Spinner's End in Real Life (and a trailor tip)

[Cindy]

No: HPFGUIDX 136711

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Geoff Bannister" <> Geoff:
>> 
> (1) Back in the early post-HBP days(!), I wrote in message 132927:
> 
> "Spinner's End. We still don't know where it is. But the ruined 
> chimney and the name of the road make me think of a Lancashire 
cotton 
> town – I grew up in one. Workers in the mills were sometimes 
called 
> weavers or spinners. This chapter though, for me, was a real eye-
> opener so early in the book."
> 

Spinner's End is so well crafted.  I loved JKR's description of the 
scene on pg 21 AE:

"At last, Narcissa hurried up a street named Spinner's End, over 
which the towering mill chimney seemed to hover like a giant 
admonitory finger."

Caution! Warning!  Right from the start the tone was set.  Now who 
is in more danger?  Snape, Bella or Narcissa?  Wormtail will be 
scurrying back with his information to LV so there's no question he 
knows about their disloyaty in making the vow together, no matter 
what the reason. Snape said LV wants him to kill Dumbledore in the 
end but wants Draco to die trying--so the fact that these three have 
circumvented the plan is ominous indeed. 

In fact, why didn't we see Bella at Hogwarts?  The Queen of Mean, 
why wasn't she there? Has Voldemort "grounded" her because she went 
against her instincts and became Snape and Narcissa's Bonder--LV 
figured she would further interfere? I think the next scene we see 
concerning Snape will be LV sitting in judgment of their deeds, and 
Snape will escape his punishment within an inch of his life.  I'm 
not sure the other three will be so lucky.

But I am sure LV knew that the scene in Spinner's End was "bound" to 
happen, that's why he sent Wormtail to spy.  Snape could have 
refused the vow and have remained in LV's good graces because "The 
Dark Lord's word is law". He could have made both women see that, 
but he chose to take the vow.  Bella's reaction was a bit of a red 
herring I think...Snape didn't need her to believe in his loyalty 
since she has already fallen out of favor. Narcissa is no longer a 
player, since LV planned revenge on the Malfoys. Who cares what 
those two say or think? 

So if my line of reasoning is correct, why on earth would Snape take 
that vow? Even if he is ESE!Snape, taking the vow meant going 
against the Dark Lord's wishes.  If he is Good!Snape, taking the vow 
meant he was going to have to kill Dumbledore (even if DD was 
weakened to the point of death, and Snape could envision using that 
to "prove" he was loyal to LV by killing DD, it's circular reasoning 
because Snape already proved disloyalty by taking the vow).  I see 
only a lose-lose situation so obviously, there is something else 
going on.  Snape isn't stupid--even if he turns out to be 
NewDarkLord!Snape, out for himself, taking the vow was an 
exceptionally stupid move and may cost him whatever his goal turns 
out to be--unless that's the point, if he wants all the power he now 
has the Queen of Mean and Narcissa on his side to help him topple 
LV. I doubt it though, between writing the quest of the horcruxes, 
adding in a whole new powerful villian to vanquish for Harry seems a 
stretch. (Although, I vaguely remember an interview with JKR where 
she said Book 7 was going to be as long as it needed to be, and 
perhaps it might be two volumes!)  

Cindy <who would be happy with three volumes if JKR is so 
inclined>