Understanding Snape

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 153461


> Against Snape wrote:
> 
> During HBP, the question of where Snape's loyalties lie is an  
important
> question. This question isn't answered by the end of the book. 
Here  is
> my theory:
> 
> 1)  Snape was a Death-Eater until he knew that  Voldemort was 
going to
> murder the Potters. At this point, I believe, as a  result of his 
life
> debt to James, he either decided he had to warn DD, or  else the 
life
> debt forced him to.
> 
> 
> Julie:
> I don't think we have any indication a life debt forces someone to 
> act on it. In PS/SS Dumbledore told Harry he suspected Snape 
> saved Harry because he owed Harry's father (James) a life debt.
> Dumbledore didn't say Snape *had* to save Harry, in fact he only
> theorizes that this is the reason Snape saved Harry. Unlike an
> Unbreakable Vow, a life debt seems to be more of a psychological
> burden that a physical one. 

Alla:

Eh, well, the hints could be interpreted both ways, I grant you 
that, but no more than that. There are PLENTY of hints in canon that 
IMO can be interpreted that Life Debt ( waves at Neri) indeed acts 
as very physical burden.

DD as much as told Harry that Snape saved him because of Life debt, 
as JKR says his guesses or suspicions are never too far off ( 
paraphrase). DD fails and tragically IMO in evaluating people 
feelings, psychology so to speak, intellectually though he is right 
quite often, no?

Besides, we have DD's insistence that life debt between Harry and 
Pettigrew is magic at its deepest ( paraphrase), sounds like 
pretty "physical" burden to me.

Julie: 
> So Snape must have chosen to warn DD, and DD says repeatedly
> that he trusts Snape completely and that he believes Snape was
> genuinely remorseful. This supports my theory that Snape *was* in
> fact genuinely remorseful about blabbing the prophecy, and likely
> also over his other actions while a DE. (Note that I say supports 
my
> theory, not proves it ;-)

Alla:

You make this conclusion because you don't think that Life debt 
literally forces person to act? Because if does, Snape did not 
really chose, din't he?

As I said many times, too bad we don't know how exactly Life debt 
works, but because JKR still did not disclose the details, IMO it 
shows that it can prove critical.



> Julie:
> Voldemort's downfall was good news for Snape, though the books 
> have given me the impression that Snape as well as DD believed 
> Voldemort hadn't completely *died* and would return some day.
> Certainly Snape must have hoped Voldemort might fail at this,
> so he'd never have to deal with the Dark Lord again. But he knew
> the possibility was there. Still, he could have deserted DD and 
> found ways to hide, building himself a new life. He is a very 
gifted 
> wizard after all. But he didn't. 
<SNIP>

Alla:

Could you refer me to Snape not believing that Voldemort died? Is it 
in Spinner End or somewhere else? Confused.

And if he deserted Dumbledore, my guess is that he would  or at 
least could have ended up in Azkaban, no?

JMO,

Alla