Snape's moral code

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 149981

IMO, perhaps the most crucial difference between DDM!Snape and the various other versions of Snape is that DDM!Snape has a moral code. It may be this moral code was present in some manner all along. We're not aware of Snape ever killing or seriously hurting anyone while he was a student (in the manner that Draco tried to kill Dumbledore for instance). If Snape joined the DEs because of his need to belong somewhere, or as retaliation against Dumbledore for siding with the Marauders, then it may be the prophecy debacle was enough to reawaken Snape's moral code about right and wrong, and send him back to Dumbledore. Or it may be that Snape deliberately chose to emulate Dumbledore, the only man he truly admires, and formed this moral code after being disillusioned by Voldemort. (Though I think the former makes more sense.)
 
In any case, this Snape has a moral code, and what defines a moral code where you draw the line, whether it's at never stealing or only stealing if you're starving, never lying or lying if it will produce some good, never killing or killing only in self defence, etc. Snape may not draw the line at verbally harassing or even abusing his students, figuring they deserve it/will have to learn to take it in the real (WW) world. He simply doesn't see it as morally objectionable, even if others do. But he does see doing physical harm to his students as morally objectionable (thus he's not Umbridge), and he does see murder as morally objectionable (thus his reflected pain on killing Dumbledore and being call a coward for it by Harry, even if it was a sanctioned killing and not the cold-blooded murder it appeared to be). 
 
So while Neri's LID!Snape has no real moral code, and is motivated only by the Life Debt, DDM!Snape is not only motivated by his loyalty to Dumbledore, but by his *own* moral code. And there's no discrepancy in Snape being nasty to Harry at every opportunity yet saving Harry's life repeatedly, because it's the latter is the right/moral thing to do by his code. 
 
IMO, 
 
Julie 


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