Malice and Ulterior Motives

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 138754

Malice and Ulterior Motives

	
	In my opinion Severus Snape is a bad man.  Many say that now 
he is not bad, but is a double agent.  The interesting thing about 
double agents is that you never really know whose side they are truly 
on; or even more importantly if they are on any one side at all, 
preferring to use what they can from both sides until ultimately both 
sides cancel each other out leaving the double-double-crosser as the 
true victor.  
	Throughout the novel Snape is repeatedly described as having 
bat-like and spider-like qualities.   Bats are bloodsuckers, and 
arachnids spin webs to entrap their prey, once caught they are sucked 
dry of their innards until only a husk remains.  These are the 
perfect descriptions for a man who has laid out webs of deceit all 
around him and uses those that he ensnares to achieve his goals.  
	Snape can easily lie to the entire Order of the Phoenix.  He 
only had to fool one member.  With Dumbledore backing him, the other 
members blindly accepted Snape and everything he did without 
question, wrongfully assuming that their all-knowing leader knew 
best.   I think that this is why J. K. Rowling makes a point for 
Dumbledore to inform Harry that he makes mistakes.  To banish the 
notion that he is somehow more than just a man.  
	Fooling Dumbledore could have been as easy as tugging on his 
heartstrings – The Dark Lord, however, is another matter. 

"The Dark Lord, for instance, almost always knows when somebody is 
lying to him. Only those skilled at Occlumency are able to shut down 
those feelings and memories that contradict the lie, and so utter 
falsehoods in his presence without detection." (Order of the Phoenix; 
Occlumency, p531)

During this conversation with Harry, it seems obvious that Snape is 
talking about himself. Never one to pass up an opportunity to "toot 
his own horn" Snape implies that he has the power to lie to the face 
of the Dark Lord.  This also applies to Dumbledore; if Snape can 
utter falsehoods to Voldemort you could also argue that he can lie to 
Dumbledore.  Intricate webs wonderfully weaved though they might have 
a tendency of coming unraveled.
	I think it no mistake that Snape lives at Spinner's End.  The 
imagery speaks for itself.  However, titling the Chapter "Spinner's 
End" evokes a dual meaning: The end of the Spinner – The end of the 
web.  It is in this chapter that Snape makes the Unbreakable Vow with 
Narcissa.

 "And, should it prove necessary
if it seems Draco will fail
" 
whispered Narcissa (Snape's hand twitched within hers, but he did not 
draw away), "will you carry out the dead that the Dark Lord has 
ordered Draco to perform?"  There was a moment's silence. Bellatrix 
watched, her wand upon their clasped hands, her eyes wide.
"I will," said Snape. (Half Blood Prince, Spinner's End, p36-37)

It is at this point that Snape has been forced off his fence, where 
he has been happy to sit and watch the world move around him.  
Snape's hand twitches and he pauses.  His hesitancy shows he 
understands that he may regret this decision.  But he was backed into 
a corner.  Showing his intentions to be anything other than for the 
Dark Lord and the protection of his own, especially in front of 
Bellatrix would certainly have meant his death.  I think Phineas 
Nigellus puts it best in Order of the Phoenix; "We Slytherin's are 
brave, yes, but not stupid. For instance, given the choice, we will 
always choose to save our own necks (p494-495)." 
This notion fits Snape to a "T" in two moments, the reason he makes 
the promise in the first place, and then when he finally has to kill 
Dumbledore.  Throughout the novel J. K. Rowling makes certain to let 
you know that Snape has no idea what Draco's task is.  I am certain 
that he did not expect the murder of Dumbledore to be a task that the 
Dark Lord would have given a child.  When it becomes clear that Draco 
is too much of a child still to make up his mind to commit murder, 
Snape would rather kill than die himself.   
It could seem that there is a possibility that Snape was still 
working with Dumbledore and his death was planned.  However, when we 
hear Slughorn's description of how one makes a horcrux it seems clear 
that this cannot be.   

