None of the Above!Snape (Yet) [Was: OFH! Snape and Harry]

[elfundeb]

No: HPFGUIDX 142005

 I have hesitated to throw my hat into the Snape fray (or hats, since I
could argue many sides simultaneously) on the assumption that it's all been
said before. However, I haven't seen what I'm going to say in the current
discussions (though there are some similarities to Saraquel's theory), so I
will go ahead.
 My instinctive reading of HBP points me toward OFH!Snape. Reading through
the current objections to OFH!Snape (particularly those raised by Jen,
Pippin and SSSusan), I am pointed toward a fourth alternative. And so, I
posit that Snape is neither DDM! nor ESE! nor OFH! *at this time*. At one
time he was ESE! but changed his mind and became DDM! for what he believed
were good and valid reasons. His choice each time was sincere. However, at
the end of HBP he feels betrayed by Dumbledore -- that he has cast Snape in
the Judas position by expecting Snape to kill him -- and he may be alienated
from Voldemort as well. In other words, all the characteristics that made
him a successful double agent have now left him alone with further choices
to make -- the most immediate of which is what to do with Draco, who likely
has a large bulls-eye on his back.
 What Snape chooses to do after apparating outside the Hogwarts grounds and
thereafter will determine which camp will be his final home. But that won't
happen until Book 7, and the final choice may depend on Harry. In other
words this is an argument for None of the Above!Snape (NotA!Snape)-- or
maybe Yet to Choose! (YTC!Snape) or Still Not Decided! (SND!Snape).
 And incidentally, I think this alternative might provide the most Bang for
the money, as instead of *discovering* where Snape stands, we might have the
opportunity to witness him making his final choice.
 That's the Cliff's Notes version. The long explanation follows, much of
which has been said before, but I found it helpful to lay out all the
background.
 *******
  It is not accidental that Snape and Wormtail, the two apparent turncoats
of the series, have been placed together in the first scene where we see
Snape firsthand playing the double-agent game. While this invites us to draw
parallels between the two, there are important differences. Wormtail has no
loyalties and no morality. He's happy to line up on any side if the other
side will protect his miserable little life. Originally, I OTOH, I thought
the difference between the two was *why* they were happy to work for both
sides -- while Pettigrew is weak and looking for protection, I initially
conceived of OFH!Snape as perceiving himself to be so clever that he could
coolly play a high-stakes bluffing game with the aid of his superlative
acting skills and his mastery of Occlumency.
 However, I believe that view does not adequately take into account Snape's
emotions. Though in normal circumstances he demonstrates superior acting
skills ("I have played my part well"), he does sometimes lose control, and I
posit that each time he changed sides it was because he allowed his emotions
to get the better of him.
  Nora (OFH proponent) writes:
 >But I think we often forget how downright ridiculous Rowling
likes to make Snapeykins: spitting and flying into rages hysterical,
or exiting stage left pursued by hippogryff.
 Exactly. He is wont to act on his emotions when certain raw nerves are
touched (like when he is called a coward, the one emotional outburst in what
otherwise was a masterfully executed escape from Hogwarts). But he doesn't
get the recognition for his brinksmanship that the reckless bravery of
someone like Sirius will attract, and his position with both sides would be
compromised if he tried. Whether avoidance of physical combat suits him or
not, he cannot do anything about it because his position with both sides
would be compromised if he tried.
 To go back to the beginning, we have greasy angry Snape who arrived at
Hogwarts up to his eyeballs in the Dark Arts after experiencing abuse at the
