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

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 162850

> >>Jen:  I didn't mean to imply that Snape and Dumbledore don't know 
> who Snape is (I think that's what you meant?).  That's *why* the    
> tower was successful, because only Dumbledore and Snape know the    
> truth. What I meant is that Snape is loyal to Dumbledore and allied 
> to him, but he doesn't fully accept Dumbledore's love magic just as 
> he didn't accept Voldemort's version.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I don't know what you mean by Dumbledore's "love magic", but then 
I've never gotten the love magic thing.  I sort of assume book 7 will 
make it all clear. <g>

But I *can* say that I feel that Snape has fully and completely 
embraced Dumbledore's side.  I think he's made Dumbledore's 
phiolosophy his own, his guiding principle if you will.  And that his 
problem with Voldemort's side was one of principle too.  I think 
Snape joined Voldemort based on emotion (rage, fear, etc.) and it's 
when Snape looked at Voldemort's side with his head that he realized 
his mistake.

> >>Jen
> But Snape *did* choose a path to be a double agent or 'dual         
> person'. I mean, there's a reason Dumbledore has to proclaim his    
> trust far and wide, right?  Yet we find out in HBP no one else      
> really believed Snape which means he was a helluva double-agent in 
> the end!

Betsy Hp:
But, Snape is *not* a "dual person".  His strength in being a double 
agent is that he is so strongly himself there's no chance of him 
being turned.  Hence Dumbledore's complete trust.  Sure, other Order 
members might not have trusted Snape themselves, but that's because 
they didn't know him.  But that doesn't make Snape a dual person.  It 
makes him prickly. <g>  The important thing was that *Dumbledore* 
knew him.  And I think the important thing to come is when Harry 
finally knows him.
  
> >>Jen:
> The reason I don't see this making a poor revelation is because the 
> loyalty revelation is *not* the biggest issue on the table to me 
> regarding Snape.  Harry having an 'aha' moment about whose side     
> Snape is on is just another Sirius moment--"I thought your were    
> evil! You're on my side and what's more, we have a lot in common."  
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
No, I wouldn't call it a Sirius moment at all.  Evil!Sirius was a 
boogieman, not someone Harry had personal feelings for.  Harry has an 
actual relationship with Snape.  He's based his hatred for Snape on 
all sorts of personal interactions they've had over the years.  So 
it's not going to be a simple, "You're not the boogieman at all! 
Let's move in together!" 

With Sirius, Harry had to rethink some basic facts that were wrong.  
With Snape, Harry will have to rethink his entire method of judging 
character.

> >>Jen:
> Like you, I see Snape as already redeemed, he's been redeeming      
> himself for years and Harry will get that part *after* he gets the 
> bigger deal. 
> <snip>
> When he can  truly feel empathy for the boy Snape was, what he     
> lost, why he made the huge mistakes he did and his genuine feelings 
> of remorse and pain, then Harry will understand he was loyal all   
> along.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I have to admit to genuine confusion here.  How is Harry finally 
seeing Snape's true loyalty *not* about Snape's loyalty?  I also 
don't understand why Snape's loyalty is suddenly crystal clear.  
Haven't you moved away from Grey!Snape here?  Snape is Dumbledore's 
man and has been for the entire series.  What's gray about that?

Betsy Hp