Apologizing to Snape?

[Cathy Drolet]

No: HPFGUIDX 139092

Eggplant:
Dumbledore said Snape was sorry he had a part in the
murder of Harry's parents, but can that be true? 

CathyD:
Yes, I think it can, but I know you disagree, Eggplant.  

What Dumbledore actually said was: "'Please let me finish.  Professor Snape made a terrible mistake.  He was still in Lord Voldemort's employ on the night he heard the first half of Professor Trelawney's prophecy.  Naturally, he hastened to tell his master what he had heard, for it concerned his master most deeply.  But he did not know - he had no possible way of knowing - which boy Voldemort would hunt from then onwards, or that the parents he would destroy in his muderous quest were people that Professer snape knew, that they were your mother and father -- ..  You have no idea of the remorse Professor Snape felt when he realized how Lord Voldemort had interpreted the prophecy, Harry.  I believe it to be the greatest regret of his life and the reason that he returned --"

It was Harry who misrepresented Dumbledore's words when he gave the information in the Hospital Wing.  He said "Snape passed Voldemort the information that made Voldemort hunt down my mum and dad. [true].  Then Snape told Dumbledore he hadn't realized what he was doing [Dumbledore never said that], he was really sorry he'd done it [true from Dumbledore's words], sorry that they were dead [Dumbledore never said that, either]."

In fact, Snape knew exactly what he was doing when he initially passed the information to Voldemort.  It was after realizing what Voldemort was going to do with the information, that Snape was filled with remorse/regret an returned to the good side, to the only person he knew who could help him - Dumbledore.  Snape wasn't 'sorry that they were dead' as Harry said above, because at the time Snape turned to Dumbledore, James and Lily weren't dead, and Snape and Dumbledore did everything they could do to keep them un-dead.

Now after the fact, I think Snape is sorry for his part in James and Lily's deaths and for what he started in motion by passing the information to Voldemort.  I am certain he sees in Harry, not only Lily's eyes, and James' looks, but the knowledge that what Harry was on that first day of school was all down to his, Snape's, actions ten years previous.  Imagine, being reminded every day, for six years, of the mistake you made years before.  His response to Harry, the snarkiness, the nastiness, is the only way Snape knows how to deal with what he is feeling, distancing himself, making Harry despise him in return so Snape has a reason to contine his treatment of him, and keep himself even more distant.  

I am just as certain that Snape's regret is tied into the reason he was so hopeful of catching Sirius in PoA.  His response to Sirius in the Shrieking Shack wasn't just because he'd caught the kid who pulled the prank.  No.  It was because he'd caught the man who he believed gave up James and Lily Potter to Lord Voldemort, after he, Snape, did everything he could, along with Dumbledore, to keep the Potters safe.  He wanted vengence.  Snape had done everything he could to protect James, Lily and Harry and here, James' best friend betrayed him, and Snape was going to make sure Sirius got what he deserved.  

Now, I know you don't agree with any of this Eggplant, and that is fine, I'm not trying to persuade you.  I know you can't be swayed in your position on Snape any more than I can be swayed in mine...at least not until JKR states positively what side Snape is on.

CathyD - who wishes she hadn't already used all her posts today because she has something to say about Slughorn - thanks to hg for making me spend all day yesterday thinking about Slughorn instead of Snape.  It made a nice change...almost as good as a rest. ;)

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