OOP: Re: Who Trusts Snape?!

[Lea]

No: HPFGUIDX 66862

> Apparently Dumbledore trusts Snape, but I am having a harder time 
of 
> it.  Snape has been so nasty to Harry that I really don't want to 
> trust him, but it's hard not to when Dumbledore does.  So I was 
> thinking that if I were a wizard, maybe the only reason for me to 
> trust a former death eater would be if he had a life debt to me.  
> 
> However, Wormtail's life debt to Harry certainly did not come in 
> useful in the graveyard at the end of GoF.  I suppose the wizard 
who 
> is indebted can be selective about when he is going to return the 
> favor.  Is Wormtail just biding his time?  Hoping V will kill Harry 
& 
> therefore relieve Wormtail of his life debt? 
>   
> DOES ANYONE THINK SNAPE OWES DUMBLEDORE A LIFE DEBT, THEREFORE THAT 
> MAY BE WHY DUMBLEDORE TRUSTS HIM? 

[snip]

Me:
I think people are skewing this whole "life debt" thing.  I agree 
with Dumbledore, it will likely become important that Harry saved 
Pettigrew's life, but I DON'T think that a "life debt" is some kind 
of "Thanks, I owe you one, man," thing.  It's not a favor you repay 
to be square again, it's more like the knowledge that your life was 
spared (or saved) by someone, and you aren't going to want to kill 
the person who spared (saved) your life. 

That said, I like the theory that D'dore somehow saved (redeemed?) 
Snape, and that's why Snape ultimately came back to the good side.  
We don't know why, though, do we?  Something BIG happened for Severus 
to defect... but whether it was on the part of D'dore, or Voldy, or 
Snape himself, we have no reference, for we haven't heard the story.

~Lea~  --a "scary Snape fan" myself