Snape on the tower (Was: Cohesion)

[Neri]

No: HPFGUIDX 162327

> Carol earlier:
> > > I agree that he couldn't save the wandless, weakened Dumbledore,
> who would be killed by the DEs if not by the poison if neither Draco
> nor Snape killed him, and that Dumbledore wanted Snape to save himself
> rather than be killed by the UV or the DEs, as he surely would have
> been fighting against four DEs <snip>
> >

> > Quick_Silver:
> > I disagree that Snape couldn't have saved Dumbledore on Tower (in
> the context of their being to many Des). <snip >


> Carol responds:
> <snip>
> But my point was that his choice was between dying bravely but
> futilely along with Dumbledore and Draco and Harry or killing DD
> himself


Neri:
Snape was alone on the tower against four DEs because he had chosen to be.

All his actions show this. He stupefies Flitwick, then he leaves both
Hermione and Luna to take care of him, although he knows that they
fought DEs in the past and can be useful in a battle. He doesn't even
send them to call more reinforcements (say, Hagrid and/or the Aurors
in Hogsmeade). After he got rid of Flitwick, Hermione and Luna, he
runs upstairs and straight through the cursed barrier, without even
trying to nullify it so that the rest of the Order members can follow
him up the tower (and it turns out that it's possible to break this
barrier simply by reductoing the ceiling above it). All this he does
*before* he knows of Dumbledore's grave situation. He doesn't even
know for sure  that Dumbledore is in the castle at all. But he
obviously knows one thing: that he doesn't want any of the good guys
around.

So if it's DDM!Snape following The Plan, then this hypothetical plan
was obviously decided long before, with no regard to Dumbledore's
specific situation at the time of execution. Still, it seems strange
how Snape is suddenly so sure that this time is *now*. If OTOH it's
DDM!Snape just thinking he can take care of all the DEs by himself,
then he has worked himself into this "choice" and he comes out really
lame (as usual).

But to me Snape's actions read simply like those of a desperate man
who has just realized that the game is over. Draco is obviously making
his final attempt at Dumbledor's life, and if he fails and/or get
hurt, Snape is dead. Nothing else matters anymore. Snape must somehow
get to Dumbledore, wherever he is, make sure that Draco kills him or
kill Dumbledore himself, and then somehow get Draco out of this mess
unhurt. There's no plan. There's just staying alive.

Neri