Love between Harry and Snape (No! Not like that!) (was Re: A different and total

[jinsler3]

No: HPFGUIDX 98297

Thursday, May 13, 2004, 7:05:53 PM, Marcus wrote:
> 
> > The germ of this idea comes from an interview Rowling once gave.
> > She
> > was asked about unusual pairings.  She replied that there was one
> > that
> > nobody had guessed, but went to the very heart of the series.
> 
Susanne wrote:
> 
> To me, it seemed she was referring to *theories* that nobody
> had quite guessed, not *pairings*.
> 
> I've searched for the exact wording, but can't find the
> interview right now, even though I know I've recently read
> it.
> 
> At first the answer seemed related to the pairing and how
> she didn't want to ruin people's fun (though she did in a
> later interview), but then I thought she moved on to more
> general theorizing.

 
I remember that interview as well. It seems odd that she would switch
from talking about shipping theories to the mysterious "heart of it
all". But what if "the heart of it all" involves not romantic love but
some other kind, between the two incredibly unlikely characters of
Harry and Snape? This would fit the idea of a pairing that no one had
guessed that goes to the the heart of it all. In another interview JKR
mentioned that she was shocked that someone would ask about Snape and
love, and that she wanted to explain but it would be important in book
7. But why would Snape's love be important unless it related in some
way to Harry? Even if Harry found out that Snape and Lily were once an
item,  that wouldn't be important enough by itself unless it really
changed Harry's feelings. I think Snape and Harry will forge a close
relationship in Book 7, much like the relationship Harry never had a
chance to develop with Sirius, and the bond between them will play a
decisive role in the final destruction of Voldemort and/or Harry's
survival afterwards.

There is already a great deal of evidence that Snape will play a
critical role in the last 2 books. Snape is the most important adult
character after Dumbledore, now that Sirius is gone. (JKR says that
she had to kill Sirius; perhaps he stood in the way of some other
character's development?) Snape has close ties to nearly all the
important characters and elements of the books: Voldemort, Dumbledore,
Hogwarts, the Malfoys, the other Death Eaters, Harry's parents, Sirius
and Lupin, even the jinxed DADA job (which I expect him to finally get
in book 7). Snape's mysterious past has
remained hidden much longer than would seem necessary, if finding it
out would not change Harry's or our perception of him. JKR is so
secretive of his character that she would not even reveal what form
his Boggart or Patronus would take.

How could Snape and Harry ever learn to tolerate each other, let alone
become close? Their relationship hit absolute bottom at the end of
Book 5. Or did it? Though Harry has decided to "always hate Snape,"
Snape's behavior seemed curiously neutral in their last interaction. I
especially wonder how Snape would have ended his final sentence if
McGonagall hadn't interrupted him. After some consideration, I think
he would have completed it, "...we must simply overlook it this time,"
or something similar. He was sneering, but Harry thinks all smiles of
Snape's are sneers. It will be very interesting to see how Snape
treats Harry in book 6, starting on how he accepts Harry into his
NEWT-level Potions class (because we all know Harry couldn't be lucky
enough to avoid it) even though Harry probably did not get an 'O'.

Harry's perception of Snape could be changed by the revelation that
Snape once cared deeply for his mother. The Pensieve scene appears to
destroy the Snape/Lily theory, but upon closer examination it may
subtly reinforce it. The memory was one of 3 that Snape specifically
did not want Harry to see at all costs. Yet the abuse that James and
Sirius inflicted on him did not seem unique. Likely they brought
similar humiliation on him dozens of times. So what about the
situation was really special? It occured right after an OWL, but this
doesn't seem relevant. There were lots of spectators, but again this
probably was almost common. Lily Evans stepped in to defend Snape, and
he called her a Mudblood in return. THIS stands out. The reason Snape
did not want Harry to see this particular humiliation is that this
time, Snape lashed out at Lily. If Snape really cared for her, he
would regret this more than any other episode with James and Sirius.

WARNING SPECULATION ON END OF BOOK 7

Okay, it's arrogant to assume that I have any clue what will happen,
but just in case, if you want to be surprised you may not want to read
any further. I expect the final showdown with Voldemort to happen in
the Department of Mysteries, specifically in the Death Room. (We know
of an Unspeakable named Croaker; given his name, he probably works in
the Death Room, so Harry will likely meet him and visit the room at
least once more to learn some of the secrets of death researched
there.) The DoM has too many critical things not to appear again, and
two of them could get rid of the Dark Lord for good. Voldemort could
return to use the Time Room to reverse a setback, but Harry will
arrive the battle will spill throughout the DoM and Voldemort will be
finally destroyed either by the power of Love in the locked room
("power the Dark Lord knows not") or by plunging through the veil with
Harry, possibly due to the actions of Neville. The important passage
of the prophecy is "And either must die at the hand of the other, for
neither can live while the other survives." My interpretation is that
Neville is the Other and that the prophecy properly means Neville must
kill either Harry or Voldemort by knocking one through the veil,
killing both because of their link. So neither Harry or Voldemort will
live in the end but Neville will survive. This is where Snape enters.
The incredibly unlikely love between Snape and Harry will unlock the
locked room and enable Snape to pull Harry back from beyond the veil,
saving his life one last time. Of course this would be a one time
thing and only possible with the nearby power in the locked room.

This is my guess at what the "heart of the matter" is. JKR has said
that some have come very close to guessing at it; she has also been
particularly excited when someone mentioned Snape in connection with
love. Perhaps she referred to the same thing. Whatever happens in
books 6 and 7, Snape and Harry's relationship will be one of the most
important elements of the plot and play a decisive role in the end of
the story.