A Cold Equation (was Re: The Trial Of Severus Snape) - LONG

[esmith222002]

No: HPFGUIDX 141388

OK, I'm going to try and give a succinct account of why Snape killed 
DD on the tower - Starting from the beginning of HBP.

1. DD sustains his injury while breaking the curse on the ring. He 
only survives due to his 'prodigous skill' AND Snape's intervention.

My interpretation - That DD and Snape realise at this point just how 
serious the injury is. That it will prove fatal in the end.

2. Snape makes the Unbreakable Vow.

My interpretation - Are DD and Snape aware of Draco's mission prior 
to this? Snape may have heard it on the Death Eater grapevine!! If so 
they may have planned for Snape to offer his support for Draco. IMO 
Snape needs to continually prove himself to Voldemort and the UV 
would be further evidence of this. At this point, it doesn't 
necessarily follow that Snape will have to kill DD - he just has to 
assist Draco.

3. Several references in the book refer to DD's weakening 
reflexes/power and his less than healthy appearance

My interpretation - DD is dying! I also genuinely believe that DD 
would want to use his unavoidable death to somehow help defeat 
Voldemort.

4. DD is far more active than ever before in hunting down  
Voldemort's Horcruxes (even though he has suspected their existence 
since year 2)

My interpretation - DD is doing as much as he can and helping Harry 
as much as he can before his unavoidable death

5. Hagrid overhears Snape & DD arguing.

My interpretation - DD and Snape have discussed Draco's attempts to 
kill DD. DD indicates that Snape has given his word i.e. that Snape 
will finish off DD when he is close to death and therefore further 
improve his Death Eater standing/spare Draco from his ordeal.

6. DD and Harry argue over Snape

My interpretaion - DD knows EXACTLY what Snape's motivations are 
since the two of them have secretly planned the outcome of DD's 
illness.

7. DD and Harry go to the cave

My interpreation - Since the last Horcrux curse damaged DD 
profoundly, I think that he would have informed Snape that he was 
going after another. He would have told Snape that his help might be 
required on DD's return. They might even have discussed how another 
curse might affect an already sickened DD i.e. 'This could be the 
night, Severus!'

8. The White Tower. DD is killed by Severus Snape.

My interpretation - DD gets progressively sicker during his presence 
at the white tower (paler looking/slips further down the wall). At 
this point, I don't think he can be saved. Flitwick meanwhile comes 
to Snape's office and informs him of the DE's arrival. Snape DOESN'T 
kill Flitwick, only stuns him. He realises that the plan to use Draco 
to kill DD is now in operation. He rushes to find DD. He enters 
the 'White Tower' scene knowing it has been prearranged that he kill 
DD, but when confronted with this, he pauses. DD pleads with Severus 
to carry out the plan, which Snape finally manages.

9. Snape & Harry fight during the flee from Hogwarts

My interpretation - Severus continually blocks Harry's spells and 
instructs him on what he should be doing, but does not retaliate with 
spells of his own. He does react wildly to the accusation 
of 'coward', but I think it is because he has just had to kill the 
wizard he has most respect for to assist a boy he does not like who 
cannot even cast a spell without making it obvious which spell he is 
casting. I'm not sure DD ever convinced Snape that Harry really was 
up to the job of vanquishing Voldemort.


Finally, from a literary standpoint, I simply don't see how Snape can 
be bad. JKR has spent six books setting up Voldemort as the epitomy 
of evil. Clearly the endpoint of the whole series is Harry's final 
confrontation with Voldemort. At this point, surely all our hatred 
needs to be focussed on Voldemort, otherwise the impact of this 
confrontation will be lessened. Now unless Voldemort kills Hermione 
and Ron in book 7, he will never be able to do something as evil as 
killing DD. Unless Snape turns out to be good, Voldemort 
becomes 'less evil' than Snape, which makes no sense to me whatsoever.

Brothergib - who compares Snape with Darth Vader, both nasty pieces 
of work, who end up to be essentially good in the end.