[HPforGrownups] Re: Snape--A Spy? (was Re Snape - Abusive)

[Amanda Geist]

No: HPFGUIDX 115175

I (Amanda) said -
> <snip>
> There is a great need for Harry to survive and be equipped against
> Voldemort; but there is also a great need for a spy in the enemy's camp,
> which I think Snape is. <snip>

Kethryn -
>
> I finished rereading GoF Wednesday, I think (it's been a hell of a week,
what with midterms and all), and I am in the middle of a reread of OotP
(just so you know where the question is coming from).  Ok, so if Snape
really was spying on the DE which I believe he was doing so, then why on
earth did he tell Fudge about being a DE himself at the end of GoF?

Me (Amanda) responding:

A good question. That scene was one where, unexpectedly, Dumbledore and his
staff were having to *convince* someone who should have been a staunch ally
and leapt into action like them. I believe their plans would have been much
stronger and Plan A probably had included Ministry support (although,
wisely, they apparently had a Plan B and were not depending on Fudge, as
Dumbledore's words later in the scene show--I cannot stop to look it up, but
he called Fudge's attitude "unfortunate, but not unforeseen" or something).

Considering what Ministry support could mean to the struggle against
Voldemort, I believe it might have been the lesser of two evils for Snape to
reveal his past to Fudge. He was making a last-ditch attempt to convince
him, with ultimate arguments, and only spoke after Fudge had rejected lesser
proofs.

It may well have been unwise for Snape to do this. But he likely weighed the
benefits of convincing Fudge against the dangers to himself, and opted to
try. And remember, this was before Snape went off to do his task--if he
*had* convinced Fudge, maybe he wouldn't have had to do play quite such a
dangerous role? For those of you who deny Snape any motives of honor,
there's the selfish one for you. [For there are always at least two
conflicting and equally valid motives that can be argued for any word or
action of Snape, throughout the books.]

Anyway, that's my thought off the top of my head.

~Amandageist