HBP The memory in the cave... is Snape's.

[merpsiren]

No: HPFGUIDX 138013

Thank you everyone for the feedback on my theory (Message 137926).  I
really am fascinated by all of this!  I want to respond to some of the
follow-up questions that have been posed.
 
Unfortunately, it takes my brain a while to figure out how to best
express what is trapped up there... so it may take me a while.

As for why it is Snape's memory in the cave... (Allie asked why would
someone fill the basin with Snape's memory.)

Here is my response...

We know that to create a Horcrux Voldemort's soul must be ripped
apart
by the act of a murder.  We also know that Voldemort was busy making
Horcruxes up until his attack on the Potter's.  (Dumbledore
suggests
that Voldemort's plan is to create the 6th horcrux with
Harry's
murder
 HBP US ed. Pg 506) I would suggest that when the Horcrux
of
the locket was created (and with my theory Snape's family is killed)
the potion/poison/memory surrounding the locket in the basin is the
history of the murder committed to create that specific Horcrux.


Richard asked "Would Voldemort really trust ANYONE whose family he had
murdered right before that person's eyes? And wouldn't the chapter in
OotP entitled "Snape's Worst Memory" have been horribly mistitled if
this were Snape's memory of his family's deaths?"

I'd like to address the second part of the question, as i am still
trying to formulate a way to express my feelings on the first part.

>From Harry's perspective this is surely "Snape's Worst Memory"... but
do we really believe this is the worst memory from Snape's POV?  Snape
appears to have deposited three memories into the pensieve. 
 
OotP pg 533 "Snape pulled out his wand from an inside pocket of his
robes and Harry tensed in his chair, but Snape merely raised the wand
to his temple and placed its tip into the greasy roots of his hair. 
When he withdrew it, some silvery sunstance came away, stretching from
the temple to wand like a thick gossamer strand, which broke as he
pulled the wand away from it and fell gracefully in the pensieve. 
Twice more Snape raised the wand to his temple and deposited the
silvery substance into the stone basin..."

When Harry entered the pensieve in Order of the Phoenix, he was there
only long enough to see only one of Snape's rather embarrassing
memories. (OotP pg 640-649)  As an adult I can think of several
memories from my own life and while many have been embarrassing, I can
think of others that are much worse.  I believe we are really to see
this from Harry's adolescent innocence and never question what other
memories Snape was safeguarding.

I'm still working on the other responses... so, I'll be back!  Thanks
everyone!

Kris (merpsiren)