The Unloved Son (was Re: Could I be wrong about Snape being evil?)

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 156647

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "eggplant107" <eggplant107 at ...> 
wrote:

> 
> I'm just thinking out loud here but what if not Harry but Dumbledore
> had inadvertently become a Horcrux, perhaps when he got that withered
> arm? That would mean Voldemort could never die as long as Dumbledore
> lived. I'm guessing, and it's only a guess, that suicide (self 
murder)
> would only strengthen a Horcrux, he must be killed by someone in a
> completely selfless act. Snape had nothing to gain personally by
> killing Dumbledore, he did it because Dumbledore asked him to and
> because he knew it was the right thing to do. 

Now that IS an incredibly interesting theory.  It also dovetails very 
nicely with a lot of other things.  It does indeed explain much of 
Snape's specific action on the tower and make him very angsty -- 
although not in any way good -- and does explain why he might take the 
UV.

It also goes well with a certain psychological view of the Snape-Harry-
Dumbledore triangle.  To wit, Snape is incredibly bitter because he 
feels himself to be the unloved son in this scenario, while the father 
figure lavishes affection and concern on the younger and (in Snape's 
eyes) less worthy child.

Snape, in this scenario, repeatedly resists seeing Harry as "special" 
or in any way worthy of regard -- especially from Dumbledore, whose 
affection Snape desires.  Snape is eaten alive with perpetual envy in 
knowing that DD loves Harry more than he loves Severus.  Nothing 
Snapey-poo does seems to shake this regard.  He saves the boy, DD 
loves Harry better.  He demonstrates that the boy isn't very good at 
potions.  DD loves Harry better.  He shows that the boy can't learn 
Occlumency.  DD loves Harry better.  He spies on the DEs.  DD loves 
Harry better.  

In this scenario, one of DD's emotional mistakes is in mistaking the 
reason that Occlumency fails.  It wasn't because Snapey-poo couldn't 
get over his feelings about James, it was because he couldn't get over 
his feelings about HARRY.  Once again, the father figure has shown 
definitively that he loves Harry more than Severus.  The bitterness 
Snape shows when he tells Harry "I did not ask for the job" is 
classic.  Father has told him to help little brother out, and father 
doesn't want to hear any excuses, thank you very much -- even excuses 
about how difficult and dangerous a job it might be if Voldemort finds 
out that Snapey-poo is helping Harry resist his probes.

DD's position in all this is also classic.  He's a father with two 
sons, one of whom is very bitter toward the other.  He wants to help 
the situation but he doesn't know how and is crippled in thinking 
about it because of a very hard fact -- Severus is right.  DD really 
DOES love Harry more than he loves Severus.  If he tries to confront 
the situation directly he risks coming down to a very bitter moment, 
the moment when the older son flat asks "Do you love me as much as you 
love him?"  And then DD would either have to lie, which is something 
Snapey-poo would see through immediately and come away destroyed, or 
tell the truth, and destroy him anyway.  Best to sweep the whole thing 
under the rug and hope to God it never comes up.

And now this happens.  DD is a horcrux and has to be killed.  What 
will Snape say?  "No, I won't do it!  If he's so special, if HE has 
the destiny, let HIM do it!"  

And of course DD won't have that.  He won't tell Harry the truth 
because he knows that would force Harry to face having to kill him, 
and DD simply loves Harry too much to put that on his shoulders.  And 
so the final confrontation has come.  Severus in effect says, "Which 
of us do you love most?  Which of us are you going to shield from 
this?"

And DD's answer is uncompromising.  He in effect says, "I don't love 
you the way you want, Severus.  Harry is my darling, you are not.  So 
yes, I have to die, and no, I will not ask my darling to do it.  And 
furthermore, I won't let Draco do it, either."

And so Sevvie has in effect said, "I love you, do you love me more 
than him?"  And he has his answer.  DD has said, "No.  I love him more 
than you."

That enough angst for ya?


Lupinlore, who does think this has the potential to explain a lot of 
things while rescuing DD from the incompetent moron stage and 
returning him to the loving but deeply conflicted and mistake prone 
father-figure stage