Requiescat in Pace, My Dark Phoenix (It's a little late and a lot long :)

[andrea1270]

No: HPFGUIDX 151596

<snipped to address Spinners End, mostly>

 Zgirnius wrote:
> I do get the whole glorious, full-blown heroic picture you are 
trying 
> to paint here, Talisman. I do. I just don't think it is what 
Rowling 
> wrote/will write. My bottom line objection to your theory (and also 
> the Spinner's End Snape was Dumbledore theory) is that in Spinner's 
> End and The Flight of the Prince Rowling lavished some lovely 
> character moments on Snape, and likewise in the Cave and Tower she 
> did the same for Dumbledore, and I just really am not convinced she 
> would have done this for the wrong person(s), as I have already 
tried 
> to explain.
> 
> Talisman:
> > I see, zgirnius, that you are from the DDM camp, so I trust you 
> read 
> > Snape as diametrically opposed to Voldemort (he would *never* 
wear 
> a 
> > turban; he appears in Fake!Moody's Foe Glass, etc.); and that you 
> > understand the magnanimity of his actions.

I first have to say that I loved this entire line of thinking where 
Snape and Dumbledore are concerned.  It prompted a re-reading of HBP 
for me and I have to say I really enjoyed reading it again with this 
theory in mind.  I have waffled back and forth a million times since 
that fateful day I first finished this book, about the nature of 
Snape's involvement and what impact it will have on the end of the 
series, so I don't consider myself to be overly convinced of his 
guilt or innocence either one.  I am, for the most part, content to 
let events play out at JKR's leisure and mourn the loss of these 
characters, good or evil, once they are gone. 

That being said, I find more compelling clues that Dumbledore may 
have been impersonating Snape at Spinner's End than I find for a 
Dumbledore/Snape switch in the cave and beyond.  

It was mentioned before that Snape's cordial demeanor in greeting the 
sisters was, at the very least, suspicious. When I went back and re-
read this scene it was, IMO, the most agreeable you ever see Snape in 
the series to this point.  It is true that we never see Snape around 
Death Eaters, so the argument exists that maybe this is how Snape 
behaves when "in his element".  But offering drinks, much less 
explanations to doubters, hardly seems like the surly Snape we know. 
It is not really a strech to hear Dumbledore in his dialogue and his 
hospitality and even in the lengths he goes to to protect Draco from 
his task ahead. 

While Snape would have had some motive to make the Unbreakable Vow 
(finally shutting up Bellatrix's harping comes to mind, although I'm 
not even sure I feel like there was any real benefit to silencing 
Bella's objections to him. It was well known that he was the favorite 
and LV was obviously not swayed by her distrust.)   I'm not sure he 
would have felt like he owed the Malfoy's that measure.  Narcissa 
mentioned that he was Draco's favorite teacher and Lucius' friend, 
but I don't think that even  SHE was convinced of his investment. Why 
would he go out on of limb?  He already had the favor of the Dark 
Lord and nothing to gain by helping Narcissa who, in his own 
intimation, could have been strung up for treachery in even coming 
there, and Bella by association. 

As for the cave, even though I love the theory that Dumbledore and 
Snape were switched (possibly when he sent Harry for his cloak or 
even before) I couldn't get the same comfort level with it as with 
Spinner's End.  Little things, like Dumbledore asking about his 
apparation ("I'll assist you like before" referring to their 
adventure over the summer.) I know it's possible that Snape was aware 
of that detail, but it's harder to imagine Snape and Dumbledore 
having the conversation where that detail would have been discussed. 
Things like Dumbledore forgetting that Harry was wet and apologizing 
for forgetting to take care of that or the "I'm with you" statement. 
I'm not saying that Snape is incapable of having tender feelings like 
that at all, I'm just saying that those are the moments that pass 
between friends or a mentor/father figure and his charge. 

Andrea (sorry about the purely editorial nature of this post, but 
many thanks to the people who have brilliantly debated it over the 
last week in this forum and have given me something to obsess over 
for a bit.)