[HPforGrownups] Re: Snape's half truths in "Spinner's End"

[Magda Grantwich]

No: HPFGUIDX 149479

--- Magpie <belviso at attglobal.net> wrote:

> I just never understand how this is supposed to work.  Narcissa is 
> about to tell him what the task is.  Snape stops her himself. 
> Then he says that he already knows what it is.  He even, iirc, 
> thoughtfully says that he thinks that "he" 
> always intended him to do "it" in the end.  Is he just talking
> nonsense, hoping it fits with the plan?  Because to me that line 
> sounded like a very thoughtful line from Snape that loses meaning 
> if he doesn't know what he's talking about.

He doesn't know what he's talking about but he THINKS he does.  This
is how the DADA curse plays out for Snape: the curse brings out the
worst in each DADA professor in the series.  What's "the worst" in
Snape?  His tendency to jump to conclusions.  

And that tendency is going to bite him in the butt this time!

IMO Snape never did know what Draco's task was - not until the very
climax of the book at the top of the tower. He spent all year
assuming that Draco's task was to kill HARRY and then trying to keep
the two of them apart so that Draco wouldn't have the chance. 

I think that when Snape reported the UV to Dumbledore (and yes, I
think he told him everything), he said that he'd be able to come up
with a way to straddle the line between protecting Harry and not
falling victim himself.  And I think when he left Dumbledore pondered
the situation, considered his own knowledge of Tom Riddle and came to
the correct conclusion: that Voldemort wants to kill Harry himself
and that the subject of Draco's task was himself.  

And he decided not to tell Snape but let him go on thinking that
Harry was the target.  

Dumbledore's and Snape's private talk in the woods? That was about
Snape telling DD that he would have to die rather than kill Harry.
And DD's stern warning that Snape had agreed to the Vow and would
have to honour it probably shocked Snape who couldn't reconcile it
with Dumbledore's apparent care for the boy. 

Not until Snape got to the top of the Tower and the DE said "Draco
doesn't seem able..." does Snape suddenly realize that DUMBLEDORE was
the target all the time.  And man, is he not happy about finding out
the truth this way!  He's also angry with himself because he knows he
brought a lot of this about on his own and one thing Snape hates is
knowing he did something stupid.  Especially this, especially now.

DD's "Please Severus..." was his way of pleading "now that you know
the truth don't let your feelings for me get in the way of doing what
you must, please solve this mess and save the castle as best you
can".   

Snape screaming at Harry over being called a coward for killing DD?
Damn right it was the most courageous thing he'd ever done. Bet when
they got back to Spinner's End, Snape whaled the stuffing out of
Draco for not telling him before. 

Magda

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