Snape's worst memory--more to come??? (oops, looong)

[kiricat4001]

No: HPFGUIDX 139660

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, juli17 at a... wrote:
<snip> 
> Still, it would be an interesting way for Harry to discover the  
*real*
> Snape, wouldn't it? If Snape left those memories behind (perhaps
> unintentionally) and Harry somehow found a way (and a motivation)
> to access them in the pensieve, this could be the manner by which
> the exact extent of Snape's culpability in the Potter murders (as
> well as other aspects of his character) is revealed. 

><snip of Memory 1 comments> 
> But what about Snape's memory #2? It may not be a bad memory,
> just one Harry mustn't see (one that, as Gatta says, might give 
away
> the ultimate plot). If Harry does eventually access this memory, 
it 
> will probably be one that reveals more of Snape. And it might be  
the 
> very one that shows why Snape really left Voldemort and came over 
> to Dumbledore's side. Whether it involves friendship or love for 
Lily, 
> which would certainly be bangy for Harry (unpleasantly so, no  
doubt!),
> or based on something else we haven't learned yet, it would be a 
> memory Snape (and Dumbledore) wouldn't want Harry to see. We
> know this from the several times Dumbledore has refused to tell 
> Harry why he trusts Snape. 
 
> Since I don't have a definite theory for memory #2, let's move on 
to
> #3. I think #3 is Godric's Hollow. I don't know if Snape was 
actually
> there while Voldemort killed James and Lily, but I tend to think 
not,
> as I can't see him (as DD'sMan!Snape) standing by while they are
> killed. Snape is many unpleasant things, but he's not a coward in
> the sense of preserving his own life at all  costs (non-
Slytherinish,
> I know, but Snape's always diverged from that particular Slytherin
> trait). 
>  
> Instead, I think Snape may have been nearby, hunting for Voldemort,
> hoping to stop him, but unable to locate Godric's Hollow as he is
> not the secret-keeper (and hasn't been told the location, as Voldy
> was). But as soon as the Potters are dead, and Voldemort is 
> transformed into Vapormort, the secret disintigrates (or whatever).
> Godric's Hollow becomes accessible, and Snape goes there, 
> perhaps right after Peter has transferred what's left of Voldy  out
> of the burning house. Snape finds the dead James (and perhaps
> feels a brief twinge of remorse mixed with anger--he did warn the
> stupid man after all), then Lily (which engenders a much deeper
> sense of remorse, and perhaps more anger at James, who could
> have saved her if he'd only listened to Snape). 
>  
> And he finds the squalling boy-child, Harry, whom he takes with
> him from the burning house, either to Spinner's End, or to some 
> other location where he perhaps gives him some potion,  charms
> him, takes some oath to protect him, or whatever, in the presence
> of Dumbledore, and maybe Hagrid. In the end Hagrid takes Harry,
> (or Dumbledore takes him to Hagrid), Dumbledore goes to Privet
> Drive, and Snape goes back to Hogwarts. But something is set
> in motion, something that ties Snape and Harry together from 
> this moment, right on through their years together at Hogwarts,
> and beyond. 

Marianne: And then they take Harry  back to the destroyed house in 
time for Sirius and Hagrid to arrive and argue over who should take 
Harry away? I think canon is pretty specific that Hagrid was the one 
who took Harry from the house. Hagrid says he was obeying DD's 
orders.  Now, maybe you're right and Hagrid also has not told us 
everything.  Perhaps his orders were to take Harry to Snape's house, 
wait around for Snape to do his wound nursing and soul bonding, and 
then fly Harry to meet DD at Privet Drive.  Which would then lead me 
to ask why couldn't DD meet up with them at Snape's and take Harry 
back himself? Why have Hagrid flying around England on Sirius' bike 
with an infant any longer than he has to?

Julie:
 > This would mean Snape had a hand in saving Harry's life much
> earlier than we even knew, and has continued interfere in that  
> manner with somewhat tedious regularity--damn, no wonder he
> resents that kid! ;-)
> 
> Much as Harry may hate finding this out, Snape is smack in the
> middle of everything to do with Harry's life, and has been since 
> Day 1. Good, bad, indifferent--and Snape is a mysterious mix of
> it all--Snape isn't going away. Those two will deal with each other
> again, and it may be those unknown memories Harry *didn't* see
> in the Pensieve that will set the tone for their final 
confrontation,
> or resolution, whichever it may be. 

Marianne:
Well, I agree that Snape isn't going away.  He's sort of like an 
irritating recurrent rash in that respect. 

I'm not convinced that he's up to his neck in all things Harry from 
the events of Godric's Hollow in the manner in which you've 
portrayed.  But, it would be a kick to discover that those other two 
memories are still floating around in the Pensieve, although I'd 
have trouble believing that Snape forgot to put them back in his 
head after his last Occlumency lesson with Harry. That would strike 
me as very un-Snapish behavior.

Marianne, who thinks Julie's post made perfect sense, even if I 
didn't agree with it