Snape in Half Blood Prince

[Mari Webb]

No: HPFGUIDX 132919

Hi, my name is Mari, from Australia, I've lurked on the list for ages and this is my first post :-)
 
I’ll come right out and admit that I was not a Snape fan (like some others) from the beginning of the series. For the first three books, while I didn’t think he was necessarily evil, I didn’t find him particularly interesting or appealing; just a bitter twisted man with petty favourites and scapegoats among his students. 
 
By the end of Goblet of Fire (GoF) I was beginning to change my mind. Snape’s response to Dumbledore’s question at the end, in particular, pulled me up short and made me look at him in a new way:
______________________________________________________________
 "Severus, you know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready
 If you are prepared
" "I am." He looked slightly paler than usual, and his cold, black eyes glittered strangely. 
_______________________________________________________________
 
Throughout Order of the Phoenix (OotP) it becomes clearer and clearer that Snape has previously worked as a double agent for Dumbledore, and is possibly (but we don’t know for sure at this stage) doing so again. Along with the other beautifully done character development in OotP, we find out a little about Snape’s past, and some of the things that have made him the person he is now. 
 
All right. Now we come to the tricky bit, Snape’s story in HBP. My reading is that Dumbledore knew Snape had been told to kill him because Snape told him this was what Voldemort meant for him to do. I will list the things I base this reading on in chronological order. Of course, I am aware any of these things could be read the other way; i.e. that Snape is actually evil.
 
 1) When Snape makes the Unbreakable Vow, at the last question his hand twitches; a small sign, but nevertheless, something that shows he may be in some inner turmoil here about carrying out the task (i.e. killing Dumbledore). 
 
2) The argument between Dumbledore and Snape that Hagrid overhears. My reading of this is that they were most likely discussing Snape’s task. Also, Snape is clearly saying he is reluctant to do it, although he knows he must, and Dumbledore insists that he has to do it. 
 
3) It was CRUCIAL to Dumbledore's plans throughout this book, that Voldemort not be alerted that anything was going on. This is because all the Horcruxes haven't been found yet. If Voldemort were to be alerted that plans are being made against him, it would immediately become impossible for Harry or Dumbledore or anyone else to find and destroy all seven horcruxes. For that reason, Snape, if he is supporting Dumbledore, can't reveal this fact. He HAS to go through with killing Dumbledore, particularly as the whole thing happens in front of a group of Death Eaters who would know Snape has betrayed them if he does not do what Voldemort has told him to do.
 
 4) The fact that Dumbledore does not want Harry take him to Madam Pomfrey; this would make sense if he wanted healing, but I think Dumbledore knows that he has to die :-( He also knows that Snape is the only person who will go through with it if Draco fails.
 
 5) Snape's agonising response to Harry's calling him a coward; he seems to be in pain here. If he IS supporting Dumbledore he isn't a coward, considering the very difficult thing Dumbledore has asked him to do. 
 
Mind you, I think Dumbledore and Snape are the only ones who know the whole story. There must be something that no one else knows about that Snape told Dumbledore, that causes Dumbledore to trust him. I don't think its what Harry believes (i.e. Snape being sorry that he caused the death of James and Lily). 
 
My other arguments in defence of Snape are related to how Rowling has set up the series as a whole rather than specific incidents/passages in HBP. To my way of thinking, it makes no sense to spend as much time as she has making Snape into an intriguing character, to have him turn out evil now; not that I’m saying we know which side Snape will ultimately choose, I am simply arguing that Rowling has deliberately left it open at this stage, we will not find out Snape’s true allegiance until the next and final book. To definitively reveal his allegiance now would spoil the structure of the series as a whole. 
 
Mari. 

		
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