General comments and Snape

[Matt]

No: HPFGUIDX 133609

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pastafor5" <pastafor5 at y...> wrote:

> The one key moment that makes me think (sadly) that Snape did 
> this out of loyalty to Voldemort rather than Dumbledore is 
> when Draco tells Dumbledore that Snape made the Unbreakable 
> Vow to his mother.  Dumbledore says it isn't true and that 
> Snape just made that up to get information from him.  But we 
> know that it was actually true.  If Dumbledore didn't know 
> that, then it appears Snape must have been loyal to Voldemort 
> instead.

Sorry to post without fully catching up -- I am sure someone has
already made some or all of these points, just not in response to this
particular post.  But this seemed a reasonable place to jump in.

The conversation with Draco is of course not the first time DD has
heard that Snape made the Unbreakable Vow; Harry told him much
earlier.  Regardless of what Snape has told DD (and whether DD
believes Harry), there's every reason for Dumbledore to bluff with
Draco at that point in order to undermine Draco's confidence in LV's
side and to build up his confidence in the good guys.  He wants Draco
to defect.

I am becoming more and more convinced, although it was not my first
reading, that DD intended all along for Snape to deliver the coup de
grace.  Why else is he calling for Harry to get Snape, both in
Hogsmeade and up on the tower?  Snape is not the resident Healer; he
is not even the potions master at this point.  I think DD knows that
his moment has come, and that by putting him out of his misery Snape
can cement his position with LV and the Death Eaters -- and save Draco
from his predicament.   

-- Matt