Grey!Snape and Character Growth (was:Voldemort's Plan for Snape & the Ring..

[wynnleaf]

No: HPFGUIDX 162840

Having read much of this discussion I'd like to comment on some 
problems I see with a Grey!Snape who ultimately comes through for
Dumbledore's side.

Through the books Harry has developed and expanded several attitudes
toward Snape, some highlighted by Dumbledore's comments and others
highlighted in the narrative.  

1.  Harry hates Snape to a greater and greater degree.  He hated Snape
even before HBP and had decided by the end of OOTP that he would
"never" forgive Snape.  Of course, that's a very likely foreshadowing
that he will have to forgive Snape.

2.  Harry believes Snape is on Voldemort's side and that Snape
murdered Dumbledore in cold blood.  Obviously, Harry will have to be
convinced that this isn't true.  

3.  Harry distrusts Snape.  Dumbledore has said repeatedly that he
"trusts" Snape and Harry cannot bring himself to do the same, not
knowing Dumbledore's reasons.  At the end of HBP, we see that
apparently no one else is willing to admit to having trusted Snape, or
to knowing Dumbledore's reasons for trusting him.  But because
Dumbledore made such a big deal over the trust issue, I believe this
is also something that Harry will have to come to -- a trust in Snape.
 A lot of readers apparently can't deal with a *pure* "trust" notion
and come up with all sorts of reasons to make DD's "trust" in Snape
really just an odd euphemism for being convinced that Snape will
follow their side out of some sort of compulsion like a life debt or
another unbreakable Vow, but of course, that doesn't actually make
Snape trustworthy, only compelled.

The problem with Grey!Snape is that while JKR can take Grey!Snape and
give Harry convincing evidence that Snape is or has been working for
Dumbledore's side, Grey!Snape cannot fit the other needs of Harry's
future changed attitude toward Snape.  Grey!Snape is not trustworthy,
because he himself does not know his own mind, and therefore can't be
truly trusted.  But if Dumbledore truly *trusted* Snape (rather than
depending on some other compelling thing), then for Harry to trust
Snape, Snape will have to be shown to be *trustworthy.*  And
Grey!Snape should not be truly trusted.

Further, I'm not sure how forgiveable Grey!Snape is.  Of course, I
would say that philosophically anyone is forgiveable, but for Harry I
think he will have to have *reasons* to forgive Snape.  I don't think
a Snape who isn't really even sure himself where he falls on
motivation is going to be particularly forgiveable for Harry.

And last, I think JKR has been drawing a parallel between Harry and
Snape.  From their backgrounds of being half-bloods, bullied, probably
both coming from unpleasant childhoods, etc., to the HBP evidence that
if one could only take away all the background of hate, Harry could
have liked Snape as he liked the Prince, JKR has been drawing this
parallel.

Because of the parallel, I think Harry will have to ultimately see
Snape as just as much Dumbledore's man, as he sees himself -- with
perhaps just the same stumbling block, in that they both will follow
Dumbledore on practically anything except Dumbledore's opinion of each
other.

So -- a Grey!Snape can still be on Dumbledore's "side," and Harry can
be convinced of that.  But a Grey!Snape is not trustworthy and cannot
(and should not) therefore become trusted by Harry.  A Grey!Snape may
be much more difficult for Harry to forgive.  And a Grey!Snape removes
a lot of the parallels between Harry and Snape which JKR seems intent
on developing.

wynnleaf