accidental horcrux

[demetra1225]

No: HPFGUIDX 136303

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "elaine_munn" 
<elaine_munn at y...> wrote:
[snip] Imagine LV turns up to kill the Potters with creating a 
> horcrux in mind and possibly already having done so just needing a 
> home for it. When the Ak rebounds off Harry it sends the horcrux 
> flying only to find a home in Snape!!! Possibly without Snape even 
> realising.
> Told you off the wall!

Demetra:
Well, I don't think it's too off the wall. I posted a similar 
thought in messge #133498 which got exactly, um, zero responses.  


Actually, I think that Snape being an unintended horcrux could 
explain a lot.  Here's a possible scenario. 

We know that Snape was a Death Eater.  I would imagine that he 
joined up right after Hogwarts.  Snape has always been a sneaky one –
following the Marauders around.  He also was sneaking around, 
listening at doors when he overheard the first part of the 
prophecy.  Now, there was nothing in the portion of the prophecy he 
heard that would necessarily clue him into anything.  Except that he 
knows that bringing this information to LV would probably raise his 
status and there is no evidence that Snape was anything but a loyal 
DE at that time.  

But then he learns that the Potters were one of the two potential 
targets.  This is what brought him to Dumbledore and while I'd love 
to think that it was because he was truly repentant, I the real 
reason is the life debt he owed James.  I think there may be an 
element of the life debt that compelled Snape to attempt to repay it 
by saving the Potters.    So, Snape tells Dumbledore that LV knows ( 
the beginning of) the prophecy.  I don't think this is 
Dumbledore's "iron-clad" reason for trusting Snape though.  
Dumbledore ain't that stupid – witness his continued mistrust of Tom 
Riddle.  
Dumbledore is in communication with the Potters and attempts to help 
them go into hiding, offers to be their Secret Keeper, etc.  Snape 
finds out that the Potters are going to use Sirius as Secret 
Keeper.  Again, compelled to try and save James – he goes and tries 
to convince him not to use Sirius, but to use Dumbledore.  James 
shoots him down (remember Snape telling Harry that James was "too 
arrogant" to believe he was wrong about Black).  

Snape senses that the plan to keep the Potters safe may fail.  He 
has a history of sneaking around and following people, doesn't he?  
Say he follows LV to the Potters hideaway in Godric's Hollow.   
Perhaps he even hides beneath James' invisibility cloak and watched 
(explaining how Dumbledore came into possession of the cloak after 
James' death/ the blow up of the house).  
He is not successful in saving James.  The debt is transferred to 
the remaining Potters.  Maybe his is the voice trying to convince 
Lily to take the baby and flee.  She doesn't.  

Enter LV into the room.  Now, I think that LV intended to create a 
horcrux that night but not in Harry.  Recall all the previous posts 
about a potential link between the Potter home in Godric's Hollow 
and Godric Gryffindor?  Perhaps there is some merit to that 
speculation and maybe there was some possession of Godric's in that 
home.  This would be LV's intended horcrux object.  

But Snape (still under the cloak?)  intervenes with a non-verbal 
spell when LV attempts to kill Harry/create the horcrux.  The 
unintended result is a split with some piece of LV going into Harry 
and endowing him with some of LV's powers.  But the "bad soul" piece 
of the horcrux goes into Snape.  

Snape is incensed that LV has done this to him (him, the half-blood 
prince!).  LV has now damned him to either life with a piece of LV 
in him, or death.  Snape doesn't take kindly to having this forced 
upon him.  He vows that he will do all in his power to bring LV 
down.  

Here's what Snape knows:
- Snape wants LV vanquished
- Harry is the one who will have to vanquish LV
- LV can't be vanquished until all horcruxes are destroyed
- Snape has to die, and Snape knows it.  
- Plus, he still has the life-debt thingy with Harry. 

Dumbledore trusts Snape because despite everything, Snape has always 
worked to bring LV down – knowing full well it will result in 
Snape's death.  

As to why Snape's such a git.  Well, in my mind, a horcrux magnifies 
darkness and negativity -  sort of like a live-in dementor.  I think 
that the locket was in 12 Grimmauld Place, and that is why that home 
was so full of negativity.  I think the horcrux piece in Snape 
brings forth every bit of  nastiness that resides in him, almost 
obliterating any positive aspects.  Plus, Snape knows that in the 
end, Harry will be the hero and get all the accolades.  Snape will 
simply be – dead.  

Demetra