Snape Survey - Dumbledore's Sacrifice

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 149366

Sandy:
> 
> A lot is being made of the fact that DD continually states that he trusts 
> Snape. The fact that DD trusts Snape does not mean that Snape is trustworthy or 
> that DD is not wrong in trusting Snape.

Pippin:
Hi, Sandy, welcome to the list! The question for me is, do we believe
Dumbledore who says that Snape was remorseful, or do we
believe Harry who thinks he saw Snape murder Dumbledore on the tower?
Dumbledore has been Headmaster for a long time and he's also been
head of the Wizengamot. He has to have seen many remorseful people
and a number who feigned remorse as well.  I suspect he's a better 
judge of remorse than Harry is of avada kedavra's. Harry doesn't even
know how to do an unforgivable. He's hardly an expert.

Sandy:
> The debate as to whether DD was or was not begging for his life, 
with the  major concensus being that he was not because it would 
not have been in his  character to do so bears further scrutiny. I don't 
believe DD would have begged for his life for himself, but I certainly think 
he would have done so for Harry. 
> He was in the process of providing Harry with the knowledge he needed to have 
> to defeat Voldemort and he had not completed that mission yet. He certainly 
> knew that no other adult could help, guide or lead Harry in the direction he 
> needed to go, least of all Snape. 

Pippin:
If Dumbledore thought there was more information he needed to give Harry,
wouldn't he have told him before putting both their lives at risk in the cave?
Or during the broomstick ride back to the castle, knowing he was gravely ill?

It seems to be forgotten that if JKR intends for Harry to defeat Voldemort 
alone, then  she must have created the means for him to do it, consistent
with Harry's abilities and the operations of the Potterverse.  Dumbledore
doesn't know that, of course, but he does know more about Harry's abilities
and the way his world works than anyone else in canon. If there is a way,
Dumbledore probably knew about it.

Of course he wouldn't want Harry to have to take on this task alone, but 
Dumbledore must have known since Voldemort engaged him at the 
ministry that his safety had ended. Voldemort was not afraid to fight
him any more.

Pippin