LID!Snape rides again (was: High Noon for OFH!Snape)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 149749

> Neri:
> I suspect that Snape has a more severe form of the Life Debt than
> Peter has, because after all, James *was* killed by Voldemort as a
> result of Snape's action. So strictly speaking, (assuming now the
> UV-like sub-theory of the Life Debt magic) Snape *should* have died
> when James did. My hunch is that Dumbledore had to do some very
> difficult magic there in order to save Snape's life. I even
> hypothesized that this is what Dumbledore was occupied with during
> the 24 Hours after GH. My best guess is that Dumbledore saved
> Snape by performing a magical transaction that transferred Snape's
> Debt from James to Harry. And if I'm right about this, then Snape
> ended up having a Life Debt to Dumbledore too, for saving his life
> from the first Debt, which would give Dumbledore even more reason
> to trust him.

Jen: This adds a layer the story doesn't need, though, and is 
surprisingly convoluted for Faith <g>. In HBP we're meant to be left 
wondering whether Snape saved Dumbledore from the ring curse because 
he's loyal and is doing the right thing or because he's keeping him 
alive so Voldemort can exact his revenge on the Malfoy's (and Snape) 
in the end. And if you tell me that doesn't make sense I'll have to 
refer you you back to Voldemort to answer that one, He Who Overlooks 
The Flaws In All His Plans. 

Another thing, Dumbledore seems to honor ancient magic in a way he 
doesn't honor human laws. Meddling with the life-debt seems counter 
to his actions so far, like believing Harry must compete in the 
Triwizard Tournament. Not sure that was ancient magic per se, but as 
a 'binding magical contract' Dumbledore still didn't interfere even 
though very wary of the outcome.

But hey, I'm completely biased. My gut feeling is the life-debt was 
a done deal in PS: 1) Snape didn't kill James himself and didn't 
know the prophecy would be interpreted to mean James when he 
delivered it to LV; 2) when James died the debt ended; and 3) Snape 
himself prolonged the agony of feeling indebted because that's what 
he *does*. If life-debts work another way Peter should have been 
incapacitated in his ability to actively help Voldemort kill Harry. 


> Neri:
> Apparently Snape told Dumbledore that he felt great remorse. And if
> this pain that Snape was screaming with during The Flight was a
> small sample, then I shudder to think what he was suffering when 
> James actually died. I'd imagine it wouldn't be at all difficult
> for him to feel remorse while suffering so badly. Like Dumbledore 
> said to Harry,"you have no idea".

Jen: Again with the same objection, we're left wondering from HBP 
whether Snape's remorse was a genuine emotion as Dumbledore believes 
or a story as he tells Bella. Adding another layer to the remorse 
changes the big question of HBP. 

Maybe we're in for another "And now I will tell you everything" 
moment here, but if that's the case, I don't think it's over the 
definition of the word 'remorse'.


> Neri:
> You are forgetting again the UV. The question isn't really why
> Snape killed Dumbledore on the tower. As you say, he had to do
> that to stay alive. So the real question here is what possessed
> him in Spinner's End to take the third part of the UV. Admittedly 
> either DDM, ESE, OFH or LID don't explain it. However, DDM still
> has a much harder time with it, because a Snape who is loyal to
> Dumbledore and takes a Vow to kill him is, er... shall we say
> mysterious?

Jen: Technically Snape agreed to the clause: "And if it should prove 
necessary...if it seems Draco will fail....will you carry out the 
deed that the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to perform?"

There's a lot of space around the taking of that Vow and the clause 
itself for JKR to fill in, and we've seen what she can do with a 
vacuum. 

Jen R.