Snape and Lily and Florence and Ginny and . . .

[Deirdre F Woodward]

No: HPFGUIDX 80784

I'm sitting firmly on the WINDOW SILLS and I think there are some joiners up
here with me.  *waves to other (non) believers*

Ok.  Where to start.  So far, I've gotten several people defending theories
for Snape loving Lily (or Florence).  The authors note that Snape could hate
Harry because Harry is the cause of Lily's death.

Good theory, and I have no counterargument.

Except.

*Why* would Snape love Lily?  What possible plot device could it serve?  I
mean, we are reading a *novel* after all, and all threads lead to a
conclusion (except red herrings and FLINTS, of course).

Let's play this out at the very basic of levels -- at some point Snape
confesses his love of  Lily.  To whom?  The only one to whom it would matter
would be Harry, and what would that do to/for Harry?

Will that knowledge help Harry?  Under what circumstances could knowing
Snape loved Lily possibly help Harry?
Will it hinder Harry?  How?

[cut to Hogwarts]
Snape eyed Harry cooly.  "We've had our difficulties, Potter."

Harry nodded curtly.

Snape continued, "But we are on the same side, and we need to stand together
to defeat the Dark Lord."

Harry motioned impatiently.  Was this going somewhere, or was Snape
intentionally trying to delay Harry?  He felt the same lump of suspision and
dislike that had settle in him seven long years ago, the moment he'd set
eyes on Snape.  "What's up, Snape?" Harry bit out.  "I gotta get out of
here -- places to go, evil overlords to kill . . ."

Snape nodded, his eyes implicitly acknowledging Harry's superiority in every
way.  He cleared his throat.  "I have a confession, Harry.  I need to tell
you something before you go."

"What, then?" Harry said.  He felt bad for old Snape.  Clearly the old
fellow was keen to tell Harry a secret, but what could Snape possibly say to
Harry that Harry would care to hear?  There was too much water under that
bridge, Harry thought ruefully.  Oh, well.  No reason to be mean.  Better
make the best of it.  He smiled half-convincingly at Snape and patted him on
the shoulder.  "Let's hear it, old boy.  Better to just say it, get it out."

"Harry, before you set off to kill the Dark Lord, take this to battle with
you:  I loved your mother."  Snape's voice broke with emotion.

Harry stood perfectly still.  Had he heard what he thought he just heard?
Snape loved his mother?  So what?  How was that supposed to help Harry
defeat Voldemort?

[or alternatively,]

[cut to Godrick's Hollow, where the final battle is sure to take place or I
will be sorely disappointed]

"Harry." A cold voice just left of Harry's ear breathed his name quietly.
"Step carefully, boy."

Harry felt a hand on his shoulder, but didn't need to look around to know it
was Snape emerging from the shadows behind him.  "Don't try to stop me,
sir."  Harry sounded much braver than he felt.  "The prophesy started here,
and it will end here."

Snape dug his fingernails into Harry's shoulder.  "It will indeed, Potter. I
have my wand pointed at your entrails, and I will turn you over to the Dark
Lord myself, thus earning me my rightful place at his right hand in a
twisted anti-Christ/Judas the traitor who crosses sides more often than
Madonna sort of way."

"And before you die, Potter, there's just one more thing you should know."
Snape laughed softly.  "I loved your mother."

[cut back to real life]

Will someone else disclose the information to Harry, thus causing him to
act/not act to help/hinder who?

I just don't see how Snape's feelings for Lily could materially affect the
trajectory of the story, and if this love triangle is suddenly and IMHO
gratuitiously tossed in, and doesn't affect the trajectory of the story,
then it's poorly written, and she should have hired me to finish off the
last two novels.

You'd get lots more of that stuff up there!

Now, on to Florence and Ginny, which I think bears some un-defending.
Anti-defending?  How about counterargument, and on we go.

I *like* Ginny.  I wouldn't wish Snape on her for the world.  I think Ginny
is universally liked (someone correct me if I'm wrong, please).  I can't
imagine how badly Ginny would feel if it were true that she's not a Weasley
proper, that she's the daughter of an aunt, and worse, the daughter of
Snape.  I mean, come on.  How can Ginny, the Weasley boys, Harry, Hermionie,
and all the others possibly reconcile that knowledge with their current
relationship with Ginny?  In short, if the Daddy!Snape theory were true,
then poor Ginny would become an instant outcast.  Oh sure, they'd all say it
didn't change a thing, but you know the instant she's looking somewhere
else, they'd all be staring at her, the weird little kid with a missing
mother and a psycho father.  And Ginny hasn't done anything to warrent that
kind of fate.

Ok, enough from me.

Deirdre