Correction was: Just suppose Snape is at the heart of it all

[Karen Reid]

No: HPFGUIDX 88103


Hi there,

 

I have been a hugely enthusiastic, yet quiet lurker with this group for the past 6 months.  I don’t tend to post as I struggle to keep up to date reading the high volume this group generates already without adding my contribution.  I hoped the Christmas holidays would mean I could dedicate a bit more time, but it seems it wasn’t enough.  Just before Christmas I posted a Snape theory that contained a couple of factual errors, a couple of spelling errors (damn my haste!) and a couple of areas of ambiguity.  Unfortunately I have to go back into lurkerdom as my holiday is now over, and so rather than address each issue individually I thought it might be better to re-post the theory with factual corrections and additional comments.

 

Before I do, may I say a big thank you to you all for your thoroughly enlightening and enjoyable insights past, present and future and wish you all a happy and healthy 2004.

 

K (karenreiduk)


 

We know for a fact that Snape was a trusted Death Eater because he has the Dark Mark.  We also know that he became a Hogwarts Professor after Harry was born because Harry overheard Snape informing Umbridge of his 14 years of service during her inspection of Harry's 5th year potions class.  But at the moment we can only theorise as to exactly when he switched sides, why, or what it was that he did to earn Dumbledore’s unwavering trust.

 

Just suppose...

 

Snape was the eavesdropper at the Hog's Head during Trelawney's prophecy.

 

He only hears "the one with the power" and "born to those who defied him" and "as the seventh month dies" lines.  He is thrown out before the "dark lord will mark him" line onwards.

 

Snape reports back to Voldemort who assumes the part-heard prophecy is about a soon-to-be-born vanquisher.  Snape is promoted to the role of Voldemort's #1 trusted DE.

 

Voldemort hatches his Herod-like plan (Dumbledore tells us that the prophecy was overheard before Harry was born in July and that Voldemort doesn't visit Godric's Hollow until 15 months later).

 

Just suppose that the reason Snape deserts Voldemort is because he is devastated when he realises that the Potter's new born will be under attack – Snape owes James a life-debt for being saved from The Prank.  He turns to Dumbledore.  

 

Snape reveals Voldemort's plan and admits he was an eavesdropper to the prophecy.  Dumbledore expresses concern about Snape's future safety as a turncoat DE.  He urges Snape to learn Occlumency to disguise his "rebirth" from Voldemort.  Thus also enabling him to go back into Voldemort's inner circle and work as an undercover spy for The Order.  By switching allegiance and going back in to spy on Voldemort Snape was earning DDs unwavering trust.

 

Dumbledore considers this new information and consults his pensive memory of the full prophecy.  He is now equipped to interpret it as follows:-

 

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches
"

(He interprets this as tip-toeing-up-to-eavesdrop-at-the-door-"approaches" not soon-to-be-born-"approaches".)

 

"Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies
"

(He interprets this as an individual re-born to a cause, not a child born to parents.)

 

"The Dark Lord will mark him as his equal
"

(He interprets “The Dark Lord will mark him” literally.)

FURTHER:- He interprets “his equal” as his peer, cohort or ally.

 

"But he will have power the Dark Lord knows not
"

(He relates this to Snape becoming an accomplished Occlumens and using the power to thwart Voldemort.  The Dark Lord still knows nothing of this power 16 years later at the end of Book 5.)

 

Dumbledore realises that the prophecy is not about Harry or Neville or any other child born at the end of July.  The prophecy is about Snape.  But Voldemort doesn't know that.  Dumbledore decides to use the kids as decoys while he sets about orchestrating a big standoff between Snape and Voldemort.  In the meantime he sends the Potters and the Longbottoms into hiding and arranges fidelius charms and secret keepers.

FURTHER:- Also suppose that the Keeper of the Hall of Prophecy currently has our orb labelled “Dark Lord and (?)”.

 

In his real life game of wizard’s chess he didn't factor in the Wormtail equation.  

 

Voldemort turns up at Godric's Hollow.  James tries to head him off downstairs while Lily performs a love/protection/impervious spell on Harry that involves runes and complicated charms.  Voldemort kills James, then Lily.  His AK strikes Harry but is deflected by the protection, which takes physical form as the ancient rune symbol of eihwaz (or defence) at the point of impact on Harry’s forehead.

FURTHER:- Could this same protection explain why other characters feel pain when they are in the process of trying to physically abuse Harry?  E.g. Quirrell at the end of the first book and Uncle Vernon at the beginning of the last (or mentally with the red weal that Snape put down to a Stinging Hex in the Occlumency lesson in OoP).

FURTHER STILL:- Could this protection also have been intended to extend to supplying Harry with his Voldie-radar – another of Dumbledore’s more brilliant ideas perhaps?

 

Voldemort is vapour.  And Harry is the boy that lived.

 

Dumbledore had been caught flat-footed and is left with the fallout at the Potters and the Longbottoms.  Voldemort isn't dead.  He could come back.  If he comes back he'll be after the now orphaned Harry.  So Harry is packed off to the Dursleys with the blood protection.  

FURTHER:- Dumbledore tells us that it then “seemed plain” to the Keeper of the Hall of Prophecies that the prophecy orb should be “relabelled”.  But notice that the “(?)” still remains.  For this whole Snape theory package to work that “(?)” would have to allow for alternative interpretations.

 

Snape is left temporarily impotent but remains a kill or be killed time bomb.  Dumbledore has to keep him close, and keep him safe just incase Voldemort ever comes back, but no one can ever know that Snape is the true hero.  Snape starts work at Hogwarts but has to keep up the pretence of cow towing to the establishment just like his old DE friends (Malfoy etc).  He wants the DADA professorship, but DD holds his dark past against him.

 

They sit back and wait.

 

Harry starts Hogwarts untainted by his fame and puzzled by Snape's obvious resentment of it.  Snape is the rightful champion of the story, living under the cloud of his fate with no option but to sit back while "The Boy That Lived" steals his limelight. Hence the frequent venting of spite and sarcasm at Harry's expense.

 

Voldemort makes his first appearance during Harry's first year at Hogwarts and Dumbledore has all his wizards’ chess pieces in place.

 

They remain in place and working nicely (other than the occasional inconvenient interference from the remaining Marauders) to this day.  Harry is currently back with the Dursleys waiting to start his sixth year at Hogwarts where he will reprise his role of decoy-extraordinaire.

 
Just suppose that Snape is at the heart of it all that JKR spoke of to Jeremy Paxman at the release of The Order of the Phoenix.





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