Hagrid and Snape (was Re: Future of Snape's Spying)

[juli17ptf]

No: HPFGUIDX 144962


>
> bboyminn:
> > You are right, Hargid has absolute trust in Dumbledore, but I 
don't
> > see that working in his favor when it comes to Snape. Hagrid has a
> > near god-like worship and admiration of Dumbledore. Dumbledore 
saved
> > him, and gave him hope and purpose when the rest of the wizard 
world
> > has shunned and abandon him. He owes everything to Dumbledore, 
and I
> > simply can not see him forgiving Dumbledore's murderer so easily.
> *(snip)*

Julie:
I don't really agree that while the whole WW may understand why Snape 
killed Dumbledore, they won't ever forgive him. If forgiveness is 
part of JKR's theme in the books (and if it's partly based in her 
Christian faith, as some suggest, this fits in perfectly) then why 
wouldn't the WW forgive him, if it was all for the greater good? Or 
at least some of the WW inhabitants. And Hagrid would be one of 
those, I think, since he's generally a forgiving person. 

Of course, that does all depend on Snape being DDM, and Snape's 
apparent cold-blooded murder proving in the end to have some very 
extenuating circumstances.

> 
> Ceridwen:
> The original post by Dave said:
> ***I think there must be *one* person whom DD has confided in -- One
> person who knows Snape is really and truly DDM, and whom Snape is 
> going
> to be secretly in communication with all through Book 7.***
> 
> So, in the scenario of Snape communicating with Harry and the 
Order, 
> his contact has already been primed by Dumbledore.  It is set up in 
> advance.  The original post suggested Hermione as the contact based 
> on her defense of Snape throughout the books.  But Dumbledore will 
> also have taught her Occlumency in order to hide Snape's secret, in 
> case she is captured.  Her attitude toward Snape, which isn't 
nearly 
> as condemning as Harry's and Ron's, would make it easier for 
> Dumbledore to draft her into this cause.
> 
> I disagree on Hermione being the one.  She already has two secrets 
to 
> hide if she's captured - the horcrux hunt, and the contents of the 
> prophecy.  I also don't think Dumbledore would use an underaged 
witch 
> for this purpose, or even one who has recently attained her 
> majority.  I gave my reasons upthread, but also, I don't think 
Snape 
> would care for it.
> 
> Hagrid is one of three I suggested.  The other two were Lupin and 
> Aberforth.  You brought up Mundungus, also a good choice, for the 
> reasons you wrote down.  If there is such a contact person and 
> Dumbledore set it up before his death, he would have let them in on 
> the possibility that Snape may act in an odd manner, even look like 
> an outright traitor.  He would also have let them know about 
whatever 
> plans or fears there were connected to what we ended up seeing on 
the 
> Tower.
> 
> So, if there is such a position in book 7, and if Hagrid turns out 
to 
> be the one, he would have some privileged information concerning 
> those events and not go leading any murderous charges.  Though, to 
> keep his cover, he may have to say a lot of aggressive things about 
> Snape.  Hardly the same thing.  The biggest problem with Hagrid 
here 
> is that he's honest.  He may not be able to be duplicitous.  But, 
he 
> may surprise us.
> 
> Ceridwen.
>

Julie:
I think Hagrid could have a single piece of privileged information, 
but something he's known for a long time, rather than information 
Dumbledore gave him recently. For instance, what if Hagrid is the 
only one besides Dumbledore who knows the *real* reason why Snape 
left Voldemort and returned to Dumbledore's side? 

This could explain why Hagrid has so consistently and fervently 
defended Snape, throughout all the books. I don't think Snape and 
Hagrid would have a naturally amicable relationship based on their 
*extremely* disparate personalities. Hagrid is also no Slytherin fan, 
and all things being equal, would seem more likely to agree with 
Harry about Snape's nastiness than to downplay it as he does. And 
Snape is more than happy to point out deficiencies in others. 
Hagrid's lack of analytical intelligence, questionable judgment and 
soft nature would certainly leave him ripe for Snape's barbs. So why 
does neither of them ever act toward the other as their personalities 
would suggest?

I think it's because Hagrid knows something about Snape, something 
that allows him to sympathize with Snape and accept his obvious 
character deficiencies. And Snape, aware that Hagrid is keeping a 
secret for him, returns that favor by ignoring Hagrid's highly 
irritating qualities (to Snape) in way he ignores no one else's.

This doesn't mean Hagrid has to be Dumbledore's contact person, since 
Hagrid really doesn't have the intelligence (sorry) or duplicity 
necessary to be too involved in any pre-arranged plotting by 
Dumbledore regarding Snape and the Tower scene. But he could still be 
counted on to accept more quickly than most that what appeared to be 
cold-blooded murder on the Tower was something altogether different. 

Julie
(Who suspects JKR's "Order member we haven't really met yet" may be 
Dumbledore's chosen contact person and the only other one who knows 
what really happened on the Tower. And that could be Ableforth, or 
even Mudungus.)