[HPforGrownups] Re: Why Spying!Snape won't happen

[Kelly Grosskreutz]

No: HPFGUIDX 58760

Melanie Ellis wrote:

> No, I really believe that:
> One too cowardly to return = Karkaroff
> One who has left me forever = Snape
> One faithful servant = Crouch Jr.

One thing that sort of stood out at me last time I reread GoF.  Voldemort's
actual words regarding the second one mentioned is, "One who I *believe* has
left me forever."  I find it interesting that he used the word "believe" in
his statement.  He didn't come right out and say that he has left him
forever.  I remember an English teacher in high school once coaching us on
writing factual papers.  One thing she told us is not to use the phrases "I
think" or "I believe," because it implies opinion and not fact.  By saying
that he *believes* this person has left him forever, to me, he is admitting
that he is not 100% sure this person has left him, but just that he is
pretty sure he has.  It is the wording of this statement that, if this
phrase *does* pertain to Snape, and if his mission *is* to return to spying
on Voldemort, that might just give Snape a slender way back in.  Voldemort
is not 100% sure of Snape being a turncoat.  He could just outright kill
Snape, but if he does so, it will bug him afterwards that he doesn't know
for sure if he was really a traitor.  Therefore, I see that Voldemort will
want to be 100% sure that Snape is a traitor to him.  In this case, it will
be up to Snape to get back onto his good side, although it will not be
pleasant.  But, if I recall a JKR interview, she says he's tough, so we
shouldn't worry too much about him.

Kelly Grosskreutz
http://www.idcnet.com/~ivanova