Dumbledore's Last Act

[Missy]

No: HPFGUIDX 133827

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Penny Brooks" 
<pennygbrooks at y...> wrote:
> I'm along with those who believe that Dumbledore asked Severus 
Snape 
> to kill him, as some sort of pre-agreement (along the lines of 
those 
> he made with Harry).  However, I believe that there is more than 
one 
> reason for the request.
> 
> The first is that Dumbledore is weakened, and that he must 'take 
> himself out' before anything further can happen.  In addition, 
> perhaps in his portrait he has full use of his faculties and can 
> serve better in this form.  Just a thought.
> 
> The second is that he has to protect Draco Malfoy.  He knows that 
> Draco can't kill him, and was just going through the motions 
> throughout the school year so that Voldemort won't hurt his 
family.  
> However, with the Death Eaters there in the end, Dumbledore knows 
> that Draco will be pushed to do what he has been requested to do.  
> So, Dumbledore has Snape do it, so that Draco will not have to do 
> the terrible deed.  This will not only save Draco's (mental, and 
> perhaps physical) life, but also perhaps help him see where his 
> allegiances should lie in future battles and scenarios.
> 
> All right everyone:  dissect, and discuss!  Isn't this fun?
> 
> --Penny

I've read a lot of people who think Snape and DD planned this.  But I 
completely disagree that DD knew this would happen now.  I do think 
he knew that Draco had his mission.  And I think he knows that Snape 
had the unbreakable vow.  But do we really know what Draco's mission 
was?  I mean, was it, "Kill DD by the end of the school year?"  
Because if not, then DD could have been planning for this to happen 
ten years from now.  And Snape still wouldn't have broken his vow. 

I keep going back to SS/PS and Dumbledore saying that "to the well 
organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."  And there is 
no doubt that even though DD makes mistakes, is human, and when he 
makes a great mistake it's a humdinger- he's definitely got a well 
orgainzed mind.  And this was just too messy.  I mean, think about it.

McGonagal doesn't know what is going on with Harry.  In fact, no one 
from the Order knows.  DD would have wanted SOMEONE to be there to 
make sure Harry had all of the tools he needs to do what he needs to 
do.  Was Dobby taken care of?  I know this is minor, but Dobby gets 
paid, is the continuation of his being paid laid out in a contract 
with Hogwarts somewhere?  OK- way too minor of a point.  

But Trelawney- she has to remain protected.  Period.  Only Harry and 
DD know the full extent of the danger she's in. DD would have known 
of McGonagal's comtempt of Divination, and that McGonagal might stop 
that class.  

I guess that in Book Seven, we'll know, because if his death was 
planned, DD would have made provisions for all of these things, and 
many others also.  (Hagrid, the continuation of the school at all, 
etc.)

I'm just still falling on the side that says that Snape's loyalty is 
not to DD.  I think DD DID trust Snape completely.  And I also think 
that since it was Riddle (LV) who cursed the DADA job, maybe DD 
thought that he might get to keep a DADA teacher for more than one 
year if it's someone LV wants to remain close to DD.  I mean, maybe 
Snape got the job simply because DD was sick of trying to find 
someone to take the job.