Snape really was a Good Guy - Canon in the House

[chuck.han]

No: HPFGUIDX 174415

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "colebiancardi" <muellem at ...> wrote:
> ...
> ahhh, but doesn't Snape state he would do "anything" for Dumbledore
> PRIOR to Lily's death?  So, I think, regardless if she lived or died,
> Snape would still have been saved.  Snape was DD's man when he told
> him he would do anything for Dumbledore if DD would protect Lily & her
> family.  
> 
> The scene that takes place after she died is where DD has to
> manipulate Snape to stay on his side.  DD tells Snape to protect Harry
>  in Lily's memory.  Snape agreed to do so.  
> 
> But, like I stated, if Lily hadn't of died, Snape would have still
> been spy for Dumbledore and done all of the things he was asked to do,
> because he told him he would do *anything*
> ...

We'll never know what Snape would have done if the whole Potter family
had been saved.  IMHO, Snape's path is "clear" BECAUSE of Lily's
death.  Conversely, I don't think his path would have been clear with
a Potter family that was flourishing, with James and Harry (and
perhaps more Potter children) having the attention and love of Lily. 
It would have driven Snape crazy.  He easily would have had James and
Harry snuffed out to save Lily.  Just because he says he'll do
ANYTHING for her survival doesn't mean that he could have ultimately
managed it.

Look at how complex his character is with the death of Lily even
though his path is "clear."  Think about how complex his character
would have been had all the Potters survived.

Chuck