DD and free will ( was "Snape's Vow: Why?")

[leslie41]

No: HPFGUIDX 136784

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "anna_ktrn" 
<katarina.anna at g...> wrote:
> Anna: 
> I see no evidence that Dumbledore would have enouraged Snape, or 
> anyone else, to bind himself irrevocably. He asks Harry for his 
> word, before they venture into the cave. He does not bind Harry or 
> otherwise removes Harry's free will. Dumbledore is the epitome of 
> choice. Once Snape made the vow, he had no more choice than a 
> house elf. I can not see Dumbledore encouraging anyone to do that.

Then why does Hagrid overhear Dumbledore telling Snape he has to do 
something Snape obviously does not want to do?  Snape's "choice" at 
that moment (whatever that choice is) would be not to do it, but DD 
compels him, even though Snape makes it clear that he thinks DD is 
taking liberties unfairly with him.  It's true that whatever it is 
Snape did apparently agree to do it, but he doesn't want to (which 
is why I believe AK they are discussing)  

Respecting someone else's "free will" also involves taking for 
granted that people sometimes change their minds.  DD wants Snape to 
obey him, obviously.  

I'm not saying this is a bad thing.  We don't even exactly know what 
DD was compelling Snape to do. I would guess that he had extremely 
good reasons. Whatever it is, however, DD wants it done and doesn't 
care that Snape is opposed to doing it.

Snape also most certainly has more choice than a house elf.  He can 
choose to ingnore the vow, if he wants to, and perhaps die himself.

He doesn't do that, but whether he's keeping the vow for himself, 
for Draco, for Dumbledore, for Voldemort, for Narcissa, for the 
Order (etc.) we won't know for a couple of years.  

Leslie41