JKR chat--Snape the coward or the one left forever?

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 92416

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "puju02" <puju02 at y...> wrote:
> Susan:
> > And the only ways I could see that Snape would be 
> > in a position to spy are:
<snip>
> > 3) he was the coward who DID take his punishment and was allowed 
> > back in the fold;
> > 
> > The only other possibility I can imagine would be that he was 
> > indeed the one Voldy believed was gone forever & who'd have to 
be 
> > killed... 
> > but that *somehow* [how?!?] he was given the chance to talk his 
way 
> > out of it.
> 
> Puja:
> Now that you put it this way, Susan, I think I get your point 
about 
> calling Snape the coward (in the eyes of LV alone). LV, however 
> doesn't strike me as someone who easily forgives. Especially as 
Snape 
> had betrayed him much before his downfall (quote Dumbledore from 
the 
> pensieve trial). But there maybe lies the genius of JKR and the 
plot 
> for book 6 and 7 (hopefully 8th :-)) about what actually did Snape 
do 
> or was he punished or forgiven by LV...

Susan:
Right, Puja, I agree that Voldy doesn't seem like one who easily 
forgives.  I think *that* is why I suggested Snape might be the one 
who was seen (by Voldy) as the coward, to be PUNISHED, rather than 
as the one who left for good, to be KILLED.  I think if Voldy was 
going to be convinced to actually listen to an explanation, it would 
be more likely from the one he planned to punish, rather than from 
the one he planned to kill.  Does that make sense?

I'm still open to LOTS of possibilities on the three missing DEs; I 
was just trying to argue one rationale for Snape as coward....

Siriusly Snapey Susan