehearted endorsement that Snape is a good guy, and 
maybe Dumbledore hasn't quite granted that yet.

Let us give Snape credit for being more complex than much of the 
theories grant him.

Darrin 
-- Maybe Snape got really drunk and woke up one day and said: "I did 
WHAT? I turned against Voldermort????"