Dumbledore's pleading

[ellecain]

No: HPFGUIDX 141493



Jen:

Since we can't ever know what Snape's 
> up to, I look at it from Dumbledore's perspective, and feel certain 
> he understood Snape in that moment, understood what he was about to 
> do and why. And most important, if Snape's actions required it, 
> Dumbledore forgave him in a way Snape didn't forgive himself, from 
> the painful look on his face in front of Hagrid's burning hut. That 
> was the very poignant part to me, that somehow even if Snape did 
> betray Dumbledore in the end, Dumbledore still *believed* in him to 
> do the right thing and get the DE's/Draco out of Hogwarts and ensure 
> Harry's safety.
> 

Elyse: Maybe youre right. My natural expectation of Dumbledore's death was him giving a speech reminiscent of the one he gave at the end of GoF, urging everyone to follow the right path.  Seeeing as it was Snape he was talking to, I expected this even more since we have reason to believe that Snape is not truly on either side. 

But I defer to your idea that even if Snape did betray DD he would have faith in Snape to get the DE's out of Hogwarts with as little damage as possible. We have always seen Snape through Harry's filter and admittedly while we can we can believe that Snape is a very powerful and intelligent wizard, we have been given no indication as to any latent good qualities he might possess, courage and integrity being examples.               

But Dumbledore did.  I do not know if loyalty was one of the good qualities he had, but DD who sent Snape to LV as a spy never stooped trusting him, never feared that he may succumb to the temptations of the Dark side,  seemed to think that Snape would always be on the Light side. If this illusion was shattered on the tower, it still would not, I think , erase all the good qualities DD saw in him. Maybe this is what went through his mind on the tower. Maybe he did realise how events would have turned out, and he put his trust in Snape once again, and believed in him to take the DE's out of Hogwarts with minimal damage and hence, the "Severus, please..."


>Jen: 

 This isn't as exciting as legilimency, yet in a way is more 
> powerful. That somehow these two men, from such very different 
> backgrounds, beliefs, and agendas could look at each other in that 
> moment and understand each other so completely, as well as know 
> beyond a shadow of a doubt what needed to happen....now *that* would 
> be something, to me anyway.
> 


Elyse: That certainly is something! The greatest wizard in the world, and all he stood for- nobility, goodness, humour alongside  the greatest Occlumens in the world, a Dark wizard at heart and torn between loyalties. It does make a nice contrast, and IMO would make the poignancy factor rocket sky high if Snape really was DDM all along, "through and through".

I read a thread earlier about JKR saying DD had no equal, no confidante, and while I'm sure she was talking about women there, my mind immediately jumped to Voldemort and Snape. I think that would make it especially ironic, if all three were of equal caliber. There would be Dumbledore himself, great, good, selflessly noble, acknowledged as the greatest wizard in the world because he chose the Light side. And on the other hand you would have Voldemort as the personification of the Dark side because that was the path he chose , and hence became feared above all others. And what of  Snape? The positions of ultimate evil and epitome of good had been taken, and hence he had to be a subordinate, a follower, second in rank, a right hand man no matter which side he chose. Which is why the spy position was the ideal one for him. It made him independant of picking sides, and gave him independance.  So maybe Snape was DD's equal, his confidante, if he was on the Light side. And maybe this was the reason that DD sacrificed himself. JKR already stated the Snape had been loved by someone, and I am convinced that this person was DD. (In a menter or father /son way, not suggesting Gay!DD or Homosexual!Snape here).And thus we arrive at the tower with DD's abiding love for both Harry and Snape. Wouldnt he sacrifice himself if this really was the case? He would win the war and stll die for the people he cared about

Elyse