Timing & the Dada position

[also_september_19]

No: HPFGUIDX 138841


I was just re-reading the first 3 chapters of HBP, and the timing of 
the UV struck me.

All three chapters take place 2 weeks after the end of term.  (It's 
just possible that 1 & 2 take place up to a week *after* 3, but 
certainly not before).

At that time, Dumbledore has already injured his hand, recovered the 
ring horcrux, and made the decision to put Snape in the Dada position 
(as he's inviting Slughorn back), thus guaranteeing that Snape will 
leave Hogwarts at some point in the coming year.

That timing seems to limit the options considerably vis-à-vis Snape 
being fooled into, or tricked into, or beguiled-by-blue-eyes into the 
UV.  Dumbledore had *already* decided that this was to be Snape's 
last year.  I can't imagine Dumbledore giving the position to Snape 
without telling him the consequence – that would be too painfully 
dishonest – so Dumbledore and Snape have some kind of plan together 
At The Time The UV was made – a plan that would result in Snape 
leaving Hogwarts.

(By the way, I think it's fairly clear that the reason Dumbledore has 
not given Snape the position before, is not because he doesn't trust 
him, but because he doesn't want to lose him.  And the Dada teacher 
*must* go at – or before – the end of the year.)

The timing of those chapters is definitely clear.  The same `chilly 
mist' that presses at the 10 Downing, presses against Cissy (grin) 
and Bella (page 25 UK edition).  And Dumbledore comes to rescue Harry 
from the Dursley's after "a mere fortnight of their company." (page 
47 UK edition) 

What follows is guesswork.  Does it seem too much of a stretch that 
whatever plan they came up with was at the same time as Dumbledore's 
injury?  Is the injury in fact fatal?  (Though I must say Slughorn's 
fairly casual reaction speaks against that).  If not, what else about 
recovering and destroying that horcrux, at the cost of his right 
hand, would make Dumbledore set the chess pieces so that Snape would 
have to leave Hogwarts?

I don't have the answer to that
  (& it's driving me a bit crazy
)  

But I do think that given that Snape & Dumbledore are already in 
cahoots, so to speak, the chances of Snape not realizing what he was 
agreeing to is slim
  I read the slight pulling away as an indication 
of how unpleasant this part of the agreement is.  

It is also clear that Snape is at least to some degree lying in that 
scene.  He says: "He intends me to do it in the end, I think.  But he 
is determined that Draco should try first.  You see, in the unlikely 
event that Draco succeeds, I shall be able to remain at Hogwarts a 
little longer, fulfilling my useful role as a spy." (P. 39 UK 
edition)  He knows that he will not stay past this semester.  And it 
seems a small jump to make to the idea that it is Dumbledore 
who `intends him to do it in the end'


But why?  

At first reading I thought perhaps there were two plans
  One, he 
seems to send Harry secretly (in his invisibility cloak) to get 
Severus, presumably to be healed.  But since the DE's beat him to it –
 he would just have to die then.  But many of your collective 
objections to `murder' seem absolutely right.  Dumbledore could not 
ask Snape to `murder' him.  

I also think Dumbledore's disregard for all Harry's concerns about 
Malfoy and Snape and the Room of Requirement, indicate that 
Dumbledore already knew what was going on.  At least in broad 
outline.  (Obviously not about the vanishing cabinet specifically
).  
But I believe him when he says that he knew about Malfoy's determined 
attempts to kill him and knew that Malfoy was reporting directly to 
Voldemort.  He wasn't interested because he wasn't surprised – it was 
all part of chess game he had in play.  (In fact, he snaps at Harry 
at some point –  Don't you think I might know a little more about it 
than you
  - sorry, don't remember where that quote is exactly).

I believe that the UV binds him to Dumbledore's plan – and that he 
doesn't like it.  But I don't really understand why – plot-wise in 
the book, or narratively in the series.

In any case, that's enough out of me
  I haven't posted before 
because I don't really have the time to follow up on everything
  But 
the timing of the first three chapters struck me as important.

Denya (Also-September 19th)