[HPforGrownups] Potters - A question

[manawydan]

No: HPFGUIDX 91489

Elihu wrote:
>About the second, I think Voldemort might not have decided to act
immediately. I think that when Voldemort did decide >to act, he told Snape,
and that was why Snape decided to join Dumbledore.

There's a very close correlation in time here, isn't there. Here's a little
speculation.

Just suppose (and I know that no one mentions it these days) that the theory
about Sevvy loving Lily was true (I've wondered out loud about it elsewhere,
to the effect that after the "worst memory" incident, he develops a crush on
the girl who stood up for him, that his love turns to a sour obsession when
she starts going out with his worst enemy, and that he is complicit in the
deaths of both sets of Harry's grandparents to get his revenge).

Then the prophecy comes along and, after much mulling of it over (or perhaps
the vital 3rd occasion on which the Potters defy him), Voldemort decides
that the Potters are the ones to go for. They go into hiding, the secret is
accidentally put in the hands of the traitor, and Voldemort decides to go to
Godric's Hollow with Peter and Snape to do the deed.

Snape now has a moral dilemma. Would he rather see his worst enemy (James)
dead or the woman he loves (Lily) alive?

James or Lily?

Death or life?

Let's suppose that he chooses life. Instead of going to Godric's Hollow, he
goes to Hogwarts and demands to see Dumbledore. Eventually, and with not
much time left, Dumbledore makes his appearance and Snape tells him his
message.

Dumbledore goes to send a rescue party (doesn't go himself, interesting
that...), leaving Snape alone.

Snape allows himself a little fantasy that Lily is the sole survivor and,
hearing who saved her life, flings herself into his arms. But only a little
one, he's far too realistic to think that's going to happen. Instead, he
realises that he's now a dead man. He has no idea what's going to happen and
expects that whether or not Voldemort kills the Potters, he's going to leave
Godric's Hollow with "kill Snape" at the top of his to-do list. His only
hope is to tell all and hope that the Order can protect him. Extreme
personal danger, as Dumbledore points out to the tribunal.

When Dumbledore returns, Snape is ready to give him the lot, names, dates,
events, plans, everything he can. He's committed to the Order's side now,
there's no road back for him.

But of course he's failed. Harry is the sole survivor. Lily's dead and
Potter's brat survived. He doesn't show it, but he's devastated. 10 years
later, Harry's going to get a lot of grief as a result. But for now, he's
got to carry on surviving. So he carries on cooperating. Because of Sevvy,
the Order is able to round up most of Voldemort's top minions.

Noticeably he doesn't try to set the record straight about Sirius (why
should he? Peter's dead (serves him right) and dead men tell no tales:
Sirius Black's in Azkaban (serves him right) and he'll never get out).

And his reward is a teaching post at Hogwarts

"What about Defence against the Dark Arts?"
"No Severus, given everything I really don't think that would do, do you? We
do however need a good Potions master, and I understand you recently took
your mastership with the Guild"

Cheers

Ffred

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