By an act of evil – the supreme act of evil.  By committing murder.  
Killing rips the soul apart.  The wizard intent upon creating a 
Horcrux would use the damage to his advantage: He would encase the 
torn portion
 (Half Blood Prince, Horcruxes, p498)

To intentionally kill someone causes so much damage to your soul that 
it tears apart.  It would not be in Dumbledore's character to ask 
this of Snape. Dumbledore's been trying to keep Snape away from the 
Defense Against the Dark Arts position for years because of his fear 
that it would tempt Snape back to the dark side.  It doesn't seem 
very likely that Dumbledore would risk Snape's mortal soul.  He 
trusted and protected a man who kills him in cold blood.  

"Severus
"
The sound frightened Harry beyond anything he had experienced all 
evening.  For the first time, Dumbledore was pleading.
Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and 
hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face.
"Severus
please
"
Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly at Dumbledore (Half 
Blood Prince, The Lightning Struck Tower, p595-596)

The sound of his hero and protector pleading is even more frightening 
to Harry than facing an army of bewitched corpse-puppets.  None of 
this moves Snape in the slightest.  No longer able to ride the fence, 
Snape makes the ultimate decision to ally himself with the seemingly 
stronger faction.   A faction not led by wounded old men.  He goes on 
to toy with and torment Harry as he runs for freedom.  Mocking 
Harry's father as he deflects spell after spell.   He shows that even 
after killing a weak and beaten Dumbledore that he can be as cruel as 
ever.  
	If this were true then why would he save Harry's life over 
the course of all the books (i.e. while being jinxed by Quirrell), or 
more recently during his flee from the school?  Was it because he is 
so loyal to the Dark Lord that he would ensure the boy's survival 
just so Voldemort could kill him?  Or is it because of something more?
	We know that Harry is a powerful wizard untrained though he 
might be.  There is also no doubt that many in the book see this as 
something he was born with.  This may be true, however, what if his 
strength came from the events that happened at Godric's Hollow?  We 
know that Harry did not die because his mother sacrificed herself to 
protect him – a protection that lives in his blood and his skin 
still.  We also know that Harry has some of the Dark Lord in him, 
something that was transferred into him when Voldemort's death curse 
backfired.  Voldemort had just committed the act of murder when he 
attempted to kill Harry.   This means that a part of his soul was 
torn, as Slughorn described.  What if because of Lily's sacrifice 
this torn portion of Voldemort's soul was transferred into Harry?  
This would make Harry a Horcrux.

	


We know after this last book that a Horcrux does not have to be 
confined to an object.

"The Snake?" said Harry, startled. "You can use animals as 
Horcruxes?" "Well, it is inadvisable to do so," said 
Dumbledore, "because to confide a part of your soul to something that 
can think and move for itself is obviously a very risky business 
(p506)."

If it is inadvisable could this mean that the soul piece inside a 
living being can influence its container and be influenced?  Couldn't 
the explanation of why Harry has some of Voldemort's abilities and 
strengths be because he is being influenced by the soul-shard that is 
inside him, just like the soul-shard of Tom Riddle in the diary 
influenced Ginny.   The only thing that protects Harry from being 
consumed is the love and protection that runs in his veins.
	I believe that Snape sees that this is true, and quite 
possibly has always suspected that a part of the Dark Lord resides 
behind Harry's scar.  In The Chamber of Secrets Snape tests his 
theory.  He whispers the Serpensortia spell to Draco.  When Harry 
responds to the snake in Parseltongue Snape has the proof.  He 
looks "at Harry in an unexpected way:  it was a shrewd and 
calculating look, and Harry didn't like it (The Dueling Club, p193-
194).  	It seems clear that Snape has a plan for the power inside 
Harry, and knows and understands more about Harry's gifts than he is 
willing to let on to anyone.  Up to this point Snape's motivations 
have been fueled by a want to be powerful, respected and feared.  The 
way he treats the children of the school are a clear example.  
J. K. Rowling has said in an interview that Snape in a way is even 
more culpable for his actions than Voldemort because Snape was 
loved.    She has also eluded in an interview that Snape may redeem 
himself in book 7.    How can a man who is both culpable and possibly 
redeemable be innocent?  Up to this point he is an evil manipulative 
horrid man who preys on innocent children and weaves a web of deceit 
and death where ever he goes.  

Harry Potter is a Horcrux and Snape is evil.

-Vivian 
Edited by Vanessa
	
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