Just suppose Snape is at the heart of it all

[karenreiduk]

No: HPFGUIDX 87678

Talisman and Smtopliff posted a couple of really interesting HPFGU 
topics in 2003.  They really got me thinking.

We know for a fact that Snape was a trusted Death Eater because he 
has the Dark Mark.  We also know that Snape became a Hogwarts 
Professor after Harry was born because Harry overheard him telling 
Umbridge of his 14 years of service during her inspection of
Harry's 5th year potions class.  What we don't know is why he 
switched sides, or exactly when.

Just suppose...

Snape was the eavesdropper at the Hog's Head during
Trelawney's prophecy.

He only hears "the one with the power" and "born to those
who defied him" and "as the seventh month dies".  He is
thrown out before the "dark lord will mark him" and
"power the dark lord knows not" and "neither can live" lines.

Snape assumes the part-heard prophecy is about a soon-to-be-born 
vanquisher.  He reports back to Voldemort and is promoted to the 
role of Voldemort's #1 trusted DE.

Voldemort hatches his Herod-like plan (we know that the prophecy was 
overheard before Harry was born in July and that Voldemort
doesn't visit Godrick's Hollow until Halloween which was 3
months later).

Just suppose that the reason Snape deserts Voldemort is because he 
is devastated when he realises that the Potter's new born will be 
under attack – Snape owes James a life-debt for being saved from
The Prank.  He turns to Dumbledore.  

Snape reveals Voldemort's plan and admits he was an eavesdropper
to the prophecy.  Dumbledore expresses concern about Snape's
future safety as a turncoat DE.  He urges Snape to learn Occlumency 
to disguise his "rebirth" from Voldemort.  Thus also enabling
Snape to go back into Voldemort's inner circle and work as an 
undercover spy for The Order.  By switching allegiance and going 
back in to spy on Voldemort Snape was earning DDs unwavering trust.

Dumbledore considers this new information and consults his pensive 
memory of the full prophecy.  He is now equipped to interpret it as 
follows:-

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches
"
(He interprets this as tip-toeing-up-to-eavesdrop-at-the-door-
"approaches" not soon-to-be-born-"approaches".)

"Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month 
dies
"
(He interprets this as an individual re-born to a cause, not a child 
born to parents.)

"The Dark Lord will mark him as his equal
"
(He interprets this literally.  Snape is the only member of The 
Order chosen by Voldemort to wear his dark mark.)

"But he will have power the Dark Lord knows not
"
(He relates this to Snape becoming an accomplished Occlumens and 
using the power to thwart Voldemort.  The Dark Lord still knows 
nothing of this power 15 years later in Book 5.)

Dumbledore realises that the prophecy is not about Harry or Neville 
or any other child born at the end of July.  The prophecy is about 
Snape.  But Voldemort doesn't know that.  Dumbledore decides to
use the kids as decoys while he sets about orchestrating a big 
standoff between Snape and Voldemort.  In the meantime he sends the 
Potters and the Longbottoms into hiding and arranges fidelius charms 
and secret keepers.

In his real life game of wizards chess he didn't factor in the 
Wormtail equation.  

Voldemort turns up at Godrick's Hollow.  James tries to head him
off downstairs while Lily performs a love/protection/impervious 
spell on Harry involving a rune symbol.  Voldemort kills James, then 
Lily.  His AK strikes Harry but is deflected by the protection 
spell.  Harry's scar is not the result of the rebounded curse but
a rune symbol that was the reason the curse rebounded in the first 
place.

Voldemort is vapour.  And Harry is the boy that lived.

Dumbledore had been caught flat-footed and is left with the fallout 
at the Potters and the Longbottoms.  Voldemort isn't dead.  He
could come back.  If he comes back he'll be after the now orphaned
Harry.  So Harry is packed off to the Dursleys with the blood 
protection.  

Snape is left temporarily impotent but remains a kill or be killed 
time bomb.  Dumbledore has to keep him close, and keep him safe just 
incase Voldemort ever comes back, but no one can ever know that 
Snape is the true hero.  Snape starts work at Hogwarts but has to 
keep up the pretence of cow towing to the establishment just like 
his old DE friends (Malfoy etc).  He wants the DADA professorship, 
but DD holds his dark past against him.

They sit back and wait.

Harry starts Hogwarts untainted by his fame and puzzled by
Snape's obvious resentment of it.  Snape is the rightful champion
of the story, living under the cloud of his fate with no option but 
to sit back while "The Boy That Lived" steals his limelight. 
Hence the frequent venting of spite and sarcasm at Harry's expense.

Voldemort makes his first appearance during Harry's first year at 
Hogwarts and Dumbledore has all his wizards chess pieces in place.

They remain in place and working nicely (other than the occasional 
inconvenient interference from the remaining Marauders) to this 
day.  Harry is currently back with the Dursleys waiting to start his 
sixth year at Hogwarts where he will reprise his role of decoy-
extraordinaire.

Luckily for Dumbledore Harry doesn't ask too many questions and
any that he does ask are easily explained by a mother's love.  
Dumbledore isn't really lying, just withholding vital information.

Just suppose that Snape is at the heart of it all that JKR spoke of 
to Jeremy Paxman at the release of The Order of the Phoenix.

I concede this theory package requires a certain amount of cannon 
elasticity.  But just suppose...