OFH! Snape again. WAS: Straightforward readings?

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 140817

Jen:
[...] 
> --as people have mentioned, he saw himself in the Foe 
> glass.  

houyhnhnm:

Superb!  I spent so much time speculating on the literal meaning of
Snape's gazing at his own reflection in the Foe Glass, I didn't
consider it as a metaphor.  Snape is indeed his own worst enemy.

Jen:

>  Simply Machiavellian--Voldemort planned it all behind 
>  his back, forcing his hand. 

houyhnhnm:

Narcissa could have been a knowing accomplice.  Voldemort could have
told her straight out that her only hope of saving Draco was to entrap
Snape into making an unbreakable vow, or she could have been
manipulated. I can see Narcissa pleading with LV, and LV saying
something like, "Why don't you ask your husband's good friend Severus
Snape to help you--if you think you can trust him."  And Narcissa
coming up with the idea of an Unbreakable Vow on her own.

It's hard to believe that Voldemort really bought Snape's story when
he returned.  More likely that Snape created just enough doubt to keep
himself alive while LV waited for proof of Snape's treachery or for
the opportunity to use and punish Snape at the same time.

Jen:
 
> The tower scene could still 
> be read in a straightforward fashion, as Snape made the 
> choice to save himself, but how he got there....!

houyhnhnm:

For me, the idea that Voldemort was behind the UV fits into the
DD'sMan!Snape theory.

We see how carefully Snape arranges his emotions to safeguard himself
from Voldemort's Legilimency.  He won't even break bread with the
other members of the Order.

We see the extent to which Dumbledore shares his concern.  Dumbledore
leaves Harry feeling alone and rejected for a whole year because he is
afraid that Voldemort might find out and make use of his affection for
Harry.

What if the same dynamic was at work in the relationship between Snape
and Dumbledore?  Snape careful never to step out of his role as
dutiful employee, never even to call Dumbledore by name.  Dumbledore
careful never to show Snape any mark of personal regard.

Then Dumbledore receives a nearly fatal curse while retrieving and
destroying the ring horcrux.  We never learn the details.  There are
so many other parallels between Harry and Snape in HBP.  It has me
wondering if there wasn't a parallel "I am not worried ... I am with
you." What if the defenses of both men were breached at the time that
Snape saved Dumbledore from the curse?  What if, never having had
feelings of affection to repress, Snape wasn't able to shield the
change in his relationship with Dumbledore from Voldemort?  Voldemort
realized his moment was come and the trap was set.  The perfect
punishment.  Make Snape kill the only person who cared about him, the
only person the adult Snape had ever managed to love, and get rid of
The Only One He Ever Feared at the same time.

As for the tower, I think both Snape and Dumbledore tried to prevent
such a scene from taking place all year, but once they were all
arrived there nobody had a choice.

The real test for Snape would have come when Dumbledore arrived back
at the castle, poisoned, with no successful Draco plot, no DE's in the
castle.  Would Snape have tried to save Dumbledore's life or not? 
We'll never know and neither will Snape.  Hence the "DON'T CALL ME
COWARD!"