TBAY: BlackWidower!Snape retuned (long)

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 160694

Dungrollin: 
> Theory Bay is dark, a waxing gibbous moon does nothing to 
> illuminate the waves pounding the beach since it's obscured by 
> clouds; the low tide reveals the crumbling masts of the many 
> wrecks which litter the seabed. Once-proud vessels, boldly crewed 
> by some of the bravest, most fearless listies who ever posted. 
> These days, so very few remain afloat.  

SSSusan sssaunters in:
"Tra la!  My little dinghy, DRIBBLE SHADOWS is still afloat!  It's 
never been especially sea-worthy, nor a popular boat to hop aboard, 
but at least she ain't sunk!"

Anyhoo... on to the points of BlackWidower!Snape Returned!

Dungrollin:
> <º)XX>< <º)XX>< <º)XX>< <º)XX>< <º)XX>< <º)XX>< <º)XX>< <º)XX><
> 
> I was wandering through the archives, and stumbled upon an old 
> Snape theory which has had various makeovers, known as Black 
> Widower!Snape, or Snape!Son. Reading message 111173 (and laughing 
> a lot)....

SSSusan:
I remember it well... as I remember well how Kneasy's early posts 
regularly made me laugh a lot!


Dung:
> I should mention that Kneasy's post was very much more like Out-
> For-Himself!Snape, whereas this version is decidedly DDM (I can't 
> help it, you know). 

SSSusan:
Heh.  Good girl!

 
Dung:
> Let's begin by trying to put ourselves in Voldy's shoes. How would 
> he interpret the scrap of prophecy which Snape brought him?[3] The 
> thrice-defied part, in particular. 
<snip> 
> So let's say that it's about now that Snape's wife [5] discovers 
> that she is pregnant. Narcissa's pregnant too! 
<snip>
> At the beginning of June, Lucius and/or Narcissa panic and induce 
> their baby early (however they do such things in the WW). Draco is 
> born dangerously premature on June 5th,[8] but it's better that he 
> should struggle through his first year of life (Magical Medicine 
> should be enough to see him through) than that Voldy should even 
> consider the possibility that he's the prophecy baby. 
<snip>
> The Snapes, for some reason (difficult pregnancy?) do not want to 
> risk inducing their baby prematurely. They've got around the 
> problem so far by not letting it get out that Mrs Snape is 
> pregnant, so Voldy doesn't know.  
<snip>
> Snape and Reggie are old pals, united in their hatred of Sirius at 
> school, so Snape (foolishly – he hasn't learned too much about 
> Voldy yet) tries to help Reg, save him, hide him, whatever. 
> Voldemort knows that Snape and Regulus are thick as thieves, so he 
> questions Snape, who is still wet-behind-the-ears, [11] and as yet 
> unable to hide his lies with Occlumency [12]. Voldemort knows he's 
> lying, Regulus is quickly discovered and killed within days of 
> Voldy shouting "Off with his head!" [13]

SSSusan:
Hmmmm.  Is it in Snape's character to side with Regulus over Voldy?  
Has he already begun to think "It's not worth it" with regard to 
being a Voldy supporter?  What will have had this effect on Snape? 
The prophecy? his wife's pregnancy?


Dung:
> Voldemort is therefore very much displeased with Snape. He orders 
> Snape to be killed (that'll learn him!). However, Lucius Malfoy, 
> still grateful to Snape for his tip off about the prophecy, 
> intervenes (at great personal risk) to persuade Voldemort to spare 
> Snape. Lucius's strategy involves pointing out to Voldy how very 
> useful a talented young wizard like Snape could be. [14]

SSSusan:
Hmmm again.  Is it in Lucius' character to go out on such a limb for 
Snape, even if he did provide the tip-off about July?  I can't 
*quite* imagine it.  But perhaps the thought of having an heir is 
enough for Lucius to risk it, to actually consider someone else's 
life?  ...Eh, I think I need more convincing.


Dung: 
> Unfortunately, in the process of defending and arguing for Snape, 
> Voldemort, the expert Legilimens [15], discovers from Lucius that 
> Snape has told him about the prophecy, and that baby Snape is due 
> around the end of July, and they've kept it secret from him. 

SSSusan:
One question here.  If Voldy Legilimenses (did I spell that right??) 
Lucius enough to discover the existence of EarlyArrival!Draco, would 
he not also have discovered the existence of Pregnant!Mrs.Snape?  It 
seems unlikely that those two things, surely so intertwined in 
Lucius' mind, would not *both* come to the surface for Voldy to 
discover.


Dung: 
> I don't think Voldy trusts anybody [18]. And since Bella certainly 
> doesn't trust Snape [19], I don't see why Voldemort would. I think 
> one of Voldy's aims in HBP (which I've gone on about before [20]) 
> was to test Snape's loyalty - "He expects me to do it in the end, 
> I think." HBP, 2:39). At the end of HBP, Snape has killed DD, the 
> only one Voldemort ever feared. Voldy trusts him now, as much as 
> he will ever trust anyone. 

SSSusan:
I can definitely agree with this possibility of a loyalty test of 
Snape.  And wouldn't it be fascinating if, in the end for Snape, 
that loyalty test of Voldy's turned into a loyalty test of DD's as 
well!  That is, if you & I are right about Snape being DDM and about 
DD "commanding" Snape to do the deed, then killing DD was 
DD's "loyalty test."  How convenient (but how very painful for 
Snape) that killing DD will satisfy *both* loyalty tests in one deed.


Dung:
> DD, however, suspects that Snape is a Death Eater (though he 
> doesn't let on), and refuses him the job since he suspects that 
> Snape is there on Voldy's orders. But he leaves options open, 
> because he doesn't want Voldemort to kill Snape for failing to 
> secure the job. 


SSSusan:
One final question.  WHY would DD do this for Snape?  Why would he 
care what happens to him?  Do you think he already saw the hint of a 
chance that he was regretting his decision to become a DE or to 
follow Voldy?


Dung:
> And the rest is history. Working in a school, watching children 
> growing up would have been torture. Every time he looks at Harry,
> he sees James, the man who was allowed to die defending his 
> family, while Snape was forced to survive his family and always be 
> alone. And of course, he always wears black.

SSSusan:
It's fun, Dung! 

Siriusly Snapey Susan