Snape kills V

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 135537

Dan:
> Also, why does Albus tone change (so much so that it startles Harry)
> when Snape arrives? Has Dumbledore seen the betrayal, just then? Do 
> we really believe Dumbledore has agreed that he himself needs to 
> die?
> 
> Is he so limited that that choice would ever be the only one 
> possible?
> 
> What is gained by Dumbledore being dead, in the big picture? 


SSSusan:
Hmmm.  Am I the only one who believes that DD was already just about 
dead by the time Snape arrived on the tower?  See, I don't see it 
as "What is to be GAINED by DD's death?" so much as, "DD is dying, so 
what needs to be done?"  

The way I read things, DD was nearing death by the time he & Harry 
returned to Hogmeade.  *Perhaps* at that point it was still possible 
to have prevented death, if Harry could have gotten Snape to DD in 
Hogsmeade, as was DD's request to Harry.  

However, once the Dark Mark was seen in the sky over Hogwarts, I 
believe that DD no longer felt he could remain in Hogsmeade.  
Students & staff may have been in very grave danger, and so DD made 
himself go.  Further, I believe that getting on that broomstick and 
flying up to the castle with Harry took most of the remaining 
strength and life out of DD.  The longer he stood on the tower, the 
further he sank down the wall, the weaker he became.

I believe, by the time Snape arrived, DD knew he was a goner.  
**GIVEN THAT,** what's so bad about pleading with Snape to kill him? 
That pleading tone would be sure to startle Snape, too -- it would be 
effective in alerting Snape that he'd better pay CLOSE attention 
(i.e., use legillimency).  Snape's killing DD would only be 
accelerating what was going to happen momentarily anyway.  But the 
*advantage* of having Snape do it was that it might save Draco from 
murder, and it would prevent Snape from being killed for not keeping 
to the Unbreakable Vow.

DD was not afraid of death.  He knew he was dying.  Snape couldn't 
stand having to do it, but I think the pleading voice, the likely bit 
of mutual legillimency between Snape & DD, and even perhaps a 
previous agreement between them, similar to the one where Harry 
agreed to do whatever was necessary, whatever DD asked, meant that he 
understood he HAD to comply.

It's a time of war and the plan must go forward.  If the leader is on 
his way out, the soldier must abide by the final request.

Or so that's how I see it.  YMMV. :-)

Siriusly Snapey Susan