Did Snape have a choice or not? Levels and contradictions in JKR's writing

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 138594

Betsy Hp:


> But then why does he take the Vow?  I've wavered about this scene 
> for a while now, but I'm becoming more and more convinced that Snape 
> knew exactly why Narcissa and Bellatrix were there.  The amount of 
> fishing he does is not much at all.  And when they start talking 
> about the "plan" Snape looks *away* from Narcissa.  She's the one 
> doing all the gazing.  So I'm also doubting the legilimency or 
> occlumency angle  I think the folks not knowing what was going on 
> were the readers (maybe Peter).

houyhnhnm:

I've read "Spinners End" at least three times completely (and gone
back a couple more times to check particular wording) and I think it
is so ambiguous that whatever premise you start with, what takes place
can be made to support it.

However if DE!Snape (or any other Snape theory) can be falsified by
*other* material in any of the six books--and I think it can--then it
must also be false in the scene at Spinners End.

If Snape is not a loyal Death Eater, then he's lying to Bella, and if
he's lying to Bella, that brings everything else into question.

Of course, I subscribe to DD's Man!Snape myself, so the way I
interpret the scene is that Snape has been tap dancing on a tightrope
from the time he first returns to Voldemort.  The role of Voldemort's
most trusted advisor is something he's created out of smoke and
mirrors and the fact that LV keeps his supporters in the dark and
distrusting one another.

So, of course, he makes it clear that he can't change the Dark Lord's
mind.  He doesn't really have the access to LV that he claims to have
and it's not something he can fake.

He turns away from Narcissa right before coming out with "It so
happens I know ..." and I think it is to arrange his face for the lie.
 Why does he take the Vow?  Because he's desperate for information.
And this is vital information. Any plot involving Draco has also got
to involve Hogwarts.

I agree with you completely about the UST, though.  I didn't see any
of it between him and Narcissa.  I would expect Snape to handle his
UST in the same cold, unemotional way he handles everything else, with
the occasional trip to Knockturn Alley perhaps.