[HPforGrownups] A newbie's theories on Snape and DD's death.

[rehtse]

No: HPFGUIDX 134147

Hi Im Esther

I have been reading everyones posts with great interest.

Ill dive straight in:


I do not believe that DD death was an assisted suicide but that he intended
to die.

Brothergib quotes:
`Indeed your failure to understand that there are things much worse than
death has always been your greatest weakness `  Albus Dumbledore OOTP p718

The sound frightened Harry beyond anything he had experienced all evening.
For the first time, Dumbledore was pleadingSeverus.please.' HBP p556

And then says:
If you still don't believe it, consider this. Would Albus Dumbledore ever
plead for his life? No he would not.

EstherS agrees:
Whatever faults he may have DD has a strong character, pleading on his
deathbed is not in his nature.

And why did DD use  the binding spell on Harry. He could have frozen Draco
and then utilized the time to tell Harry how to escape. Harry had already
obeyed him in the cave there was no reason for DD to suspect he wouldn't do
so now.

I believe that Harry was there as a witness. LV has already invaded Harrys
mind several times and according to DD LV blocked the connection on purpose
to stop Harry seeing into his mind not because he was unable to connect
anymore.
Harry was petrified both as a protection and to prevented him from
interfering in the outcome. He had to be a passive witness to DDs death and
the fact that Snape killed him. Quite possibly the pleading was just show
for LVs benefit.


To cite Brothergib again:
By allowing Snape to kill him, Dumbledore will have ensured that Voldemort
trusts and reveres Snape above all his other Death Eaters. When the time
comes, this will place Snape in the most powerful position to help Harry.

EstherS concurs:
Snape doesnt have to be trusted by the Order if, rather than acting just as
a spy, he is proactive in protecting Harry from within the DE.


JK Rowling: I am not going to answer about the role in the next books, which
probably gives you a big clue, and he has never been owned by anyone but
Dumbledore. You will notice that when Harry goes back in the Pensieve in
this book, Fawkes is never there, and no, I am sorry, not in this book, I
take that back. When Harry has previously seen the study with a different
headmaster he saw it with Dippet and Fawkes was not there then. Fawkes is
Dumbledore's possession, not a Hogwarts possession.

EstherS says:
I believe Fawkes will be used to prove Snape's loyalty. Originally elements
of this story were meant to be in CoS and in that book DD emphasizes that if
Fawkes comes to someones assistance it must be because they have shown him
great loyalty.

Why did DD trust Snape?
As Harry hasnt been told we cant know but I am sure it was due to Snapes
feeling for Lily.
Im sure that Snape had a crush on Lily and although she didnt reciprocate
these feelings she tried to be kind to him.
Snape does not seem to be easily influenced or a weak personality so I am
beginning to wonder why he ever joined the Death Eaters in the first place.
If you examine what we know of the other DE: Lucius is a vicious bigot,
Barty Crouch was the teenage rebel going to extremes to show his father,
Peter Petigrew (with others like Crabbe and Goyle) desperately needed to
follow someone, and feel in with the crowd. And Bellatrix she is just an LV
groupie.
In contrast Snape is a loner, convinced that he was superior to everyone
else. Why would he join the DE?
My theory is that some momentous event such as Lily rejection drove him to
join the DE in a rage of blind hatred and revenge. He truly didnt realize
that LV was going to hunt down James and Lily and I imagine LV saving Lily
would have been in the nature of a surprise present for Snape as a faithful
follower not something they had worked out beforehand. The shock of Lily and
James death brought Snape to his senses.

KJ says of chap 2:
I think that this chapter sets up the story line for most of the book. It
shows us a completely different side of Snape. We were given the impression
that he had no social graces whatsoever. This is not the case.

EstherS says:
Snape is one of the most complicated characters in this book. He ranges
between unpleasant to positively hateful with the members of the Order but
puts himself in mortal danger to help them. He never defends himself against
their accusations nor does he try to ingratiate himself by explaining his
actions. And although he seem much more at home with his Death Eater friends
he is betraying them for DD.

I found this scene touching because despite Bellatrixs dislike and
suspicion they both show Snape a certain respect. I dont think that Snape
is in love with Narcissa but he is fond of her and she looks to him as a
protector.
Snape is tender and caring in this chapter and yes, even noble.



As I stated previously I do believe DD is dead, no polyjuice or body-swaps
or fake deaths.
I didnt think JK would reference other metaphors (particularly considering
the Matrix debacle) until

Inkling said:
JKR's oft quoted remark that if people knew she was a Christian, they could
figure out what's coming in the series.

EstherS:
Although I agree with Inklings analysis that JKs faith influences her
belief in loves conquering I would add that this fact is well publicized so
no big surprise.
Another defining characteristic of Christianity is the resurrection.
Like Amy I found parallels with Aslan in The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe which was also a story written by a believing Christian and very
influential when JK (and I) was young.

This also fits with the fact that both DDs animal companion and his
patronus are a Phoenix, a bird that dies then arises from the flames.

Mira says:
in some interpretations of the Bible Jesus actively encouraged Judas to
betray him

Esther:
I think that the argument was because Snape felt DD was asking too much by
asking Snape to kill him, either because it would endanger his soul or
because of the emotional strain or both.

It is also interesting that JK has a thing with damaging peoples hands:
very a la Star Wars.
Peter Pettigrews silver hand seemed and almost exact copy of Anakins.
Maybe JK believes that DD, like Ben Kenobi, will be stronger after his
death.



EstherS
A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.




		
___________________________________________________________ 
How much free photo storage do you get? Store your holiday 
snaps for FREE with Yahoo! Photos http://uk.photos.yahoo.com