'...He was taking too much for granted'

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 161590

> Abergoat writes:
> 
> Cannot argue there! ;) Although I do think the story is most
> interesting if Snape was in a Catch22 on the top of the tower with the
> choice between two dead men and a teenager killer (Harry or Draco) or
> one dead man and an adult murderer. I'm not sure how Harry would have
> reacted in Dumbledore died from the effects of the potion.

Pippin:
The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie -- deliberate, 
contrived and dishonest -- but the myth -- persistent, persuasive and 
unrealistic. --John F. Kennedy.

Any outcome that lets Harry go on believing in the myth of Killer!Snape,
even reluctant Killer!Snape, makes things too easy, IMO. Harry has to
realize that it's a myth (assuming DDM!Snape of course) that he is
using to avoid confronting his own sense of responsibility. 

> Abergoat writes:
> 
> Don't you think that Tom Riddle wanted to murder Dumbledore during his
> visit to the Headmaster's Office but lacked the necessary courage
> without his supporters in tow? That's what I thought JKR suggested
> with Harry wanting to shout warning to Dumbledore.
>

Pippin:
I agree about wanting to kill Dumbledore. Harry had all those visions of 
wanting to sink his teeth into Dumbledore. But IMO Tom never had the 
courage to take Dumbledore on until he knew for sure no one could 
kill him. Harry guessed back in CoS that Dumbledore had seen through 
Tom from the beginning, and in HBP we found out that was true. I think 
that was the reason that Dumbledore was the only one Tom ever feared.

Pippin