PoA - Snape knew?/Who is the real dark character in the series?

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 143531

> Colebiancardi:
<SNIP>
 I think you are coming from this on the assumption 
that
> Snape is evil – and I doubt that I or any other DDM!Snape believers
> have ever stated that Harry must forgive Snape if Snape is truly 
evil.
> If Snape isn't evil, why would you want Harry to kill him or not
> understand what happened? Snape not be blamed or punished for his
> grudges or vengeful behavior – I think he has been punished – look 
at
> where he ended up at – at Hogwarts, teaching a bunch of dunderheads.
> Snape's grudges were also Sirius's grudges – I don't remember anyone
> stating Sirius needed to let go of his grudge towards Snape.


Lupinlore:
Oh, I am not coming at this at all from the assumption that Snape is 
evil.  In fact, I very much doubt we will see any such thing.  I 
think that an OFH!Snape or some variety of Grey!Snape makes the most 
sense.  Therefore, my comments have nothing whatsoever, in this 
instance, to do with what happened on the tower.

Rather, they have to do with the fact that Snape seems to be a 
character that people want to see redeemed.  Fine, redemption is 
always good for a hankey  or two.  But redemption can't happen if 
some accounting is not made for the way Snape has acted as a 
teacher.  Sorry, just can't be done.

Now, as Alla (at least I THINK it was Alla) said, there are ways of 
doing that which don't require a revisit of each and every incident.  
Indeed, that would be silly even by my standards.  However, if some 
accounting for the way Snape has treated Harry and Neville is not 
made, then Snape cannot, I think, be considered redeemed.  As you 
say, even most DDM!Snape people cannot find excuses for his treatment 
of Neville, and trying to justify his behavior toward Harry is also 
almost impossible even by the most liberal DDM! standards.  
Therefore, redemption requires some accounting for this -- possibly 
along the lines of what we saw with Dumbledore and the Dursleys, 
although for Snape to be redeemed he would have to admit his fault 
whereas the Dursleys of course did not.

Colebiancardi:
 Snape
> has a lot of issues dealing with certain students, but if that was
> something that DD didn't want the students to be exposed to, he 
would
> not have hired Snape in as a teacher. 

Lupinlore:
Well, I don't think saying "DD must have wanted it and therefore it's 
good and Snape doesn't need to make some kind of recompense/undergo 
some kind of punishment" in any way provides any sort of defense or 
justification of Snape at all -- nor does it provide defense of JKR 
against what would be, after all, an extremely lame way of dealing 
with these very important issues.  After all, DD has been set up, for all his goodness, as FAR from a perfect man.  And the fact that DD made the decision in no way releases Snape from punishment for his sins.

Actually, as far as this goes, it is really irrelevant whether Snape 
is DDM!, OFH!, ESE!, or a Martian in disguise.  In order for him to 
be redeemed the issue of his abuse of Harry and Neville simply MUST 
be addressed.  And I don't mean "it was part of DD's plan so it was 
okay."


Lupinlore