Snape: the Riddle...(and Spinner's End)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 136279

> >>Leslie41:
> <snip> 
> The labyrinth of houses seems to be the web that Snape inhabits,  
> and the mill chimney seems to caution Narcissa--against what?     
> Against *him*, of course.  She is approaching the Spinner--Snape.  
> Any reading of the chapter that does not see Snape in this role-- 
> as wholly manipulating the situation and drawing both the sisters 
> into his "web," misses the point I think. 
> <snip>
> He is the seducer here, not Narcissa.  I think it is entirely 
> possible he doesn't know anything at all about the plan until 
> Narcissa and Bellatrix show up, and only figures it out from their 
> conversation.  
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Really good post, Leslie.  This is how I read the scene as well.  
Snape is fully in control from the moment the sisters apperate into 
his neighborhood.  I do think, however, that Narcissa got a dig in 
at the end of the chapter, though I'm not sure she even realizes 
what she has done.

Regardless of whether or not Snape knew the plan from the beginning 
(I suspect he did, just from his lack of digging) I'm quite sure 
he's figured it out before he decides to enter into an Unbreakable 
Vow.  The question then becomes, why *does* Snape enter into the 
vow, especially without knowing the terms beforehand?  I think the 
answer is the absent member of the party: Draco.

Draco is the reason Narcissa places herself at Snape's mercy in the 
first place and I believe it is to give himself room to protect 
Draco that Snape enters into the vow.  There is one thing all in the 
room agree on: Voldemort does not mean for Draco to survive.  His 
death is the perfect way for Voldemort to punish Lucius for his 
failure in the DoM.  Narcissa first asks Snape to talk Voldemort out 
of using her son.  Snape tells her that he cannot do so.

"The Dark Lord will not be persuaded, and I am not stupid enough to 
attempt it," said Snape flatly.  "I cannot pretend that the Dark 
Lord is not angry with Lucius."
[...]
"In other words it doesn't matter to him if Draco is killed!"
"The Dark Lord is very angry," repeated Snape quietly.  "He failed 
to hear the prophecy.  You know as well as I do, Narcissa, that he 
does not forgive easily." (HBP scholastic p.34)

This leads me to believe that Voldemort would not look kindly upon 
Snape interfering, even in an attempt to help Draco.  But if Snape 
can explain to Voldemort that he was manipulated by Narcissa's tears 
into taking an Unbreakable Vow to protect Draco it gives him the 
space to manuver. (I have a feeling Voldemort is comforted by such 
examples of human weakness he feels himself beyond; it means, to his 
mind, that Snape is really no match for him despite his abilities.)  
I'm quite sure that Snape read such an intention in Narcissa's 
mind.  And by taking the vow Snape has an easy excuse for 
interfering.

However, Narcissa is no idiot.  She also realizes that she'll need 
something with which to appease Voldemort.  So she tacks on the 
final promise, if Draco fails Snape will finish the job.  This way 
she can explain to Voldemort that though she was protecting her son, 
she was in no way interfering with Voldemort's plan being 
accomplished.  I don't think she felt she was playing a fast one on 
Snape.  She seems to trust him completely and Snape did say that he 
was next in line for fulfilling Voldemort's wishes. So though 
Narcissa does catch Snape in his own web, it's more by mistake to my 
mind.

Betsy Hp