TBAY: Assassin!Snape's Next Victim (WAS Re: TBAY - Redemption)

[marinafrants]

No: HPFGUIDX 46763

"Marina, you've got to help me!"

Marina looks up from her annotated copy of Kant's "Logic" to find 
herself facing a very agitated George.  "What is it?" she asks.

George fidget's nervously.  "I've been talking to Cindy..."

"That'll teach ya," Marina mutters.  George blinks confusedly.

"What?"

"Nothing." Marina pats the seat next to her.  "Sit down, George, 
take a deep breath.  What did Cindy say to you?"

"Well..."  George sits down.  "She's been arguing that Snape will 
have to do something majorly dramatic and nasty in order to convince 
Voldemort of his loyalty.  She even had a scenario all prepared, 
look:

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Cindy C." <cindysphynx at c...> wrote:
> We know that Snape is proficient at dueling.  We 
> know Snape showed up at Hogwarts knowing a lot of Dark Curses.  We 
> know Snape was ruthless enough to join the DEs in the first 
place.  
> It sure seems reasonable that Snape had to do some awful things 
when 
> he was a DE.  We know there will be a war in the next books.  And, 
> George. . . . we know that war is not pretty, and people sometimes 
> have to do awful things in war.  For the common good, you know.  
> 
> "Oh, Snape won't enjoy being the instrument of Karkaroff's death –-
 
> either by leading Karkaroff to slaughter in an ambush for 
> Voldemort's amusement, or by pulling the trigger himself.  But 
Snape 
> will do it.  Snape will do it for the greater good.  

"Hmm." Marina examines Cindy's scenario carefully.  "Yes, that does 
sound plausible."

George looks startled.  "It does?"

"Absolutely.  It's plausible, it's angsty and dramatic, it would 
certainly go a long way toward convincing Voldemort.  I don't have a 
problem with it at all."

"B-but," George stammers, "isn't it kind of... *bangy*?"

Marina bursts out laughing.  "Is that what you were worried about?"  
She pats George on the head.  "Come on!  What's bangy about 
Karkaroff's death?  Nobody cares about him.  He's a coward, a self-
serving turncoat and a general slimeball. Not the characters -- even 
his students don't show any concern when he disappears; all they do 
is bitch about how he made them do all the rowing when they were 
travelling to Hogwarts by ship.  Not the readers -- when was the 
last time you saw a post arguing that Igor Karkaroff is ever so 
sexy?  How often does he gets shipped?  Does anyone ever speculate 
about his childhood or wonder how he got to be the way he is?  Are 
there any Karkaroff redemption scenarios floating around the Bay?"

George shakes his head.  "I don't think so."

"Exactly!  If Snape likes Karkaroff, then he's the only one in the 
entire Potterverese who does.  His assassination would be a great 
plot twist, and an excellent vehicle for exploring Snape's 
character.  But it certainly doesn't bang.

On the other hand, if Snape is, or was, friends with him..."  Marina 
pauses and taps the book in her lap with a meaningful squint.  
George's face lights up.

"If Snape was friends with him, yet kills him, then he is once again 
going against his desires and naturall inclanations to do what his 
duty requires him to do for Dumbledore's cause!" he exclaims 
triumphantly.  "Just as he did when he betrayed his other DE friends 
all those years ago."

"Yep.  It all fits."  Marina ruffles George's hair 
affectionately.  "Don't let Cindy get you all worked up over 
nothing, dear, she's always seeing bangs when there's nothing 
there.  Now, let me get back to my book.  If you're hungry, there's 
chili in the PRESSURE COOKER, but remember to wash the dishes by 
hand afterwards."

Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com