Snape Survey, Snapeity, Dumbledore's sacrifice.

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 149241

> > Alla:
> > 
> > The way I read it Dumbledore may have tried to convince himself 
and 
> > sort of decided that he indeed convinced.
> 
> Pippin:
> Sort of? He has a sort of decided he had a firm belief?  I think 
there's 
> a contradiction inherent in your position, Alla, and it's coming 
out 
> in your choice of words.

Alla:

Sorry, Pippin, but I think my choice of words was from a) trying too 
hard to be diplomatic and that resulted in awkward phrasing indeed 
and b) because the quote I brought upthread of course cannot be 
interpreted with 100% surety. I brought what I consider to be a 
valid interpretation, namely that since Dumbledore looked like he 
was trying to make up his mind in response to Harry's accusations, 
it could be argued that Dumbledore was indeed doubting Snape more 
than he was letting on. I see no contradiction here at all. I then 
went on arguing that the reason why Dumbledore reaffirmed his trust 
in Snape because he self-hypnotised himself so to speak as in 
convinced himself that his reasons to trust Snape were indeed valid.

So, where do you see contradiction? That I cannot say that it is 
true with 100% certainty? Of course I cannot, but I think it is a 
possibility, that is all.

Pippin: 
> Canon doesn't show Dumbledore being shocked, so you account
> for that by saying he feared Snape would turn on him.

Alla:

Right, not quite feared, but more like "deep inside his mind", 
Dumbledore may have had the tiny seeds of doubt and possibly in the 
quote I brought Harry's worries GOT to DD more than he let on. It 
seems to me to be perfectly IC for DD to try to believe the best, 
even if  the rational part of his brain may realise that he should 
not.

As I argued earlier, I see the parallels with how DD handled Tom 
Riddle. Yes, this is not an absolute parallel and Tom was a child, 
but still DD did not share his suspicions about Tom with ANYONE, but 
instead gave him second chance, which Tom blew.

Do I think something similar may have happened with his dealings 
with Snape? YES. Am I sure of it? Of course not. But  Pippin I am 
not SURE of many things in canon, it does not mean that my position 
is contradictory.

Pippin:
> But if you stroll out on a shaky bridge, telling yourself that 
hey, 
> it just looks like those ropes are rotten, and it collapses, you'd 
be shocked 
> because you were wrong. 

Alla:

Pippin, as long as the possibility is hinted in canon (IMO of 
course), I am quite Okay with going possibly shaky bridge, BUT my 
crow is always nearby, ready to be cooked. :) We will see though at 
the end of the book 7 whether I will be the only one eating it. ;)

JMO,

Alla