The Mark, was Re: Snape:second chance?

[Amanda Geist]

No: HPFGUIDX 115700

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "legobaty29" <legobaty29 at y...>
> wrote:
I agree with Lisa Marie that Snape's first chance was used up when he joined
the Death Eaters. I know that Dumbledore trusts him, but I wonder whether he
will ever be tempted to re-join Voldemort?  It has been suggested that he
won't (I think he touched on the subject during a conversation with
Karkaroff?) but the mark on his arm becomes stronger when Voldemort is
around, and I am thinking a) once you've been a Death Eater you can never
get rid of the mark or b) Snape has never got rid of the mark because
there's a thin chance he still has an allegiance there.

Amanda, now:

I have always believed that there is more to the mark than visible
allegiance. I think there is a deep and unbreakable bond; that the term
"Death Eater" is not merely figurative.

My husband has mentioned an old Welsh practice of "Sin Eater" who took on
the sins of a dying person. I think the Death Eaters were an integral part
of the reason Voldemort could survive all that he has. In joining him, I
theorize that they "took on" his death somehow, so that it would fall on
them and not him. This seems terribly in character for Voldemort.

I also think that if Voldemort ever truly dies, they will, too; which is one
reason Voldemort was so angry in the graveyard in GoF--he *knew* they knew
he wasn't dead, so why had nobody been looking for him? No wonder he was
pissed.

If it is true, and their lives are totally, completely, unbreakably, and
terminally connnected with Voldemort's--I give Snape full marks for pursuing
the course of the good. I think his life is on the line in more ways than
one--if the Mark is the tie that I think it is, by seeking Voldemort's
defeat, he will bring about his own death.

I also think that is in keeping with Snape's own character. Nasty, mean,
cruel, yes--but he has an internal sense of honor and propriety. Clearly,
something about what the Death Eaters were about, possibly even what *he*
had to do as a Death Eater, forced him to take a good look at his life and
change his path.

Snape is *not* the type to publicly flagellate himself. Jeez, he's not even
the type to *explain* himself. But he has always reminded me of a character
from a Christopher Stasheff book, who "must atone with her whole life." I
think his position at Hogwarts, his task, what he's doing now--all of it
have only one focus and one purpose: the final overthrow of Voldemort. He
doesn't trouble himself with anything that doesn't feed into that purpose;
so he does not do anything but *instruct* his students, in the way he
possibly sees most effective. He probably feels he is attempting to equip
Harry with skills he'll need, and Harry is disregarding him, which is likely
frustrating. He probably gets little personal satisfaction from the "holding
pattern" of these post-Voldemort Hogwarts years, which is likely
frustrating. And now that things are in motion, he's moving towards a goal
which is dangerous to him and will likely result in his destruction.

He has no reason or motive to get over the past; for he has no future to
look forward to. He may well have, effectively, "died" to the world when he
changed paths--you can't just stop being a Death Eater. Maybe that's just a
pure statement of fact, not an opinion of character. Snape has spent the
last fourteen years waiting for the opportunity to, according to his
internal code, discharge whatever penance he has assigned himself. I think
the overthrow of Voldemort will have intimate personal ramifications for
Snape, likely cause his death, and that he knows it and works for the goal
anyway.

This doesn't mean I excuse some of his remarks and behavior. It simply means
I think he has other priorities and another focus, which relegate hurt
feelings and verbal cruelty to the level of trivia.

~Amanda