Snape and Petunia/ Snape and Lily

[Meredith]

No: HPFGUIDX 155669

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Szehms" <zehms at ...> wrote:
Scarlett:
> The reason the "awful boy" comment could be significant IMO is
> because the Snape/ Lily connection rather than the Snape/Petunia
> connection.
> If Snape came to the Evans home perhaps he and Lily were closer 
than
> has been let on...NOT A LOVE CONNECTION...but a respectful personal
> relationship (keeping in mind how socially awkward Snape is I mean
> personal in the loosest sense of the word).
> 
> When in HBP Harry wants to know why DD trusted Snape, DD pauses
> reflecting if he should tell Harry, we know he decides that he 
can't
> do so, I think DD could not reveal the reason because it involved
> Lily.  I think Snape's greatest regret involves endangering Lily.


Luckie:

Great post! This is one of the things I'm most eager to find out 
about in Book 7. I've always been interested in the James/Lily 
backstory, Godric's Hollow, etc. Perhaps the backstory is why I love 
PoA so much, but I'm digressing.

I'm sure the list has discussed the possibility of Snape making a UV 
with Dumbledore, perhaps, in regards to Harry. It's something I came 
up with last fall, but haven't had a chance to expound about on the 
list. In OotP, Snape tells Umbridge he has been teaching at Hogwarts 
for about 14 years - which puts him there either right before or 
right after the fateful Halloween night at GH. If he started at 
Hogwarts before the Potters were killed, which he implies when he 
tells Bellatrix and Narcissa he was doing LV's bidding by being at 
Hogwarts in the first place, then he was a double agent while James 
and Lily were still in the Order. Since Dumbledore wasn't the secret-
keeper for the Potter, although he volunteered to be, how would he 
have known about the events at GH soon enough to send Hagrid within 
perhaps hours? My theory is that Snape knew of the plot to attack 
the Potters, possibly knowing that Pettigrew was betraying the 
Order, and informed Dumbledore, but just a little too late. (How 
Snape and Peter didn't realize that the other was working for the 
opposite side is another topic... unless Snape is so good that he 
fooled Peter into thinking that he was really on Voldy's side. 
Which, of course, might be the truth!) 

Because of his guilt, Snape makes a UV with Dumbledore. The only 
alteration to this theory is that Snape was working solely with LV 
until the Potters' demise, at which point he felt guilty, and 
therefore turned to the good side, making a UV with Dumbledore, and 
helping put away a good number of DEs. The UV would, of course, be 
the reason Dumbledore trusts Snape. How could he not? However, if, 
as Ron reported, a broken UV means death, I don't think I could see 
Dumbledore demanding that from Snape, or anyone. Unless Ron was 
mistaken, or unless Snape demanded it, or some other good reason. 

A UV to defend Harry, or similar, would explain part of Snape's 
hatred of Harry, or rather that he sees Harry as a burden. It would 
explain why he's frustrated at Harry getting into mischief, not 
doing what he's told, and refusing to catch on when he tries to 
teach him occlumency and non-verbal spells. Snape's trying to save 
Harry's neck in order to save his own! This theory, of course, is 
predicated on an intricate connection between Lily, Snape and 
Dumbledore. As well as Snape's reasons for agreeing to work for 
Dumbledore in the first place.

And if anyone can point me to any prior threads about this topic, it 
would be appreciated.

~Luckie, who wonders what would happen if the two Unbreakable Vows 
Snape made suddenly came into conflict, and he has to chose to save 
either Harry or Draco.