Being Good and Evil /Hermione and Umbridge v Snape and Peter actions

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 154756

Alla wrote:
<snip>
> I mean if you would say that YES you think that Snape and Peter are 
> both nasty traitors, Judas who betrayed the group of  their peers 
> and their masters, then yes, I can see where you are coming from, 
> but when you are condemning Hermione's actions without looking at 
> her reasons and do look at the reasons behind Snape's actions, I do 
> not understand it at all.
> 
> As Snape would say  if I look at Snape and Peter's actions, "I see 
> no difference", NONE.
> 
> If I look further, then YES of course I see difference, but I ALSO 
> see plenty of difference between what Hermione did and what Umrbidge 
> did.

Carol responds:
Forgetting Hermione for the moment, I don't understand this
comparison. Peter's information to Voldemort led directly to the
murders of various Order members--the Bones, the Prewitts, the entire
McKinnon family, Benjy Fenwick, who was blown to bits, his own best
friends, the Potters.

Snape's information to Dumbledore apparently consisted of plans and
activities, as no one was arrested before Godric's Hollow, though it
may also have involved the confirmation that certain people really
were Death Eaters. Certainly he was a traitor to Voldemort, the
irredeemably Dark Lord, but how is that a bad thing? And if his
information led to the arrest and conviction of such people as Walden
Macnair and Antonin Dolohov, why should we condemn him for "betraying"
them? didn't they deserve to be sent to Azkaban? Should he have kept
his mouth shut and let them continue to commit murder and mayhem just
because they were his friends, if indeed they were?

It would clarify your argument if you'd specify the differences you
see. Thanks.

As for Hermione and Umbridge, I see two differences: Umbridge
repeatedly drew blood when she scarred Harry, and sadistically reveled
in his pain. Hermione caused permanent disfiguration and humiliation,
but she did it once, and not repeatedly, and drew impersonal
satisfaction rather than obscene gratification from her action.
Nevertheless, both thought that they were doing the right thing, and
it's Hermione's, not Umbridge's action, that ruins a life. Umbridge is
evil; Hermione is, I would say, mistaken in her actions and her view
of herself as self-appointed judge and jury, an all too common failing
among the Gryffindors.

Carol, who thinks that Snape should receive credit, not condemnation,
for risking his life to spy for the good side even if it involves
"betraying" a gang of thugs, murderers, torturers, and Imperio specialists