hands of his father (if we have correctly interpreted what Harry saw during
Occlumency), in need of a father figure. Dumbledore was ready and willing,
but Snape took offense of his perceived favoritism to those troublemakers,
James and Sirius, culminating in the Prank and the naming of James as Head
Boy. I have to believe that it was rage at Dumbledore, combined perhaps with
some timely recruiting by Lucius and/or his gang of Slytherins, that led him
into Voldemort's lap. Convinced he had been betrayed by Dumbledore, he was
ripe for picking by Voldemort, who offered a different sort of father
figure.
 However, once he realized what being a DE was all about -- fawning
demonstrations of devotion and hoping to curry favor with foolish deeds --
he must have realized that he was no better off, and probably worse off than
he was under Dumbledore, notwithstanding his opportunity to practice the
Dark Arts. Thus, while Snape continued to *display* the kind of obsequious
devotion that Voldemort demands, I cannot believe he could be anything other
than contemptuous of anyone who actually *felt* such devotion (which is why
I reject the notion that he has always been ESE!), and he grew increasingly
disenchanted with life under Voldemort.
 But Snape's acting skills are valued, and Voldemort uses him as a covert
spy, which eventually places him, nearly a dozen years later, behind the
keyhole of a seedy room at the Hogs head, spying on Albus Dumbledore. Snape
dutifully brings the information to Voldemort. Then, Snape suffers the last
straw when he discovers that Voldemort intends to use his information about
the Prophecy to go after Lily Potter, his former Potions comrade. Genuinely
sorry for having revealed this information to him (though this must be much
later), Snape decides that it's time to rid himself of the company of the
fawning DEs and go back to Dumbledore's side. Apparently on Voldemort's
orders (though Snape may have suggested it) Snape applies for the DADA
position in the summer of 1981, and brings with him the information that
Voldemort is after the Potters. Slughorn having just retired, Dumbledore
brings him on staff to teach Potions and at the same time begins the
planning that leads to the Fidelius Charm.
 Upon Voldemort's return, on Dumbledore's orders, Snape returns to Voldemort
and takes on his double agent role. It is something they have evidently
discussed. Perhaps they have even discussed that Snape might have to appear
to betray the Order. We know only that Snape "looked slightly paler than
usual, and his cold, black eyes glittered strangely" as he set out to see
Voldemort (GoF ch. 36). Conveniently he brings "sixteen years of information
on Dumbledore" [this should be fifteen, based on the information he provides
to Umbridge in OOP] (HBP ch. 2, OOP ch. 17). They may even have discussed
what information Snape would bring. Nevertheless, pulling off the difficult
double-agent balancing act (regardless of who he's working for) is a way of
proving himself, and I think he derives satisfaction from it.
 This brings us to the dilemma Jen has raised:
 I re-read chap. two, honestly attempting to read the scene at
> face-value, and immediately found myself convoluting all over the
> place, particularly in regard to what we know about Voldemort &
> Dumbledore, to reconstruct prior information to meet the face-value
> reading of OFH!Snape in this chapter. For example:
>
[snip]
> 3) Snape returned to LV on Dumbledore's orders and although
> Voldemort's was initially 'displeased' with his two-hour delay and
> had vowed to kill him in the graveyard, Snape was able to explain
> his absence well enough for a Voldemort to elevate him above the
> DE's who did return to the graveyard immediately.
 > 4) All Dumbledore required to accept Snape back into the fold at
> Hogwarts and in the Order was a 'tale of deepest remorse' and his
> trusting nature was fooled into believing Snape's story.

