Dumbledore and Trust

[bibphile]

No: HPFGUIDX 73152

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "meltowne" <meltowne at y...> 
wrote:
Why does he trust Snape?  My theory is that Snape loved Lily, and 
that was part of his hatred toward James - the memory in the 
Penseive reminded him how badly he treated her at Hogwarts.  Perhaps 
the reason Snape was able to break free of LV is the very same 
reason Harry survived - love.  LV did the unthinkable and killed 
Lily. While Harry reminds him a great deal of James, he is still the 
only child of the woman he loved; the only thing left of her.  
Perhaps his treatment of Harry is also because he truly expects more 
from him.  
>

I must admit that I never liked the Snape loved Lily theory.  Why 
can't he just hated James because James was a vomplete bully who 
made his life miserable?  Isn't that enough -- especially when you 
consider that it looks like everyone (the other students) didn't 
think James was doing anything wrong?

I know we've never seen evidence that Snape didn't love Lily, but I 
haven't seen any evidence that he did either.  I see no reason to 
assume he did.

I think something made Dumbledore believe Snape when Snape came to 
him and offered to turn spy.  He took the risk.  Everything Snape 
said turned out to be true.  This continued (at great risk to Snape, 
btw); the information was always accurate.  It was the same through 
the remaineder of the war.  It was (more than) long enough for Snape 
to earn his trust.

I don't really think Snape is harder on Harry because he thinks 
Harry is cpable of more.  I think he's mean to Harry for two basic 
reasons.  Firstly, he can't quite get it through his head that Harry 
isn't James.  (Snape isn't terribly different from Sirius in this;  
it's just that Sirius loved James while Snape hated him.)  Second, 
Snape treats everybody like dirt.  I don't think his being mean to 
Gryffindors is and act.  I think his being nice to Slytherin is.

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