More then one path to victory?

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 148607

quick_silver wrote:
> So really Snape has only ever been important when it comes 
> getting inside the DEs and by the end of HBP Harry has another 
> possible source of information from the inside...Draco. And I 
> believe that Harry would be far more willing to deal with Draco then 
> he ever would with Snape. 

zgirnius:
Sure, I agree. Draco is an alternative source, and Harry would 
definitely prefer to deal with him. But if Draco remains alive, and 
among the Death Eaters, you can hardly say Snape has had/will have 
nothing to do with that. And I am not sure Draco has the skills to 
survive as a double agent, especially alone. Whereas, if Snape has been 
doing it all these years, it would appear that he does have them. (Yes, 
Draco is an Occlumens. But he's so obvious about it Snape can tell what 
he's doing...let alone Voldemort, who is presumbaly a more powerful 
Legilimens).

quick_silver wrote:
> Even Snape's knowledge of magic is undermined...Harry has access to 
> the Half-Blood Prince's most inner working though the Potions 
> textbook. 

zgirnius:
That in no way decreases Snape's skill or power. I don't understand 
what you are getting at here. Teaching someone else does not take away 
from one's own abilities. 

Also, why would we suppose that the notes in the book are the final 
word on Snape's knowledge about magic? More likely, they reflect where 
he was at the end of his school days, or perhaps at the start of his 
teaching career. If he were still actively using the book to scribble 
down his newest ideas and tricks, how on earth did it end up in Harry's 
hands?