RE Good Reasons for DD to die

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 156621

Carol earlier:
> "There must be some more valid reason for Dumbledore's trust in
Snape than a vow that would cost Snape's life if he broke it. IOW,
> Dumbledore must believe that Snape deserves his trust and have solid
> reasons for that belief.
> 
> "Carol, who thinks that McGonagall's statement in SS/PS that there
are some things Dumbledore is too noble to do applies to Unbreakable
Vows as well as to Unforgiveable Curses and Horcruxes"
> 
> 
Katssiruius responded:
> I must admit I had not thought about the unbreakable vow in this
> way.  I think you make an excellent argument both for it being dark
> magic and a compulsion.  I thought of it as the ultimate gift.  I
> will stake my life on this vow.  However I understand your point
> that the nobility of the gift is lost once choice is lost and as you
> said Dumbledore believes in choices.  I do not want to stray too far
> though from a discussion of why Dumbledore had to die from a meta
> standpoint as well as from the choices Snape had before him in the
> Tower.  I think it is important to realize that Snape did not have a
> win/win choice in HBP and I believe he and Dumbledore knew
> throughout the book from the moment he takes the DADA job that Snape
> was going to be faced with a choice that involved sacrifice without
> the hope of a hidden time turner, Fawkes saving the day, or some
> other miracle that has pulled Harry out of a crisis in each of the
> books.

Carol again:
I absolutely agree that Snape had essentially *no* choice on the tower
except to die uselessly with DD or to kill Dumbledore and look like a
treacherous coward. I also agree that he knew from the time that he
accepted the DADA position that he would be making some sort of
sacrifice, probably either death or disgrace and a return to the Death
Eaters. And, yes, of course DD had to die from a meta standpoint, and
Snape's loyalties are central to our understanding of the tower
incident, as I think everyone agrees.

What I don't understand, though, is how making an Unbreakable Vow
could be regarded as "the ultimate gift" or why you think that DD
would wish him to make one. Surely DD wouldn't compel him against his
will. That isn't trust, and I don't see how it can be regarded as a
gift. Can you clarify for me why you'd "stake [your] life on this vow"?

Carol, strongly suggesting that you wager something a bit less
valuable than your life, say a bottle of Rosmerta's best mead