The Possibilities of Grey Snape (was Re: What would a successful AK mean?)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 142969

Sydney:
> There's two issues with OFH! or Grey Snape, one major and one
> minor. The minor one is that Dumbledore would pretty much have to
> be lying when he says "I am certain. I trust Severus Snape
> absolutely", when what he means is "you know, so long as I have
> total control over him, he's okay, I mean, I hope he's okay, but
> let me tell you, off the leash he's pretty iffy". "Absolute trust"
> is not a phrase with a lot of wiggle room.

Jen: Actually, I see this issue of trust as more of a major problem 
with OFH or Grey Snape than a minor one, and one that is hard to 
reconcile. If we're meant to see Dumbledore's trust as his weakness 
which brought him down in the end, it *would* fit with JKR's 
character development for all the adults--all of the primary adult 
characters with the exception of Lily have been brought down one way 
or another from inside as well as out. To name just a few, Sirius by 
his recklessness, Lupin by his secrets, Peter by his cowardice, 
Voldemort by his underestimation of love magic. Dumbledore could 
join the crowd! 

I still love the idea that Dumbledore's unwavering trust in Snape 
will be proven true because it so beautifully counters his mistrust 
of Riddle, which was believed by none. 

I could also see a Dumbledore who is capable of compartmentalizing 
the Severus Snape before him as separate from Snape the DE. He 
believes his story is not only true, but changed him as well. But 
that doesn't deny Snape's past or his weaknesses, which Dumbledore 
knows all too well after 150 years, can be insidious for a person to 
overcome.

Sydney:
> The larger objection is a wavering, agonizing, side-switching
> Snape is just such a massive focus-puller.  It would make Snape,
> not Harry, making all the critical choices and going through the
> most interesting emotions at the end of the book.  Story-wise I'm
> much happier having Snape running down a pretty clear, 
> straightforward track, and Harry doing all the mind-changing.  For 
> this reason I would prefer Evil!Snape to conflicted!Snape, because
> much as I'd rather read a book about Snape, this ain't it.

Jen: I don't think it would have to be anymore agonizing than the 
adult characters in the Shrieking Shack. It's how Harry reacts to 
the truth which would be be important. JKR was more than happy to 
play up the weaknesses of Sirius, Lupin and Peter to bring about 
Harry's merciful moment!! 

That could potentially be a problem though--can Harry release his 
hatred toward Snape simply finding out he was weak in the face of 
dark magic? Not likely. Harry, like his father and godfather before 
him, has no mercy for those entrenched in the dark arts. With no 
understanding of the temptation, he wouldn't likely look on Snape 
with much more favorable eyes.  

Lupinlore:
> As such, Grey Snape is an intrinsically weak man in some
> respects.  He has neither the ruthless Machiavellian will of some
> OFH! models nor the firm nobility of character often attributed to
> DDM!  He made a huge blunder, tried to attain redemption, then
> blundered again.  He hasn't the ability to dominate or overshadow
> anything, once you understand what he is all about.  Like most
> bullies, he is essentially a coward who cannot control his own
> emotions, and deep inside he knows it.

Jen: Personally, I think the role of coward is ably filled by Peter 
and we will see another weakness bringing down Snape. Because if JKR 
is to fulfill her greatest theme of choice, Snape had a choice in 
that moment on the tower. The only way to counter that would be to 
say his choice came in the moment he decided to take the UV. Either 
way, there was a weakness involved which brought him down.

To play devil's advocate with myself <g> this is merely speculation 
but I've imagined the tower scene with someone like James in Snape's 
place. He would probably be noble & brave, would attempt to take on 
all four death eaters is my guess. Perhaps he would even attempt to 
save Draco and Draco would possibly take another step away from 
goodness to defend himself or out of fear others would tell 
Voldemort if he didn't fight. James would logically fail with no 
help, die, and not see the destruction wrought by his bravery. 

So we see that Dumbledore did not ask Harry to bring Lupin or the 
other Order members, any of the noble folks. He asked for Snape. He 
asked for the person who was bound by the UV, was not a brave person 
in the traditional sense. Dumbledore chose to land on the tower 
under the Dark Mark and called for a person whose hands are tied. 
Why?

Lupinlore:
> Now Harry is faced with the problem of what to do with a man who
> he believes to be evil and menacing who turns out to be weak and
> pathetic.  Will Harry be able, like Dumbledore, to let Snape have
> a chance to prove himself once more?  Will he be able to see 
> the "latent good qualities" in this pitiful, self-hating man who
> has destroyed his own world through his cruelty and nastiness and
> greed and cowardice? 

Jen: This seems like a viable option to me considering how ruthless 
JKR has been in showing us the faults and foibles of all the adult 
characters (the Trio too, but they tend to come out ahead <g>). At 
the worst we will find out he never truly switched sides, or even 
had a side, and his deception of Dumbledore was his greatest evil. 
At best, Snape will be portrayed as someone who attempted to be 
unwaveringly loyal to Dumbledore, even to the point of following his 
orders to kill him, but there would still be the weakness of the UV 
which brought about the whole scenario in the first place. I don't 
see how Snape can get away unscathed unless Dumbledore purposely put 
him into the DADA job and ordered him to take the UV. And then we 
would have a new set of concerns!

Jen, playing both sides of the fence it seems.