DD's sacrifice 9was Re: DDM!Harry and Snape/Grey!Snape

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 162913

Ffred wrote, 
> Surely it was not Harry for whom Dumbledore gave his life, it was 
Draco: Harry's invisible and immobilised and thereby not at risk. But 
Dumbledore was prepared to die, not for one of the good guys, the 
prophecy boy who he hopes will finally deal with Voldemort, but for 
the "worst" child of all, the one who had always espoused Voldemort's 
ideas, who had actively plotted to kill him.
> 
> Something which I found to be a very powerful message.


Potioncat:
And I agree.

JKR said (either just before or just after HBP came out) that 
Dumbledore is no Jesus. No, he isn't. But she most certainly 
rewrote "the two thieves" on the cross scene. Here's DD about to be 
killed, being mocked by the Death Eaters. Here's Draco, afraid of 
death (for himself and his parents), being told he's dependent on a 
condemned-DD's mercy. 

Snape runs in---and whether he's Judas-the-good or Judas-the-betrayer-
--it appears DD asks him to do something. Yet I don't think he was 
asking Snape to kill him or to save him, but to save Draco.

Up until this point, I thought Draco was a toe-rag. (A word I learned 
in this series) and I would have shed no tears for him. Then DD goes 
and sacrifices his life for Draco--Darn it--and made me re-think it 
all. 

Or, I should say it differently? JKR warned girls to avoid the bad 
guys Draco/Snape(?) and choose good men. She indicated Draco was bad, 
bad, bad. Nothing more to say. (At least that was what I understood.) 
Then she sacrifices Dumbledore for Draco.

A very powerful message.

(Yes, Harry was there too, and at risk. But I think it was important 
to DD that Draco not only chose to not kill him, but did not get 
forced into killing him.)