The Unbreakable Vow

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 138160

Kris:

> My husband and I were just discussing this and I wanted to 
> throw an
> idea out for everyone to chew on...
> 
> When Snape made the Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa
> promising to protect Draco, and to step in if Draco was 
> unable to complete the task set him by Voldemort... 
> 
> I note that there are no time restraints in the vow.
> Example: I will step in to kill DD before the end of June.  
> Instead it seems to be open for the rest of your life... 
> as long as Draco is trying to harm DD, I will step in to help.
[..]
> It appears that the vow is so open-ended that it seems to 
> create a
> GIGANTIC loophole.   
> 
[...]
> 
> So, who enforces the vow?  Who is to say you have met up to the terms?

houyhnhnm:

Since we are given no information about how the UV works (except from
Ron: You die), I have been wondering if it works something like an
Irish geis.  I'd have to go back and read some of the Irish myths
again to give specific examples but, but it seems like when you break
a geis, you don't just drop dead on the spot.  You get overtaken by
misfortune, killed in battle--something like that.

So, in a way, the Unbreakable Vow is catching up with Snape all year.

If the Vow is open-ended as you say, I think that argues for
Loyal!Snape. It would be in Evil!Snape's best interest to get it over
with as soon as possible, but Snape's actions during HBP make it look
like he's trying to run out the clock and take his chances.  I think
that's what the meltdown on the lawn is about.  He doesn't get the
chance to find out if he would have had the courage to just blow it
off and take the consequences.