Dumbledore's love (was Re:)

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 157255

 
Lupinlore wrote  in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/156647>;

<<  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." >>



Catlady wrote:
Dumbledore never had to admit to himself if that was what  he was
saying. He could have told himself the same thing he surely told  Snape
if Snape asked the question: "Severus, they are children with  their
souls still untorn. It is the place of an adult to spare chidren  this
burden and protect their innocence a while longer."

I think DD is  stern and principled enough that that is what he would
have said even if he  loved Severus most.



Julie:
I agree. And let's not forget that Dumbledore's days may have well
been numbered anyway. He had permanent damage from the ring
horcrux curse and it's entirely possible that Snape was only able to 
halt the progress of the damage temporarily rather than ridding  DD
of the curse completely. DD may well have added, "Severus, you
know my days are numbered. And don't say I could still outlive the
prognosis. I'm an old man, I've lived a long and full life, I've done 
what I had to do, and I've made peace with it."
 
If DD is weakened and his days are numbered, there is also the
likelihood that he truly believes Snape can be much more useful
to the cause now, and he is correct. So add, "Severus, you *are*
far more valuable to the cause now than I am, whether you believe
it or not. You can weaken Voldemort's position from the inside, 
thus help Harry get the access necessary to defeat him. And for 
this task, it doesn't matter whether Harry or anyone else trusts you, 
does it?" (And in fact it doesn't.)
 
But let's get to the true heart of the matter. DD's love, for  Harry,
for Severus, for Hogwarts, for whoever and for whatever, is quite
inrelevant. DD has always done exactly what he felt he had to
do the ensure Voldemort will be defeated. He has allowed both
Snape and Harry to make great personal sacrifices, even when it
must have hurt him to see them suffer. Because, like any general
in a war, DD must distance himself, close off his emotions, and 
act purely objectively based only on what will most likely ensure 
victory. The objective is to save the entirety of the WW. The lives 
of the many trump the lives of the few, even if the lives of the few
may be the ones he most cherishes. 
 
So, add to DD's thoughts if not words, "Severus, you will never
know how much it hurts me to ask this of you. If I could change
places with you, I would. But you are the only one in position to 
succeed. With this act, you can save the WW and the children
of Hogwarts for generations to come, and more immediately,  the 
frightened, confused boy who needs your mercy, and yes, even
the boy you are so determined to detest but who will ultimately
save us all.  And you mustn't do this for me or for my love (which 
you already have), but because it the right thing to do, even if it's 
the hardest thing you will ever do."
 
In conclusion I don't think we can infer anything about DD's love
for Severus (nor how it might measure against his love for Harry)
from DD's request/order that Severus kill him if it comes down  to 
that worst case scenario. It's irrelevant to what must be done, to 
what is right (for the WW and its inhabitants) over what is easy.  

Julie
 
 
 
 


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