Human!Snape Fill in the Blanks in HBP Spinners End first..

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 135634


HI all,

I just wanted to get some opinions running on odd occasional ambiguous
glimpses we get of Snapes humanity in HBP. I know a fair few of these
little cracks in the shell haven't been discussed in depth yet, so I
ill list them and ask you if you could fill in the blanks, starting
with Spinners End.

Narcissa began to cry in earnest, gazing beseechingly all the while at
Snape.
'That's because he is sixteen and has no idea what lies in store! Why,
Severus? Why my son? It is too dangerous! This is vengeance for Lucius
mistake, I know it!'
Snape said nothing. He looked away from the sight of her tears as
though they were indecent, but he could not pretend not to hear her.
'That's why he's chosen Draco, isn't it?' she persisted. 'To punish
Lucius?' 
'If Draco succeeds,' said Snape still looking away from her, 'he will
be honoured above all opthers.'

There are three things in this passage that interest me the most.
Firstly Narcissa is gazing beseechingly at Snape. With 'gazing' being
the popular supposed inference for Legilimency. Is it possible that
here we are also seeing an effort by Narcissa to extract from Snape
the knowledge of whether he cares for her plea? This possibilty is
later backed in the passage when Snape deliberately loses eye contact
with her. Snape the superb Occlumens, unable to block his feelings for
a weeping desperate friend? hmm what feelings are they exactly then,
his affection for Draco and Narcissa? his faith in that Dumbledore
would never let Draco die? his knowledge of Voldemorts plan? What is
he hiding here that is so emotional to him he can't Occlumens block
her and has to look away?

The last thing that interests me in this passage is the words from
Snape. They are crafted words. The right words. The words of a
faithful DE. But wait.. Why can't Snape look at her while he is saying
them? They are the right words. If he truly believes this, then... 
I don't know about you, but this particular line throws an "anvil
sized" question mark over Snapes faith in Voldemort and the DE creed.
It's hard, impossible even, to imagine that Severus believes what he
is saying. This is a very NotCOld!Snape, a Snape unable to contain the
huge emotions inside him a Snape who isn't for a minute able to truly
pretend that Draco's honour before Voldemort is of any consequence,
even though he is able to say it.  


One more interesting thing in the Spinners End Chapter:

'If you are there to protect him... Severus, will you swear it? Will
you make the Unbreakable Vow?'
'The Unbreakable Vow?' Snape's exression was blank, unreadable....

The blank unreadble expression of Snape when he is faced with
Narcissa's surprise request.. Now *there's* a fill in the blank.. 
What were Snape's feelings here? Clearly he was not so wrought with
emotion as before, but was this Occlumency at it's most superb? The
immediacy of the blank expression smacks of something that Severus has
done many times before almost like a rehearsed and ready reaction. 

IMHO Snapes head may have been absolutely chock with plotting and
considerations in this moment.. But what were they? What were the
thoughts in Snapes head?

Here's one option:
He's realising he may be asked to kill Dumbledore.. The consequences
of swearing to do this if he can are huge. He loses his post? he loses
Dumbledore? He comprimises his position throughout the year? (a hard
task) Is he imagining a way he can get out of the vow? Does he think
of one? Is that why he fights with Dumbledore later in the year?
Because Dumbledore won't help him to get off the hook by firing him or
sending him on a mission in a distant place?

Valky