Snape's future (Was: Snape's other books)

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 140604

Carol wrote:  
> I think JKR plans to give Snape an important role (one crucial 
>scene, at least) in Book 7, but how can she keep him safe and alive 
>till then?
> 
> Does anyone have any ideas (at least remotely supportable by canon 
>so we won't be sent to OTChatter by the Elvses) as to what Snape is
> likely to do next (assuming that he's not immediately killed or sent
> to Azkaban, in which case his fate is a nonissue)?  
> 
> Carol, really wondering how JKR can pull off Snape's survival, which
> is crucial to his confrontation with Harry and to his redemption (if
> it happens)

Potioncat:
I began thinking of these questions along with an old idea of father 
figures and the boy-hero going alone. I was sure I'd read something 
about that and I went looking. I found this at Quick Quotes:


Anelli, Melissa and Emerson Spartz. "The Leaky Cauldron and MuggleNet 
interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling: Part One," The Leaky Cauldron, 16 
July 2005

MA: OK, big big big book six question. Is Snape evil?
>snip<
JKR: Well, okay, I'm obviously – Harry-Snape is now as personal,
if 
not more so, than Harry-Voldemort. I can't answer that question 
because it's a spoiler, isn't it, whatever I say, and obviously, it 
has such a huge impact on what will happen when they meet again that 
I can't. And let's face it, it's going to launch 10,000 theories and 
I'm going to get a big kick out of reading them so [laughs] I'm evil 
but I just like the theories, I love the theories.


Potioncat:
I was looking for a different quote. Not only do I forget what
I've 
read, I remember things I haven't read! 

 Whether or not Snape is evil has a huge impact on what will happen 
when they meet again. Now, that's sort of interesting—when
they meet 
again. They are going to meet again. Which way will it go, evil or 
good? What would happen if DDM!Snape met Harry? What would  happen if 
Evil!Snape met Harry? And of course, whether or not he's evil will 
determine what he's doing "now".

But I was actually looking for a quote from JKR saying she  had to 
kill DD because the boy-hero had to go on alone. I was thinking about 
a thread from "not so long ago but I can't find" about
Harry's 
collection of partial fathers. No one character fills in as a father 
figure, but several add up to a sort of father. 

Arthur, Molly and Lupin may have had a role, but I don't think so.
DD was (I think) the nurturing, tolerant portion of a father; Snape 
was the rule enforcing, limit setting part of a father; and Sirius 
was the
 was the
.

(I have a bias. I cannot imagine Sirius as a father so I don't 
remember what his role was. I fully understand and accept those who 
have a bias against Snape as a father figure.)

But, my point is, all three of them are gone. She's killed off
two 
and effectively banished a third. I think this was touched on in 
another thread that may still be running. 

I'm not asking will Snape die? But isn't it interesting that he 
didn't die? I'm thinking more along the lines of what his role will 
be if he is a partial father figure in the next book. How would it 
apply to the boy hero? Or has that role changed and Snape will take 
on a new one? Many threads over the years have assigned Snape a role 
specific to one book, and which changes in another.

Something to think about anyway.

Potioncat