[HPforGrownups] Did Snape have a choice or not? Was: Hermione and Snape

[Lawrence Carlin]

No: HPFGUIDX 138311

--- ellecain <ellecain at yahoo.com.au> wrote:

> >Alla:
> 
> <snip>
> >I also  think that since Snape was the one who took
> this Vow in the 
> >first palce, he is the one who should be
> responsible for 
> >consequences of the said Vow, NOT Dumbledore.
> 
> >I don't remember Narcissa FORCING Snape to take the
> Vow. I mean, 
> she 
> >was pleading, but Snape took it by his own choice.
> 
> Elyse:
> Come on! What choice did he have?
> After being given the third degree and successfully
> defending
> his *true* loyalty to Bellatrix,
> was he really supposed to say "No Im not going to
> take a UV,
> I dont care if your son dies and DD remains alive"
> Bellatrix would have pounced on that in a
> millisecond!
> She had already said something like "He says hell
> try. Its so easy 
> to say that".. sorry cannot provide exact canon.
> Anyway, the whole situation, at least in Bellatrix's
> eyes was a test 
> of Snapes loyalty.
> And DDsMan!Snape would have had to keep his cover
> here..


Larry Now:

Say what you will about old Severus, he is certainly a
paragon of self control. He has exhibited little
flares of anger it is true, but they cost him nothing
really. But here you would have him put his very life
outside of his control, and why? Petty taunts from
Bellatrix?, this is a childish response from such a
tightly controlled, thoroughly adult character. This
loss of control could cost him his life, this is not
the Snape that I know. Adults that I know could care
less about jibes from those we loath.

Of course Snape had a choice, he could have ignored
her request, or even refused outright. What was the
downside, Bella would think poorly of him?, and her
opinion he values as highly as he values his own life?
Even if a wand were poised, ready to deliver the AK,
he could still say no. "Then you should have died."
roared Black. "Died rather than betray your friends,
as we would have done for you." POA Am. ed. P. 375.
There are some things worse than death, such as
preserving one's own life at the expense of doing
something so horribly wrong.

Larry



__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com