Requiescat in Pace, My Dark Phoenix

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 151348


> Talisman draws back her black veil, to tell you the sad truth:

houyhnhnm:

Along with his mama. 
 
Talisman:

> No, tis Snape who is already dead.  He's not exactly gone, though.
> There is little doubt that Book 7 will reveal him in all his dark
> and posthumus glory.

houyhnhnm:

I really have thought Snape the most likely candidate for a switch
with DD.  The actions and speech of the "Dumbledore" in the cave fit
Snape better than either Wormtail or Slughorn.  And this:

***************
Terror tore at Harry's heart ....He had to get to Dumbledore and he
had to catch Snape....Somehow the two things were linked....He could
reverse what had happened if he had them both together....
***************

Talisman:
> That would leave Switched!DD free to scamper with the DEs all
> through Book 7, without further ado about his disguise.

houyhnhnm:

This suggests a reason for the switch.  I couldn't think of a reason.
The point was not so much for Snape to impersonate DD (though it does
allow Snape to take the hit for Dumbledore without putting Draco at
risk and it also gets Harry out of the castle on a night when they
were obviously expecting trouble.)  But the real purpose was to allow
DD to impersonate Snape.  He could observe Voldemort directly to get
information about the horcruxes.

Dumbledore is the only one I can think of who would have been able to
impersonate the Half Blood Prince as they fled across the lawn.  And
it's no wonder he was able to wipe the floor with Harry, if it really
was DD.

One objection though.  The ruse would have to have been kept up after
death.  Hagrid prepared the body for burial, and though he appears to
have gotten along with Snape, I don't think he would have been sobbing
uncontrollably over his death.

Also, what about the phoenix that appeared to fly from the flames as
DD's tomb sprung into being?

Then there is Rowling's statement in the LC/Mugglenet intervirew that
"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 [Snape and Harry] meet again that I can't."

Maybe no one died on the tower that night.  Maybe Snape was
impersonating Dumbledore, but his death was faked (because otherwise
it means that DD AKed someone to death and that's unthinkable).  The
polyjuice effect, transfiguration, or whatever would only have to have
lasted until the body was shrouded, but the Draught of Living Death
would have to have continued its effect until the creation of the
tomb.  Then Snape could have come to and sent off a patronus to
Dumbledore. Yes, that's the way I would have it if I could choose. :-)

I don't want Snape to be dead.