[HPforGrownups] Re: Stopper in Death - Brew/Bottle/Stopper

[Gregory Lynn]

No: HPFGUIDX 112001

Interesting conversation.

Let me look at the words another way.

To brew something is to *create* it using various ingredients and
processes.  Aside from potions and certain other imbibables, what is
brewed most often is, methinks, trouble.  Moreover brew, it seems to
me, has a certain connotation to it.  One doesn't brew a model T; it's
not rote mechanization.  It's more subtle.  It's an art, and a devious
one at that.

To bottle and to stopper are both to hem something in, to control it,
to put it at your mercy.  See Hermione and Rita Skeeter for example.

I think these fit Snape's character.  He's clearly very intelligent
even in a non magical way.  He uses logic remember, to help protect
the Stone.  I think that we think of Snape as an intelligent but
otherwise fairly dorky, non popular, and insecure as a kid.  All we
have to go on is the pensieve scene and the memories from the
occlumency lesson so we could be completely deceived on this matter
but I suspect not.

I think it is entirely within character for an intelligent, dorky,
insecure kid to make himself feel better by reminding himself that he
is smarter than his tormentors and proving it to himself by delving
into things others either can't--because they don't have the
talents--or won't--because they're too wrapped up in their mainstream
lives.  Given a certain proclivity for the dark arts, and assuming
that he came to know that James and co became animagi, I can see him
delving into the dark arts to prevent, to control, to hold death at
bay.

And we know that holding death at bay is one of Voldemort's chief goals in life.

If Voldemort were smart, and he was, he would have brought in as many
intelligent wizards to work on the project as possible from all angles
and Snape strikes me as an excellent potion brewer.

What if Snape succeeded in developing a potion for immortality based
not in the christian alchemy a la the stone, but in a more subtle,
devious way?  Maybe I'm bringing too much outside stuff into this but
I cannot get away from the thought that the only way to buy yourself
out of death is to pay for it with your life.  That, I think, would be
a bit of a stark realization for someone chasing that particular
dream.

I picture Snape toiling away in his basement laboratory and finally
discovering the secret to the potion that will keep you alive, but
coming to understand that it will cost you your life to do it.  I can
see him taking this to Voldie and Voldie going ahead with it and Snape
being so shocked and revolted at the process that he forswears his
allegiance and dedicates himself to ridding the world of the horror he
helped create.

How can immortality cost you your life?  My only explanation is that
it would be like a unicorn blood thing, you live but you live a half
life, a cursed life, to such an extent that it would be a non life. 
Or perhaps an un life such as a vampire type thing.

-- 
Gregory Lynn