This is an issue under any scenario. Both ESE! Snape and DDM!Snape have to
fool *somebody* in order to be a double agent. And while it's relatively
easy to build a case that Snape felt genuine remorse at how Voldemort acted
upon the Prophecy regardless of which side he was on, it's harder to see how
DDM!Snape (or OFH!Snape, for that matter) fooled Voldemort. The best I can
come up with is that a superb Occlumens trumps a superb Legilimens. Possibly
Snape's most unique talent that qualifies him to be a double agent is not
his ability to act, but his ability to reveal partial truths. Therefore, I
think it's reasonable to speculate that Snape thinks he is still DDM! at
this point.
  And now (finally!) we get to the events in HBP. Interestingly, Snape's
double agent role has been devised so that his actions suit the objectives
of both his ostensible masters, so my interpretation can be read to support
any Snapetheory.
 1. Voldemort told Snape about Draco's task before Spinner's End. He says he
was told; no further canon needed.
  2. Snape told Dumbledore about Draco's task, also before Spinner's End.
This is a reasonable inference based on Snape's status as a double agent.
Regardless of who he is really working for, he cannot succeed unless he
provides each master with useful information. For example, Snape tells Bella
that his information led to the death of Emmeline Vance and "helped dispose
of Sirius" (though we are led to believe in OOP that it was Kreacher's
information that gave Voldemort what he needed).
 Telling Dumbledore that Voldemort was after him could not have been a
particular surprise, so it was information that Snape could likely pass on
safely. Likewise, since Snape himself didn't express any confidence that
Draco could do the job ("in the unlikely event that Draco succeeds"), the
fact that Snape expected to be asked to carry out the task could also have
been passed on. In fact, it protects Snape's position for Dumbledore to know
in advance; that way he won't become suspicious if Snape appears to be
helping Draco.
 Either way, I think Snape concluded at this point (before the UV) that DD
not only expected that Snape would be forced to carry out Draco's mission,
but also believed that Snape *should* do it to protect Draco, whose on life
was not safe while DD remained alive. Dumbledore may even have suggested to
Snape that he should be prepared to do it (conveniently dovetailing with his
expectation that it was also Voldemort's intention). Somebody had to kill
Dumbledore, and DD himself was determined that it would not be Draco, as his
actions on the Tower demonstrate.
  It is at this point, I think, that Snape's status as DDM! is put to the
test. Snape must view the notion that he must be the one to kill Dumbledore
(and perhaps rip his soul in the process) as another betrayal. Essentially,
he must view any request that he kill Dumbledore as requesting him to play
the part of Judas. Knowing that his actions on the Tower will foreclose all
other options, Snape is, at the end of HBP, forced to appear as a traitor,
at least in the eyes of the Order (even if he wanted to reconnect with the
Order, he knows they will not believe him), and he reviles Dumbledore for
it, just as Judas reviled Jesus. It does not matter whether Snape and
Dumbledore discussed this very possibility before he ever set off to meet
Voldemort at the end of GoF. Snape sees himself being boxed into a corner
from which escape might be impossible, and he doesn't like it.
 This all takes place before the UV, as I see it. I've looked at the time
line for HBP chapters 1-3. Chapters 1 and 2 take place at least a week after
Hogwarts let out for the summer (because the events described by Fudge and
the PM clearly had not taken place by the end of term), and chapter 3 takes
place two weeks after Hogwarts lets out because we know the duration of
Harry's stay at the Dursleys. While it's clear that Chapters 1 and 2 occur
the same day, it's unclear how much (if any) time elapses between Spinner's
End and the hiring of Slughorn. It's possible that Dumbledore sent the
letter to Harry hinting about the Slughorn pilgrimage (three days before his
arrival at the Dursleys) before the UV.
 Incidentally, I think that Dumbledore did not decide to try to lure
Slughorn out of retirement to teach potions and give the DADA position to
Snape until he received this information. Knowing that Snape was on the hook
for Draco's task, it was safe to give Snape the jinxed position, because it
was unlikely that Snape would be around beyond the end of the year anyway.
 4. Snape was surprised by the Unbreakable Vow and felt trapped by it.
Bella's doubts about his loyalty emphasized that Snape's position with
Voldemort could be precarious. Therefore, Snape seized the opportunity to
give proofs to Bella by demonstrating his willingness to take on the role of
watching and supporting Draco (which he already promised DD he would do). He
did not expect Narcissa to ask for a UV; perhaps Bella's protests had an
effect on her. Snape had no choice but to agree in order to protect his
double-agent cover for the time being.
 Considering that Snape has already commented that he believes Voldemort
expects him to carry out Draco's mission in the end, making the UV will
likely cost him little -- it only commits him to a deed he expects he may be
obligated to carry out anyway. But he twitched and paused before agreeing to
it because the UV was the death knell to his double-agent career -- it
virtually eliminated the possibility that he'd be able to avoid killing DD
and therefore, he would be cut off from DD's side, likely permanently. If
this is what a mentor does to his protege, maybe Snape doesn't want a mentor
anymore.
 5. Snape killed Dumbledore on Voldemort's orders AND with Dumbledore's
blessing.
 Snape feels betrayed by DD for having pushed him over to Voldemort's camp
(at least from the POV of the Order). But he is possibly alienated from
Voldemort as well. At a minimum he has a moral dilemma: what to do with
Draco. Draco has been threatened with death if he did not carry out
Voldemort's orders. Four DEs witnessed his failure. Did Snape haul Draco out
of Hogwarts so Draco just to hand him over to Voldemort to be killed? I
think Snape sees enough of himself in Draco that he would hesitate to do
that. But unless he does that he will be at odds with Voldemort as well.
 So at this point Snape is out of a job, and finds himself alienated from
both sides unless he hands Draco over. He has choices to make, and the first
one is what to do with Draco. If he takes Draco and hides him, he has more
choices to make in Book 7. And since this series is about Harry, it seems
likely that he will be involved somehow in those choices.
 Debbie
who will learn someday to write a short post


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