The best reason for Dumbledore to trust Snape

[Cindy]

No: HPFGUIDX 137765

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "houyhnhnm102" <celizwh at i...> 
> 
> houyhnhnm:
> 
> There's a lot of projection in Snape's misanthropy.  His hostility 
to
> Hermione, for instance (besides the fact she's Harry's friend).  An
> outsider, an overachiever desperate for recognition, trying to get 
it
> all out of books before even coming to Hogwarts?  That sounds like 
Snape.
> 
> The most character revealing scene, IMO, is during the first
> occlumency lesson.
> 
> "Then you will find yourself easy prey for the Dark Lord," said 
Snape
> savagely. "Fools that wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves, 
who
> cannot control their emotions, who wallow in sad memories and allow
> themselves to be provoked this easily--weak people, in other
> words--they stand no chance against his powers!"
> 
> Clearly, he is speaking of himself, with a passion and an honesty 
we
> don't see anywhere else.
> 
> This speech is the strongest evidence for me that Snape has not 
been a
> Death Eater all along, that he really turned against Voldemort.  
There
> is too much self-loathing in his words for the weaknesses that made
> him easy prey for the Dark Lord.  Weaknesses which he has 
ruthlessly
> stamped out in himself (except for the couple of times when he 
loses
> it), and which he sees it as his duty to stamp out in others, Harry
> and Tonks, for instance.
> 
> Your imagining of what Dumbledore had to offer Snape by contrast, 
> completes the picture.  The thing that makes Snape a tragic figure 
is
> that while he *may* appreciate the superior good that Dumbledore 
has
> to offer, he cannot evolve toward it.  He is bound by his past
> actions, trapped in the role of spy, an excruciating study in the
> workings of karma.


Snape is the most complex character JKR writes, and attempts to box 
him into evil or good will come up impotent, for JKR has made sure 
both sides have been fully represented.  

That is why Snape taking the Unbreakable Vow is so very important.  
That very action--thwarting the Dark Lord's plan for Draco--is not 
speculation.  It is absolute evidence that Snape fully disregarded 
orders twice...once, in speaking about "the Plan" (whether he truly 
knew about it or not) and two, taking a vow that protected Draco. 
There will be no excuses for Voldemort--Snape KNOWS this--from the 
speech he gave from the heart to Harry, he knows that he cannot 
stand before Voldemort and plead a mother's tears.  Snape did not 
need to prove anything to either one of the sisters...both who were 
on the outs with Voldemort.  Bella also became the bonder for the 
vow, also disregarding Voldemort's wishes.  There is no question 
that Bella is a bona fide DE but blood is thicker than water.  I 
believe Snape is a horribly conflicted wizard, dislusioned by the 
MOM, Dumbledore's forgiveness to those who tried to kill him as a 
teenager and fully grasps Voldemort's psychopathic lack of 
conscience. After six books, the most honest thing that can be said 
about Snape is that he is agnostic in regard to what is true good 
and true evil.  The line is blurred for him.  I agree with the other 
poster, why let Katie Bell live?  Why save DD from the effects of 
the ring horcrux?  Why not just say, "whooops, a little too much 
hair of the dawg there DD, night night big fella."  Perhaps it was 
Snape thinking on top of the tower "it's either him or me" (I even 
wonder if Snape would be dead if he had left DD to die a death from 
the potion since Draco had already raised his wand to DD intent to 
kill but failed)  To me, that still doesn't rise to the level of 
what Bella did to Sirius. Not the same at all. 

Cindy (who still wonders why all the references to drinking adult 
beverages in HBP...don't drink and disapparate?  Friends don't let 
friends drink old professor's mead?)