ESE!Snape (Was loads of other stuff)

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 98434

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" <dumbledore11214 at y...> 
wrote:
> Oh,my... I can't believe myself. I am going to ... defend Snape. :o) 
> (well, kind of).
> 
> I would call him a pathetic, sad human being, who from the victim of 
> chidhood bullying transformed into bully himself and who in addition 
> is allowed to abuse his authority as a teacher on a day to day basis.
> I would say that emotionally he is still in his teens, etc., etc., 
> 
> But I DON'T think that I really believe in ESE!Snape, even though OoP 
> kinda made me doubt that. Again, this is metathinking, but I think 
> that JRK spent too much time and effort on this character to allow 
> him to turned out ESE in the end. Her bad guys are usually not very 
> well developed.
> 
> I also would like to say that I think we will be lead to believe that 
> Snape will betray the Order, but that will turn out to be false in 
> the end.


You may find this  hard to believe, but I don't think that ESE!Snape
is probable either, however much I relish the antics of the snide,
miserable, nasty old bastard.

Snape is a category apart IMO. It all goes back to my ideas, as yet
unsubstantiated, of how he came to be what he is. We can agree
that Snape shows a measure of respect for DD, perhaps also for
McGonagall - and doesn't give a damn about anybody else. Not
only doesn't he give a damn about them, he doesn't care what
they think about him, either. 

Oh, he insists that Harry call him "sir' or "Professor" but that's 
mainly to firmly squelch any delusions that Harry may have about
being a trained, competent wizard. Snape knows better. But do
you really think it bothers him that Harry hates his guts? Nope.
Does it bother him that the others in the Order don't trust him?
Nope.

Just as DD may regard young Potter as Weapon!Harry, as a means
to an end, so Snape regards DD, the Order and anyone else he
may chance to meet in similar fashion. He has a bone to pick with
Voldy (not with the DEs, in other circumstances they would be his
boon companions), it's Voldy pure and simple. The Order is also
anti-Voldy, very convenient, they could be useful; and the enemy
of my enemy becomes my friend - for a while.

Betrayal? He'd betray anyone in a heartbeat if it served his purpose
of having a crack at Voldy, but he wouldn't see it as betrayal, just 
as an opportunity not to be missed. He's in the Order but not truly
*of* it, if you get my point; he doesn't share their principles, their 
morality or their concern at what Voldy and his merry little crew 
may do if not checked. Snape probably did the same thing when he
was a DE, it's a bit late to deny his own character now.

He's only got one loyalty and that's to the idea of bringing Voldy
down, preferrably by Snape's own hand, though he realises that
may be beyond his capabilities. Teaming up with DD may just do it.
All other 'loyalties' are temporary and limited  by expediency.

DD knows and understands this, I think. That's why he trusts 
Snape so completely. There is nothing that Voldy could offer
Snape that would tempt  him back into the DE fold, except 
Voldy's own destruction. So DD sees  him  as safe.

Snape probably sits alone in his dungeon room, muttering and
sticking pins in his Voldy Action Doll (It walks! It talks! It shoots
out green rays! Amaze your friends!) dreaming dreams. Sorry,
Sevvy old lad, you ain't gonna make it. Not to the end of book 7
you're not. Shame really.

Kneasy