Snape and Petunia/ Snape and Lily

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 155718

Meredith wrote:
> 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.
>
Carol responds:
I can't point you to any specific threads on the topic, but the search
engine does actually work now if you use the "Advanced" link.

I don't think that JKR would have Snape take two Unbreakable Vows, nor
do I think that an earlier UV is the reason that Dumbledore trusts
Snape. dumbledore believes in choice, and a UV robs the person bound
by the UV of choice. Snape was taking a calculated risk with the UV in
"Spinner's End," knowing that the UV could kill him, but I don't think
DD would have placed him in the position of keeping his word or dying.
It seems like Dark Magic to me, with the penalty for breaking the vow
being death, and we're told more than once that there are powers
Dumbledore is too noble to use. I don't think he'd bind anyone through
an Unbreakable Vow any more than he'd use an Unforgiveable Curse
(IMO). To the likes of Bellatrix and Narcissa, there's nothing wrong
with putting Snape's life at stake, binding him with ropes of fire to
do what they want him to do, but surely Dumbledore would extract a
promise from Snape in the same way he extracted one from Harry, by
applying psychological pressure but not compelling through magic. Dark
or not, and I think it is Dark, the UV involves compulsion, and DD is
opposed to compulsion. I think he is judging Snape by his choices, not
by any forced promise, and he chooses to trust snape based on those
choices.

Another thing, too. An Unbreakable Vow requires a third person, the
Bonder (Bellatrix's role in "spinner's End"). The only person besides
Snape in whom we hear Dumbledore express absolute trust is Hagrid,
whom he would trust with his life, but whom he would be very foolish
to trust with a secret of this magnitude given Hagrid's tendency to
let things slip. And I don't think that Hagrid would perform such Dark
magic, either, even if he had the power.

Carol, imagining rings of fire coming out of Hagrid's umbrella to bind
Dumbledore's and Snape's clasped hands