"revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face"/Snape as coward

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 135597

Carol:
> My point is that we should not simply accept Harry's view regarding
> Snape--that he is a traitor and a murderer without justification or
> extenuating circumstances.


Alla:

That is a possibility, OR there is also another possibility that
Snape 
killed  his mentor, the only person who ever believed in him without 
any extenuating circumstances.


Carol:
 Snape faced the terrible choice of killing
> Dumbledore and being viewed as a traitor and murderer by the entire
WW
> or breaking his vow and dying, escaping the duty to kill Dumbledore
> himself but leaving him to a worse death at the hands of the Death
> Eaters (and breaking his promise to help and protect Draco as well).
> And he chose infamy rather than death. That, surely, was not the
> choice of a coward.


Alla:

Wait a second. Duty to kill Dumbledore? Canon, please. 
Besides, it could be a choice of a coward IF Snape values his life
more than death. It could be a choice of a traitor even if Snape 
wants to be the next Dark Lord, etc.


Carol: 
> Even if you don't accept my arguments, and certainly some are
stronger
> than others, I ask anyone who sees Snape in Harry's black-and-white
> terms to reread HBP looking for signs of misdirection on JKR's part

Alla:

I did  and while they could be here, it is also possible that JKR's 
books  are simpler that we think in many ways and maybe what Snape 
turned out to be was always right in front of us.

But with JKR one can never be sure, that is true.



> Dungrollin:
> What would you think of him if the cowardice turns out to be Snape 
> having cried in a corner as a child, rather than trying to protect 
his 
> witch mother from his abusive muggle father?


Alla:

If that was the only cowardice he ever showed, I would feel pity for 
him. 

But my guess that his cowardice would have more relevance to more 
recent events. Besides, I think it is a possibility that Snape may
not 
have been abused at all, since we do not know for sure that the boy
in 
that scene was Snape, IMO.

Again, your guess is as good as mine. :-)


Lupinlore
<SNIP>
> I will say that DD in that scene seems to know very well that 
> something BIG has just blown up in his face.  His blanching at 
> Harry's outburst is a signal.
> 


Alla:

Thanks for clarifying your position, so we do agree in general. I
ahve 
another question though about this paragraph of yours.

What do you mean by  that? Are you saying that DD suspects Snape 
despite him constantly saying that he trusts the guy or are you
saying 
that DD realises that this should not have been kept a secret from 
Harry?


JMO of course,
Alla.