Cohesion

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 162205

---  "rduran1216" <rduran1216 at ...> wrote:
>
> ... The implied clues dictate that Dumbledore planned
> what happened, but at the same time, it doesn't seem 
> like anyone besides Snape was in on it as well. ...
>
> So my question is, let's assume the opposite, that 
> Snape really is an instrument of Voldemort's, how
> can the story possibly be brought together, given 
> that Rowling has said no new major characters will be
> introduced?
> 
> rduran1216
>

bboyminn:

Well, you've warped the question by forcing an 
assumption. That assumption could be considered 
straying from canon.

As to whether Dumbledore 'planned what happened', my 
answer is yes and no. Dumbledore certainly had many
plans, general and specific, for what was happening
and for what might happen. These plans were constantly
being refined base on more information becoming 
available and circumstances changing. 

I believe his general plan for Snape was for Snape to
always act for the greater good, even if in the 
moment, the greater good seemed to be outweighed by 
an immediate need. 

It was a great good for Snape to continue to be in 
Voldemort's good graces, and that outweighed Dumbledore's
life in the moment. Nothing could be gain, and everything
could be lost, if Snape had chosen to stand and fight, 
but if he killed and left then he remained in a 
strategically advantagious place at a critical and crucial
time in the war.  Dumbledore simply became a casualty of 
war, a soldier lost in a battle that hopefully will lead
to winning the greater war.

As to your assumed question, we could ask is Snape 
really working for Voldemort, and of course the only
answer is yes. Yes, because that is the nature of the
spy. Dumbledore knows that at some point Snape will
have to betray him to Voldemort. But that doesn't
eliminate Snape working for Dumbledore. Voldemort 
knows that Snape at some point will have to betray
him to Dumbledore because that is the nature of a spy.
The hope is that you can control the various betrayals,
and gain far more valuable information. Information that
hopefully greatly outweighs the various betrayals.

A spy will alway have to betray everyone, because that
is what spies do. Considering this nature of spies, 
Snape can be an instrument of Voldemort, and still
have his storyline resolved as a good guy, because
Snape is also an instrument of Dumbledore. The real
question is, in his heart, who is Snape truly loyal
to - Dumbledore or Voldemort or out-for-himself? 

I say Dumbledore.

Steve/bboyminn