Dumbledore had a number of useful spies

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 55828

Julie:


> Funny, but I had the same thing happen recently, reading that exact 
passage.
> The easy answer, of course, I believe is Snape. But there are other Death
> Eaters whose identities we don't know yet. I know that JKR has alluded to us
> finding out something important about Snape in book 7. I wonder if it's
> related? No answers here, just speculation. I'm wondering too!
> 


I write:

As much as I dislike easy answers, I do hope the one who tipped off D-Dore 
about the Potters being in trouble was indeed Snape.

First, let me say that I don't dispute that Snape has been TRYING to save 
Harry all along, just that he has done so, which is where I dispute whether 
Harry should be thanking Snape.

My favorite interpretation of Snape has always been someone who hates his 
station in life but is bound, either magically or by his own code, to it. James 
saved him. Perhaps his motives weren't altogether pure, but James saved 
Snape.

I like to think of Snape as someone who would like NOTHING BETTER than to 
be frolicking with the DEs again, but he is bound to be a good guy. 

And... he... hates... every...stinking... minute... of ... it.

Add in what may have been a crush/unrequited love for Lily, and I think 
Snape giving up  everything he wants to be to help a man he hates and a 
woman who will never love him -- AND THEN HAVE THEM GET KILLED 
ANYWAY!! -- has the potential to be one of the more poignant moments in the 
entire series.

It works even without a crush on Lily, too, for people that just find that too icky.

So then he has to save this little bastard Harry, only he can't really get him a 
clean save, at least not enough to satisfy his own code of honor , and it makes 
him hate Harry all the more, peaking with the end of PoA. Snape thought he 
could discharge his debt AND get rid of Sirius and Lupin all at once, (thereby 
avenging James and Lily, because he, like everyone else, thought Sirius had 
betrayed the Potters) but Harry messed it up again!

In GoF,  though, I think Snape's own problems, such as the return of 
Voldermort, started to overshadow his hate for Harry. Simply put, I think 
Snape is too worried about his own hide to worry much about James' kid, who 
can obviously take care of himself.

This makes me think this is not a magical life debt, but something Snape feels 
he has to do. 

Maybe he truly won't "save" Harry.

Maybe he'll just find some peace about what happened.

So, leave Snape as the one who tipped off D-Dore about the Potters. It's easy, 
it's obvious, but it's could be really cool, too.

Darrin
-- Little Harry Bastards would be a GREAT name for a band.