Snape Loved or In-Love with Lily?

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 148379

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Jen Reese" <stevejjen at ...> wrote:
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> 
> ...
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> Jen: I'm sort of thinking Harry would be infuriated to find out 
> Snape loved Lily rather than Lily saw something good in Snape. 
> Harry would think Snape had duped his mum or coerced her. He 
> would need to know Lily cared about Snape of her own free will
> and saw something in him the Maruaders didn't see, imo. 
>

bboyminn:

That is precisely why I reject /romantic/ love between them; it
complicates things too much. But a fond friendship or even a distant
admiration seems to work out just right. As I said, over time and
through association and through acts of unwaranted kindness, Snape
grew fond of Lily.

Think of the love you have for your friends, you would probably jump
in front of a bullet for them, but despite that love, it would never
manifest itself in a 'lovey-dovey' or romantic way. So, in that
friendship sense of love, I agree Snape loved Lily, but I reject any
significant romantic feelings. I think that complicates things too
much. It seems to set up more conflict than resolution.

Now, I won't deny that Snape could have felt some degree of romantic
feelings for Lily at some point. There are many people that I have
felt a romantic attraction toward; wives of friends, ex-lovers who are
now in other relationships, but at some point, you set those feelings
aside and accept reality. I'm sure it was clear that Snape and Lily
could never be, so he just accepted her friendship in his own
Slytherin-ish way.


> Jen continues:
>
> As for the part about 'my mother would have wanted me to' I 
> completely agree. We've seen the many ways Harry is like James,
> most notably showing Peter mercy. I think there needs to be an 
> equally powerful way Harry is like Lily and showing compassion
> seems like a good bet.
> 
> Jen R., noticing she always finds a way to talk herself out of 
> Snape/Lily and can't stop now....
>

bboyminn:

I think you are on to something here. Lily in a sense has always been
held in the background. Oh yes, people speak positive of her, but we
are lacking a great deal of detail. For James, we know about the
Marauders and their adventures. We have 'Snapes Worst Memory' to tell
us a lot about James, but only hints at Lily. 

Plus, we have the constant references to Lily's eyes. JKR has made
various comments indicating that somehow Harry's eyes will be
significant, and since his eyes are like Lily's, she should also be
significant. So, it seems clear, to me at least, that JKR is
intentionally holding back information about Lily, because if
revealed, it would simply give away the whole plot, or at least, the
whole sub-plot. Further, I think Lily's kindness and compassion, and
her (somewhat) championing of the underdog will certainly all come
into play when more details are finally released regarding Lily.

Just a few thoughts.

Steve/bboyminn