[HPforGrownups] Re: Snape on the tower (Was: Cohesion)

[elfundeb]

No: HPFGUIDX 162391

Neri wrote:
OK, it seems we *are* giving Snape the benefit of too much prescience
<g>. So does this mean we can at least agree to dispense with that
ridiculous "Snape was alone against four DEs so he didn't have choice
but to kill Dumbledore"? He was alone because he wanted to be alone.

Debbie:
Snape needed no prescience that night.  He and Dumbledore had been planning
all year for the contingency that Draco would pull off some kind of
elaborate plan.  Also, Dumbledore probably never put Snape on Order duty
when he went off on Horcrux-hunting expeditions, just in case he needed a
good curse-breaker.  When Flitwick showed up with the news that there were
DEs in the castle, Snape put two and two together as only Snape can.  Draco
was on the move, and Snape needed to find Dumbledore.  And without any Order
wannabes who might have different ideas as to what Snape *should* be doing.

Neri again:
The only possible cue that seems to work here is "when Draco makes an
irrevocable move". But this suggests again that this whole Plan was to
save Snape's life, at the price of Dumbledore's life, from the terms
of the Unbreakable Vow. The Unbreakable Vow that Snape himself had
made to begin with. IOW, the plan was for Dumbledore to pay with his
life for DDM!Snape's mistake.

Debbie:
Snape appears to be in a bind at Spinner's End only because he had been
(ostensibly) working for Dumbledore.  Though Cissy entrapped Snape into
making the vow, it was the right move at that time.  Every double agent
knows he may be backed into a corner someday despite his best efforts to
prevent it, and it is not always a *mistake* when that happens.

As for the Plan, though Snape's continued credibility with the DEs was
important -- much more important, IMO, than retaining his credibility with
the Order -- I would argue that the objectives included saving Draco's life,
too. And to take the Malfoys out of the equation if at all possible. In any
event, if Dumbledore was already weakening, and poisoned to boot, Snape's
actions, or acting, on the Tower sacrificed very little on the Order's side,
except whatever respect Snape had among his fellow Order members.

Jen wrote:
The Unbreakable Vow was lame to me. And Dumbledore the great
contingency planner always works with what he gets instead of what he
wishes could be true. Once the deed was done he had a decision to
make and I think it was Dumbledore's to make as the chess master he
is: Who will be sacrificed should it come to that? He's not an
overly sentimental person when it comes to military strategy.
However, if you are implying that by taking the UV it's an oxymoron
to say Snape is DDM, now *that* I would agree wholeheartedly with.
I'm liking my own Grey!Snape version more and more:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/142891

Debbie:
I've never really bought into DDM!Snape either, much preferring the angsty
variety of Snape who has yet to make his final decision.  But the UV works
for me as a trap for Snape under any scenario except ESE!Snape, which is the
one version that does nothing for the plot.  Even a DDM!Snape had to make
the vow, because if he refused to enter into the vow, the game was up right
then and there.  Snape bought many months just by agreeing to the vow.

Of course, I agree with Jen that Snape is too complex for black-and-white
pigeonholes like DDM! or ESE!

Debbie
making her own shameless plug
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/142005


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