[HPforGrownups] Re: OFH SNAPE/Why does Snape take the vow?

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 156908

> a_svirn:
> I am not saying that he's getting information through the vow. I meant
> that he'd been doing it up until the subject of the vow come up. As
> for the vow itself I simply don't get why he took it.

Magpie:
Oh!  That makes sense, then.  I was naturally thinking that if you can't get 
your information without promising to assassinate your own leader upon pain 
of your own death, you just can't be the best information-getter.In this 
case it totally defeats the purpose--he wants to know what the task is so 
that he can stop it being done.

> Julie:
> You're exactly right :-) I do believe Snape has a conscience,
> independent of seeking Dumbledore's approval. We may think his
> conscience is a little lax when it comes to his teaching methods
> and his treatment of Harry and Neville, but he does draw a line
> somewhere. And it is at a fairly significant somewhere IMO, as
> he doesn't ever physically hurt any children (except shoving a
> teenage Harry once in extreme anger) and protects them when
> they are in danger with as much vigilance (and in many cases,
> more vigilance) as any other teacher at Hogwarts. (And, I might
> add, seems as distressed as any of them that a student might
> be in very grave danger when it is discovered that Ginny is
> in the Chamber of Secrets.)

Magpie:
I think this is an important part of Snape's characterization, actually, and 
a reason why most definitions of the phrase "out for himself" don't work for 
me.  Snape is just so dang bunged up and seems to feel so wronged and 
furious and yet *constrained* much of the time.  He finds ways to abuse his 
power that please him, but you see him snape back into line with a word from 
Dumbledore or McGonagall.  He's really not somebody who's and out and out 
villain.  What makes him interesting is the way he wants to work within a 
system or be validated by one.  It's a different type of jerk.  I think 
that's what people often try to get around with his behavior--there are 
opportunities for vengeance he doesn't take.

-m