Dumbledore and Snape

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 133117

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After finishing HBP, I was ready to cast unforgiveable curses at JK 
Rowling.

It was not that I didn't know DD was going to die.  Aside from the 
leaks, I knew that the old wise mentor always has to die so that the 
young hero can go on alone to fulfill his destiny.

It was the manner of his death--by treachery--a weak, old man 
pleading for his life with the murderous snake he had nursed at his 
bosom for 16 years that I couldn't stand.  It seemed to me to render 
the character of Dumbledore completely false.

AS Harry thought to himself, it is "the difference between being 
dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into 
the arena with your head held high.  Some people would say there was 
little to choose between the two ways, but Dumbledore knew--and so do 
I, thought Harry ... that there was all the difference in the world." 
(p. 512)

The greatest wizard of his age, one of the greatest of all time, not 
only powerfully magical, but able to read the mysteries of the human 
mind *and* heart, taken in by the one he had championed beyond all 
others in his collection of half-breeds, outcasts, and second 
chancers, just because that one was an accomplished occlumens and 
DD "has to believe the best of people".  There had to be another 
interpretation.  Either that or it's Rowling, not Potter, who is the 
rotter.

After vowing never to read or even think about any part of the book 
again, (I vow I didn't realy think I could keep.) I reread the ending 
and these words lept out at me:

Malfoy:  " You're at my mercy..."

"No, Draco," said Dumbledore quietly. "It is my mercy and not yours 
that matters now" (p. 592)

I read the rest of that chapter and some other earlier passages with 
a new take.

Right after the Christmas vacation, Dumbledore is aware of Snape's 
unbreakable vow--from Harry, though I think he is already aware of it.

"Yes Harry, blessed as I am with extraordinary brain power, I 
understand everything you told me," said Dumbledore a little 
sharpley.  "I think you might even consider the possibility that I 
understood more than you did."  " I have been tolerant." he says a 
little later when Harry questions once more his trust of Snape. 
(Practically every time DD gets shirty with Harry it is for this same 
reason.)

I think there is something we still don't know about DD's "iron-clad 
reason" for trusting Snape.  Perhaps it is some kind of magical 
bond.  At any rate, I think Dumbledore has decided to sacrifice 
himself to save Draco and orders Snape to carry it out.

This is the basis of the argument Hagrid overhears.  "Anyway, 
Dumbledore told him flat out he'd agreed to do it an' that was all 
there was to it." (p.405-406)

I don't know why Snape doesn't want to kill Dumbledore (I would like 
to believe it's a noble reason but I'm sure JKR doesn't), but I 
believe it is tied to this passage.

(After calmly, "lazily" deflecting Harry's curses in his usual 
dispassionate sneering manner, Snape looses it when Harry accuses him 
of cowardice for the second time.)

"DON'T----" screamed Snape and his face was suddenly demented, 
inhuman, as though he was in as much pain as the howling yelping dog 
stuck in the burning house behind them---"CALL ME COWARD!" 

In short, as much as I would like for Snape to be redeemed (and 
Dumbledore would too, though I don't think Rowling does), I don't 
think that's going to happen, but I do think that we will find out in 
book 7 that DD chose his end, he walked into the arena with his head 
held high.

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