VA/H=Mx13+RP? Snape's Culpability?

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 147108


> > > Alla:
> > > 
> > > ... HOW else except Voldemort killing Prophecy couple and 
> > > their baby could have Snape thought that information will 
> > > be used.
> > > 
> > > Honestly, Snape is an intelligent man. Are you arguing that he 
> > > truly had no idea what Voldemort will do ...
> > 
> > 
> > Claudia:
> > I very firmly believe in DDMSnape and therefore I much more often 
> > agree to what Steve writes than to Alla's points of view but in 
> > this cast I can't help but agree to Alla.
> > 
> > How on earth could an intelligent person with only a little 
> > knowledge of the "Dark Lord" think that he would react any 
> > differently than he did? 
> >
> > ...edited...
> 
> bboyminn:
<snip>
> Snape was a Death Eater, he acted like a DE, he did a bad
> thing, and he certainly can't be blameless for that. 


Valky:
I find myself agreeing with Steve here, and with this additional
point. Snape the DE was spying on Dumbledore, a fearfully powerful
wizard and Voldemort's most dangerous enemy. Snape is Voldemort's
servant, and he has loyalties to Voldemort and, naturally along with
that, concern for his wellbeing. 

>From the first three lines of the prophecy, which is according to DD's
word, probably, the most Snape managed to hear..

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches,  
born to those who have thrice defied him.. 
born as the seventh month dies,

The whole thing is entirely ambiguous as to the age of this person
right up until the last word of the three lines. IOW you can't know
from the first two lines, or even from the greater portion of the
third line that this person is a child yet to be born or that his
parents are living people. If the prophecy clearly and unambiguously
outlined that Harry was yet to be born throughout the three lines,
then, yes, it would be ridiculous for Snape to miss it. But as it
fits, Snape needed only to miss or overlook the last *word* of the
third line, and he could never assume from what he knew that Voldemort
would target a young couple and their baby, there was just no reason
to under the current circumstances. 

>From here we can postulate the skewing of Snape's perspective. In
Dumbledore's hands the prophecy could only be several times more a
threat to Voldemort. From Snapes POV, Dumbledore had acquired a new
weapon, and Voldemort was in imminent danger, not a mother and her
innocent child, not someone who onced saved his life, but Voldemort,
his Master. Snape's priority as a DE was to serve Voldemort and what
more important a way to serve your boss than to warn him that his most
feared enemy has a new powerful weapon against him, I can certainly
understand, and justify as in character, a momentary distraction on
Snape's behalf when running to Voldie with this vital news. 


bboymmin:
> But Wormtail knew SPECIFICALLY what would happen when he /betrayed/
> the Potters. There
> was no vague imprecise non-specific nastiness in his action. He knew
> full well that he was signing a death warant for Harry and his 
> parents.
> I say /that/ direct knowledge of specific consequences does make a
> difference.

Valky:
Hear Hear, Steve. Peter is vile. Snape is horrible and really really
unlikeable, but Peter is worse, much worse, lower than worm carcass,
JIMHO. :)