[HPforGrownups] Have Snape ever killed anybody before? WAS: Re: seeds of betrayal

[Sherry Gomes]

No: HPFGUIDX 149804

Alla wrote:
><snip> I certainly think Snape killed before, because yeah, it would
seem very strange to me that the member of terrorist organization would not
have killed before, but I think that the reasons were quite important to
Snape. <snip>

> Snape, who had no problem inventing Sectusemptra, Snape who joined the 
> gang of murderers, Snape who has enough hate to power Avada in HBP 
> (unless one subscribes to fake Avada, which I of course don't), you 
> are telling me that this Snape never killed anyone before?
> 
> Snape who claims that he took hand in Vance and Black killings, THAT 
> Snape never killed before?
> 
> I am sorry, I don't buy it at all. IMO of course. <snip>

Carol responds:

Yes. IMO, THAT Snape never killed before.

And as for the hatred required to power an AK, we don't really know how the
spell works since Harry, our POV character, has yet to cast it, and
self-hatred combined with revulsion at what he's expected, or forced, to do
(a la Harry in the cave) works better than mere resentment of DD for failing
to appreciate him (or whatever) to explain the expression on Snape's face
when he looks at DD but has yet to raise his wand. It takes a second,
pleading speech ("Severus, please . . .") to make him "do the deed."




Sherry now:

I just can't buy it.  Warm fuzzy innocent Sevvy, who never did a mean bad
thing at all in his life.  sorry, carol, I know well that you don't think
he's an innocent babe, but if contrary to what I hope and believe, there is
to be redemption for Snape, it's pretty diluted if he's a poor misunderstood
hero who never dirtied his hands.  Dumbledore's murder doesn't count as
dirtying his hands, if as so many believe, he was doing it for some
ridiculous notion of Dumbledore's that it is somehow for the greater good to
have him dead and Snape alive.  The only way redemption for Snape can be
emotionally satisfying--which I doubt it can ever be--is if he really has
done terrible deeds that deserve redemption.  It diminishes all the DDM
Snape arguments, Dumbledore's unflinching trust and everything else, if
Snape never did any evil deed in his death eater days.  It makes everything
about him a kind of cheap dirty trick for me.  He's not a cuddly bunny
rabbit after all.  If he's truly had some kind of life changing event that
brought him back to DD and for which he experienced genuine remorse, it only
works for me, if he's done something truly terrible.  I don't really buy the
deaths of the Potters as the single shattering event that turned him around.
but then, I don't buy Snape loving Lily.  The mere thought makes me
nauseated.  Sherry