The UV (was ESE, DDM, OFH, or Grey?)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 162787

Jen D. wrote:
> <snip> Has it been mentioned that Snape's vow creates the sort of
bond that Harry has with Wormtail. I mean, Snape did work to save
Draco. Mayhap that will mean something when it gets down to the bone.
<snip>

Carol responds;
Hi, Jen. If you're asking whether Snape's vow to protect Draco in
itself creates a bond similar to the life debt, I don't think so. But
I think that *acting* on that vow--saving Draco first from
Sectumsempra and then from the DEs (and the Aurors?), creates some
sort of obligation, if not a magical one then at least a debt of
honor. Snape saved Draco's life at least once in HBP, got him out of
Hogwarts before the Aurors showed up, prevented the DEs from doing
anything to him, and kept him from committing murder. I expect that he
also persuaded Voldemort not to kill or Crucio Draco since, after all,
Draco successfully repaired the cabinet and got the DEs into Hogwarts
against all expectations, making the murder of Dumbledore possible.
And Draco also knows, though he pushed the implications from his mind,
that Snape put his own life on the line to protect him by taking the
UV in the first place. (He doesn't know about the third provision, but
he knows about the UV itself.)

So I think that Draco owes Snape a huge debt, whether or not that debt
creates the same sort of bond between them as a Life Debt. (I don't
think it does because of the UV; whatever Snape's motives, if Draco
had died from Sectumsempra, he might have died, too, for failing to
protect Draco to the best of his ability.) Still, even if the UV
negates what might otherwise have been a Life Debt, I think and hope
that Draco will realize how much he owes to Snape and how much Snape
risked for his sake. If I'm right, that realization will enable Snape
to slowly rebuild Dracos trust in him and even more slowly help him to
 decide for himself to join the battle against Voldemort. (Snape can't
push him too hard or Draco might rebel again, and if he openly
attempts to persuade him, he risks being reported by Wormtail as a
traitor. Fortunately, Snape is both cunning and subtle and if anyone
can help Draco choose the right side over the wrong one, it's Snape.
But, ultimately, the choice has to be Draco's own or it isn't really a
choice.)  

If you're interested in this idea, Magpie and I discussed it briefly
in http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/149876 and the
surrounding posts.

Carol, hoping that this idea is what you had in mind