Snape and Dumbledore [was Spy novel?]

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 118794


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Juli <jlnbtr at y...> wrote:
> Just like everything else we don't know about
> Potterverse it's frustrating, we are all grown-ups
> with jobs and busy schedules, and what do we do in our
> spare time? We come up with theories about all our
> unanswered questions. So, here's my theory:
> 
> Snape has to trust DD just like everyone else because
> it's his only option, Snape was at Voldemort's side
> and he switched sides, why? No idea. But he started
> working for DD, the only wizard who had any chance of
> vanquishing LV (before we or anyone knew about the
> prophecy), Snape may know the prophecy (my bet is he
> does), so he tries in his own special way to keep
> Harry safe. Back to DD, he's fought LV for 20 years
> (or something), he knows him better than anyone and he
> knows what LV is up to. Anyway, before I go on and on,
> here's my point: Snape trusts DD because he has to,
> just like DD trusts him, trust is a two-way street.
> 

Trust. Ah, 'tis a precious thing and who we trust defines us,
as DD didn't quite say.
I've banged on about this before, but as you're fairly new
to the site you haven't yet had a chance to get bored with
Kneasy's vapourings. Still, we can soon put that right.

Avid students of ole Nick Machiavelli will have no trouble
recognising what's going on between Sevvy and DD.
It's a classic example of the old dictum in action:
"My enemy's enemy is my friend." With the usual rider
"But that doesn't mean he'll be my friend for ever."

Snape fits into the Order like a duck into a ballet troupe.
They are not his natural friends or allies, they are not the sort
of people he would normally associate with. And apart from DD
the rest of the Order probably reciprocate his  feelings. Were
it not for DD's insistence they probably wouldn't touch him
with a barge pole.

(Interesting speculation here: suppose DD cops it in the neck.
What would happen to the relationship between Snape and
the Order? Would he be willing to take instructions from
anyone else? Would anyone else trust him?)

There've been lots of discussions on why Snapey switched and
one of the speculations is that for some reason as yet unknown
Snape is after revenge on Voldy. Voldy has done something to
Snape,  most probably involving his family, that Sevvy takes very
personally indeed. It's possibly significant that Snape is still
pally with the likes of Malfoy  (though there are other theories 
about that) and seems to have no trouble with other DEs or 
ex-DEs like Karkaroff. He seems to make no apologies for the
Slytherin mind-set or any antisocial attitudes they may espouse.
His animus appears to be focussed on Voldy only.

As you comment Snape and DD have to get along to achieve the
downfall of Voldy, but unless one or  both of them die in the 
struggle (high probability, I think), the aftermath would be
fascinating to observe. Removing Voldy would not change that
Slytherin mind-set; it didn't after the first Voldy war when nearly
everybody thought he'd gone for good, so why should it next
time?  There will still be those who think Voldy had the right
idea, they'll just be keeping a low profile until until yet another
so-called 'Glorious Leader' turns up to  rally the believers.
Depressing thought.

Be that as it may, the Sevvy/Albus axis is an alliance of convenience,
individuals that in other circumstances would probably be opposed.
Trust is necessary but is likely to be conditional not whole-hearted.
So far as we can see DD has disappointed Snape over his response
to the 'Prank' and gets close to doing so again at the end of PoA -
hence Snape's reminder to him about Sirius trying to murder him.
Trust is fragile in such circumstances; Snape is wondering why DD
puts Sirius above himself. Snape, after all, appears to be a key
player in the struggle; not so Sirius. Snape is peeved.

If Snape sees, or thinks he sees an alternative way of savouring
his revenge he might well go for it if DD is not keeping him happy
or if Snape thinks he's not being appreciated to the extent he
thinks he deserves. 
What fun!
'Course JKR won't let it go that far, she's more interested in those
damn kids than in the convoluted machinations of a seriously
devious mind. 
Pity. It'd be a plot development I'd relish. 

Kneasy