The Many Faces of Snape was: High Noon for OFH!Snape

[juli17ptf]

No: HPFGUIDX 149584

<snipping PJ's sliding scale of a hundred Snapes--nay a couple dozen 
hundred Snapes--which is so true>

PJ:
> So who is *my* Snape and why do I cubbyhole him as OFH!?  My Snape 
is 
> emotionally immature and takes his considerable frustration out on 
those 
> around him.  He's snarky and a bully and much too caught up in his 
own 
> brilliance for his own good.  He respects brains and cunning and 
has the 
> Slytherin idea that "the end justifies the means".  Respect is a 
major 
> factor for him and he insists on receiving it while not considering 
many 
> others deserving of it.  Friendship for him is a matter 
of "standing" and 
> respect - in both directions.
> 
> I believe he came to Dumbledore of his own free will after being 
> disillusioned by Voldemort and I think he felt a certain respect 
and 
> closeness to Dumbledore and felt respected in return.  

Julie:
...and stop. So far I'm with you, PJ, but here is where we start to 
diverge, from yourOFH!Snape to myDDM!Snape. (And while I diverge 
here, I commend you for an excellent presentation of your!Snape ;-)

Now, I agree Snape came to DD of his own free will, disillusioned by 
Voldemort, but also I believe, truly remorseful over his own actions, 
particularly in relation to the Potters. I take Dumbledore's words 
about Snape's remorsefulness at their face value. And I also agree 
that everything changed when Harry arrived at Hogwarts. 

What primarily changed is that it was time for Snape to fully face 
his actions and to act on the promises he'd made Dumbledore. Up to 
this point Snape's actions and how they contributed to the death of 
the Potters, his life debt to James, his feelings one way or the 
other about Lily--it was all shoved into the back of his mind, not 
gone but at least not front and center. He didn't have to think about 
it all the time. But Harry's arrival, this boy who looked just like 
his hated father, except when Snape looked in the boys eyes and saw 
Lily (his friend, object of his affection, whatever), brought it all 
rushing back to the fore. And Harry's presence, day after day after 
bloody day, *kept* it there.

I also agree that Harry's tendency to break the rules with little or 
no consequences chafes Snape considerably. And I also don't doubt 
he's made his feelings on that subject very clear to Dumbledore. I 
think part of Snape's hatred of Harry--beyond his parentage, his 
similarity to his father in both looks and action, and him being a 
constant reminder of Snape's own crimes--is because he resents Harry 
being treated so kindly by Dumbledore when he doesn't appear to 
deserve it. So there is some jealousy involved.

However, with my!Snape, while this jealousy does bring out additional 
snarkiness toward Harry, I don't think it has altered Snape's 
fundamental sense loyalty to Dumbledore, which is where I think our 
two Snapes hop the fence away from each other, one to the OFH side, 
and one to the DDM side. 

So myDDM!Snape, while he certainly has OFH qualities, acts first on 
his promise and his loyalty to Dumbledore. Even when he AKs (or 
doesn't AK) Dumbledore, his action is based on this promise/loyalty, 
on what will protect Harry and the other students at Hogwarts 
(including Draco), and on what will ultimately bring about 
Voldemort's demise. (These things--protecting Harry, protecting all 
Hogwarts students, and defeating Voldemort--are all tied together, 
all part of whatever promise Snape made to Dumbledore. And I don't 
think any UV was involved, just a promise Snape intends to keep 
through personal integrity rather than because of magical force.)

And that is the final element of myDDM!Snape. He's mean, snarky, 
embittered, vindictive, and even cruel at times, and yet...he does 
have a moral compass. A moral compass that sent him to Dumbledore, 
that draws a line against things like physically harming children, 
murdering the innocent (yes, despite Dumbledore's death, which is 
shrouded in enough uncertainty to render its actual status 
as "murder" questionable), or breaking a solemn promise. 

BTW, I agree with you, PJ, that what Snape most wants is to be left 
alone with his books and potions and old grudges, but I think he 
knows that would never happen with Voldemort. Win or lose, Voldemort 
would never leave Snape to his peaceful life. He'd keep using Snape, 
or if he's smarter than he appears, kill Snape and get rid of a 
wizard nearly as powerful as he is. Of course, Snape also knew it 
wasn't likely to happen with Dumbledore either, not when his own life 
in this double-spy game would most likely be forfeit in the end. But 
there's that pesky moral compass again, urging Snape to right his old 
wrongs, to pay his debt, not only to James but to everyone who was 
affected by his bad choices, including one young boy-who-lived, Harry 
Potter. And he'd rather pay his debt and earn his redemption (as well 
as Dumbledore's respect and gratitude) than live with it all still 
hanging over his head.

And that's myDDM!Snape in a nutshell. Sort of ;-)

Julie