DD death - Vow: Broke and/or Rescinded

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 152778

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Najwa" <empress.najwa at ...> wrote:
>
> > 
> > bboyminn wrote:
> > 
> > I have to believe that anything that can be done, can be UNdone,
> > though with in obvious and reasonable limits. 
> <SNIP>
> > So, my point is that to unbind yourself from a Vow, you must
> > either word the Vow very precisely so that it has a clear end,
> > or you must gather the involved people together and cast the 
> > magical unbinding Charm. 
> 
> Najwa: 
> I still think that since it is the UNbreakable Vow that it 
> probably cannot be broken. If it were breakable then I doubt it 
> would be titled the way it is titled. So I guess we'll have to 
> agree to disagree. I think the only way to undo it is for Snape
> not to have gone through with it and just died.
>

bboyminn:

True the OATH you swear can not be broken, but that doesn't mean you
can't be released from you obligation under the Oath/Vow. That's not
the same as breaking the Vow. If Narcissa agree to release Snape from
the Vow, then I think they can perform the UNBinding Charm and Snape
can be released. So while I agree the Vow itself can not be broken, I
do not agree that the Vow can not be rescinded.

As long as we are on the subject, let's look at the three Vows -

"Will you, Severus, watch over my son, Draco, as he attempts to
fulfill the Dark Lord's wishes?"

"And will you, to the best of your ability, protect him from harm?"

"And, should if prove necesary... if it seems Draco will fail..."
whispered Narcissa (Snape's hand twitched within hers, but he did not
draw away), "will you carry out the deed that the Dark Lord has
ordered Draco to perform?"


1.) '...watch over...as he attempts...', well, that's not too hard or
even dangerous, and it really is a vow that can't be broken. All he
has to do is 'watch'.

2.) '...to the best of your ability...', now that's certainly a
loophole. Again, he only has to do his best, he doesn't have to succeed.

3.) Three points here; a)'should it prove necessary', 'if Draco will
fail', b)Snapes hand twitched, c)'carry out the deed'.


The above is quoted from another post of mine, but it is very long, so
I won't bore everyone with the details.

The first two Vows are meaningless, they have a built-in OUT. Snape
only has to 'watch' and work 'to the best of his ability'. There are
plenty of loophole in the third Vow, but I won't touch on them. 

For the moment let's just assume the third Vow means what it says.
Will you, Snape, carry out the deed that the Dark Lord has ordered
Draco to perform? Snape did that, we assume Draco's task was to kill
Dumbledore, Draco couldn't to it, so Snape did. It seems that Snape
has lived up to the terms of the critical part of the Vow, and since
that job is done, he is release from the hold of that commitment. Or,
should we assume that Snape bears fatal responsibility for every task
the Dark Lord ever assigns Draco in his entire lifetime?

The other to commitments are to 'watch over' Draco and 'to the best of
his ability' protect Draco. He doesn't have to succeed at either one,
only try, and that should satisfy the Vow.

Given that the critical part is over with, and the two remaining
points are minor, I don't see any reason why Narcissa wouldn't let
Snape out of them. She gains very little by keeping them in place, and
 does gain Snape's gratitude and favor in return for releasing him.

If you want to read my entire comments, you can find them in this
group, but also at -

Theory Points to Snapes Death,...
http://www.leakylounge.com/index.php?showtopic=11918&st=10

Though, I will point out that will related, those comments are do not
directly address the current subject at hand. Look for the Green Icon
and the username 'BlueWizard'.

Steve/bboyminn