Snape

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 89730

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, An'nai Jiriki <xmezumiiru at y...>
wrote:
> 
> --- spang_b <spang_b at y...> wrote:
> > Hi,
> >  Inge wrote:
> > I just wondered if maybe the reason Dumbledore
> > trusts him so much - 
> > > could it be that the reason Snape became a Death
> > Eater in the first 
> > > place was by Dumbledore's request? That Dumbledore
> > wanted a spy as 
> > > close to Voldemort as possible and Snape was the
> > best choise?
> > >  
> > spang writes:
> >   This means that Snape had indeed become a death
> > eater and later cut 
> > loose from the outfit.
> 
> 
> Just because DD said it, does not mean it is true. As
> we have seen with Harry, DD does not tell the whole
> truth. (Since I do not have the book with me) Does
> anyone have the exact quote? I do not beleive it says
> that Snape turned from Voldemort exaclty, but just
> that he turned. The 'great personal cost' may have
> been his friends and family, and not his risk of death
> at Voldie's hands.
> 
> Chris
 
Dumbledore's exact words were: "I have given evidence already on this
matter. Severus Snape was indeed a Death Eater. However, he rejoined
our side before Lord Voldemort's downfall and turned spy for us, at
great personal risk. He is now no more a Death Eater than I am." (GoF
Am. ed. 590-91). So it *is* the risk to his own life that is at stake.
It's also important that Snape went to Dumbledore before Voldemort's
fall. And note DD's statement that Snape *rejoined* the good side. I
wonder what that means, exactly. I'm guessing that as a schoolboy, he
was considered to be on the good side by default, than was seduced
away by Lucius ("Lucifer") Malfoy with promises of recognition for his
exceptional skill in the Dark Arts. Something he saw or was asked to
do was so revolting to him that he was willing to ask Dumbledore for
forgiveness, for a second chance, as we're told elsewhere. So he was
made a spy, proved his worth and his courage, and was made a teacher
just before or just after Voldemort's fall (he's been teaching at
Hogwarts for fourteen years in OoP, when Harry is in his fifth year,
and Voldemort would have fallen on Halloween fourteen years
previously, when Harry was fifteen months old).

So Snape did turn from Voldemort and Dumbledore has reason to trust
him beyond the courage and skill he showed as a spy. The questions
still remain: Why did he join? (My answer is only a guess.) Why did he
leave? How did he escape detection by the other DEs? (I think that he
assumed that he was playing their own game, pretending to return to
the good side.) And how is he getting away with it now?

But the great personal risk is not in question, and we see it again at
the end of GoF.

Carol, who thinks Snape is an endlessly fascinating character and
can't wait to see what he does in Book 6