The Possibilities of Grey Snape

[quick_silver71]

No: HPFGUIDX 143060

Jen Reese  wrote:
> 3) Snape, prior to the UV, realizes Dumbledore expects him to be 
the 
> one to kill DD should it come to that, to protect Draco. Snape 
feels 
> betrayed by being placed in the Judas role, to appear to the world 
> as a traitor once again. His loyalty toward Dumbledore is tested 
by 
> this confluence of events.


I liked to expand on this a little bit...about Snape and his playing 
Judas. Two events, after Snape murdered Dumbledore, are used to help 
explain Snape. One is his response to Harry calling him coward and 
the other is the symbolism between Fang the Boarhound barking and 
such as he is trapped in a burning house and Snape. When Harry calls 
Snape a coward and to kill him like Snape killed Dumbledore he does 
more then simply taunt Snape
he damns him. Harry reveals that he 
knows the depths of what Snape has done
that he, Harry, knows 
Snape's most terrible crime. Snape may not have even known that 
Harry was on that Tower but with that sentence Harry shows that he 
knows what Snape has done (although he doesn't yet know for what 
reason). The Fang analogy is interesting because, in the end, Fang 
has to be rescued by Hagrid. If Snape is being compared to Fang then 
it stands to reason that Snape is in serious trouble and that he 
needs to be "saved." That would be a change in the Harry/Snape 
dynamic
Harry would have to pull Snape's bacon out of the fire. 

It also sets up a nice parallel with "the Prank"
once again Snape 
has managed to put himself in a life-endangering situation and needs 
a Potter to save him except this time the stakes are way higher. It 
also balances the scales slightly
Harry must overcome his hatred of 
Snape to save Snape and Snape must let go of his hatred of James and 
Harry and learn to accept their help.   

> Jen: I didn't mean to say that, I've argued before that when Harry 
> is in a rage he has been tempted to try dark magic and that it's 
Not 
> A Good Thing. The previous context was referring to the temptation 
> of joining Voldemort.
> 
> Interestingly enough though, *Harry* doesn't realize he's been 
> tempted to use dark magic. The fact that he never confided the MOM 
> scene with Bella to anyone, and that only Snape was aware of the 
run 
> across the grounds, points me to the idea that Snape (or the HBP) 
> will end up being the one who overtly or covertly helps Harry 
> understand why he can't follow that path.

Quick_Silver:
I personally think that if Harry is to resolve his issues with the 
Dark Arts, and I'm leery of saying that his issue is a major one 
(I'm still hoping that he'll get to beat Snape using the Dark Arts), 
that it must come from within. What's more Harry's use of Dark Magic 
stems from his lack of control over his emotions which is an 
important point. Unlike some wizards who embrace the Dark Arts 
dispassionately or for power or to achieve ends Harry seems to use 
them because he's flying off into emotional insanity. So Harry's use 
is indicative of a larger problem.

I'd be more worried about the likes of Hermione who might see the 
Dark Arts as a means to an end.

Quick_Silver (who still hopes that Voldemort took a leaf from 
Sirius's book and manipulated Snape)