Is Snape good or evil?

[nrenka]

No: HPFGUIDX 148584

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at ...> wrote:

>> Dungrollin:
>>
>> Quite apart from the fact that DD is a little less selfish and a 
>> little more noble than that, it would be just the sort of order 
>> that could turn a bitter and resentful ex-Death Eater into a full-
>> blown loyal servant of the Dark Lord. Hardly tactful or prudent.

I leave this unsnipped because rare is it you see a Snape defender 
bringing out this potential side of his character.  :)  What I wonder 
about is whether these aspects, the whole bitter and resentful thing, 
weren't really coming out through this year.  We have the unexplained 
conversation in the forest, we have what at least seems to be Snape's 
delight at the DADA position--is that because he's finally gotten 
what he wants, over Dumbledore's objections?  Is Snape the kind of 
person to rejoice at the little personal victories in life?  I do 
think so, being as he seems to get amusement from the little nasty 
things which happen to other people (well, don't we all, but not all 
of us make it into an art).

As Alla says:

> I still do not see any evidence of Snape informing Dumbledore about 
> third clause of the UV. ... when (does) Snape EVER admit in canon 
> that he is wrong about something?

I, for one, don't think that Snape tells Dumbledore everything, nor 
do I think that Dumbledore shares much of his lines of reasoning or 
deep confidence/ideas with Snape.  Contra the Right Hand Man 
assumption, if you will; it makes some things so much easier that all 
theorists should give it a spin every once in a while.  But we do 
know that when Snape gets a conception of something into his head, he 
holds very strongly to it and is not above going a little bit 
maverick.  Is this, in retrospect, part of the point of the denoument 
of PoA, with Snape frothing at the mouth and willing to snuggle up to 
Fudge, expressing the hope that Dumbledore won't interfere?

Dumbledore's utter confidence that he surely knows all of what is 
going on makes me, for one, exceedingly nervous.  Hubris, if you will.

> Dumbledore has a dangerous road of Horcruxes hunting in front of 
> himself and Harry. Are you saying that he would be SO confident to 
> leave Harry to it and just easily die to save Snape? 

This bothers me too.  If Dumbledore knows everything about the Vow 
and its provisions, then he has to know, when he sees the Mark and 
such, that Draco's game is on.  But he doesn't seem to me, although I 
know that he does to others, like he's ready to go forth and die.  
Maybe that's the meaning of his words to Harry...well, Dumbledore is 
a near-total emotional idiot, so I can maybe see him not 
understanding what witnessing this is going to do to the kid.  That 
does, however, make him an idiot, which is the usual objection to the 
theme of Dumbledore being wrong about Snape.

Like it or not, here Dumbledore is an idiot no matter which way you 
spin it. :)

> but still - agreeing to protect Draco while little shmuck tries to 
> kill Headmaster, isn't it a bit too close to being accessory?

It strikes a little close, unless you want to take the Tragic!Snape 
line, his own flaws magnified by the DADA curse, he has been trapped 
by his own hubris and is forced into this situation.  Eh, I guess 
it's open, but it doesn't quite work for me without some definite 
information about intentions.  I can, however, see Snape making the 
decision to value something he considers his own, dear to him (Draco 
via Narcissa) over a side which he has little personal affection for 
(the glorification of Harry Potter).  YMMV...

-Nora sees something tragic for at least some characters, no matter 
what