Hermione must be stopped/Snape's half truths in "Spinner's End"

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 149499

> Magda:
> 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.
> 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.

zgirnius:
This theory has some appeal for me, since the first time through the 
book, this is what *I* believed Draco's task to be. However, the 
train scene disabused me of that notion. Draco had an opportunity to 
kill Harry offered him on a platter, and what did he do? He broke his 
nose and left him on the train. I really think Snape must have 
figured out that Harry was not Draco's target at this point as well.

> Magda:
> And he decided not to tell Snape but let him go on thinking that 
Harry was 
> the target.
> 
> Magpie: 
> So if Snape didn't realize what he was supposed to do until he's on 
the 
> tower, you're saying that he shows up and looks around, sees Draco 
there 
> with the DEs and DD, doesn't see Harry there, and then realizes who 
he's 
> supposed to kill according to the vow?
> 
> I'm afraid I've got the same problem with this as I do to the 
scenario where 
> DD realizes here that Snape has betrayed him.  There's no moment of 
> realization for Snape.  I don't recall him having any change 
between looking 
> around and striding forward, knocking Draco out of the way.  I'd 
think he'd 
> need a moment to process the information he's been wrong all 
along.  A 
> moment of confusion and dawning understanding that he's got to kill 
this 
> guy--and time to decide if he's going to.
zgirnius:
I'm with you, Snape would have figured it out, both from the train 
incident, and the other incidents that were aomed at Dumbledore 
rather than Harry. However, that aside, we DO have the moment of 
change in Snape.

"Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and 
hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face." 

This could be the moment he is realizing he was wrong about Harry, 
and Dumbledore was the target. 

I don't think so, though. I think Snape always knew the UV was a risk 
to *himself*, and was willing to assume that risk. What came as a big 
(and most unpleasant) surprise was that, under the wrong 
circumstances, the Vow proved dangerous to Dumbledore as well. In the 
end, if he could not outwit the Vow in some way, I believe it was his 
intent to die rather than kill Dumbledore. And I think he walked on 
to the Tower fully intending to fight the Death Eaters if necessary, 
and die, if necessary. So the moment of change/realization for Snape 
was when he realized that, under the circumstances, his sacrifice 
would not save Dumbledore, because in order to live, Dumbledore 
needed Snape alive as well.