Who is the real dark character in the series?

[colebiancardi]

No: HPFGUIDX 143480

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214"
<dumbledore11214 at y...> wrote:
>
> 
> Colebiancardi:
>  However, Alla wrote that Snape may aim higher than the
> > everyday evil and I must use the same argument back.  Voldemort is 
> the
> > Supreme Evil in this story, not Snape.  So, while I can concede, but
> > not agree, that Snape could be evil with a small *e* and could help
> > Voldemort, I cannot concede that his importance at being evil would
> > surpass Voldy's.  Just as I don't believe that Snape could ever
> > surpass Harry in the hero mode and the focus of the story.
> 
> Alla:
> 
> The original argument if I understood it correctly was that there 
> could be only ONE evil in the story and that is Voldemort. I am not 
> sure why this necessarily could be true.
> 
> Okay, Snape would not be as evil as Voldemort, but he could still be 
> Evil, just second in command, for example. No?
> 
> Does it make sense? I am just not getting why Snape cannot be evil if 
> Harry has to battle Voldemort at the end? I also don't understand how 
> do you know that Harry will not have to battle Snape BEFORE or after 
> he battles Voldemort?
> 
third post of the day, so if I don't respond back to you until
tomorrow, please forgive me :)  Where did I state that Harry will not
have to battle Snape before or after Voldemort?  I don't believe I
did.  All I stated that is I could concede, but not agree, that Snape
is evil with a small *e*, not a capitol E.  That if Snape is evil,
then he would be helping Voldemort.  I am not sure where you read that
I wrote that Harry won't battle Snape.  

And I don't think Snape is second in command to Voldemort - I don't
think Voldy trusts Snape all that much, but based on what followers
Voldemort has, Snape is probably the most powerful.  I think Snape,
regardless of his true nature, better watch his step around Voldemort
- I don't think Voldy likes to share his limelight too much.  


> The way I see it even if Snape is lesser evil, he still has to be 
> dealt with.
> 

Yes.  If Snape is evil :)  which I do not believe he is.
> 
> 
> 
> Colebiancardi:
> And we do
> > have the problem of Harry, who has a major teenage grudge against
> > Snape at the end HBP;  so much so, that it can be called 
> destructive -
> > he went after 4 DE's, Draco & Snape, just to get to Snape.
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Huh? You are calling witnessing the murder of Dumbledore and desire 
> to get Snape because of that a "teenage grudge"?
>

Harry's hatred of Snape goes way back further than the *murder* of
Dumbledore.  Harry even acknowledges in the beginning of HBP, when
Snape is escorting him to the castle, that he knows it is wrong, but
"it enabled hm to blame Snape, which felt satisfying." p. 161 Am
Hardcover Ed HBP.  So, what Harry witnessed on the tower, which is
still open to interpretation, only gives him another reason to hate
Snape.  And as I stated, he risked everything, including the end-game
that Dumbledore had been training him to do - to destroy Voldemort, to
go after Snape, knowing he was outnumbered and alone and unprepared. 
He jumped the gun.  What if Harry had been killed at that moment?  Do
you really think that it would matter that he got Snape or not at this
point?  Was it going to bring Dumbledore back to life?  Do you think
that DD would have wanted Harry to risk all at this point & time? The
reason why Harry went after Snape was pure emotion and fantasy: 
"Terror tore at Harry's heart...He had to get to Dumbledore and he had
to catch Snape....Somehow the two things were linked...He could
reverse what had happened if he had them both together...Dumbledore
could not have died..." HBP, p. 598

Harry is not thinking clearly at this point.  Not that I blame him. 
However, what happened on the tower added to the years of hatred &
mistrust Harry has felt towards Snape, even though Dumbledore told him
otherwise.  There was nothing to be gained by catching & killing Snape
other than to *avenge* the death of Dumbledore, based on what Harry
saw on the tower.  Harry still doesn't think clearly about Snape, as
he told the staff that Snape's remorse & the trust that DD placed in
him was that Snape was sorry his parent's were dead.(p616)  That is
not true.  Snape, according to DD, had deep remorse over how Voldemort
interpreted the prophecy(p 549), but Snape turned prior to their death. 

Harry is making the case against Snape not by facts, but by twisting
the words of Dumbledore to make his case against Snape.  Even if I
believed in ESE!Snape, I would say that is dishonest of Harry and he
will do anything to further his grudge and try to make others follow
him down this path.  I think that even you would agree that Harry's
grudge against Snape begins a lot earlier than that night on the
tower.     
 
the recklessness that Harry exhibited, although noble in its intent,
by going after Snape went he did, does show a wildly emotional side
that should have been tempered by reason.  Just as with Sirius, he is
not thinking things through.  Even though *love* is his gift, the
thing to destroy Voldemort, that doesn't excuse the lack of his
thinking processes.  He could get killed before he gets the job done
or worse, get others killed in the process.  He needs to slow down and
find out who the true villian is, which is not Snape.  It is
Voldemort.  If Snape blocks his way to Voldemort, then yes, Harry
would need to take Snape out - but Harry should not go out of his way
to get Snape.

colebiancardi