The picture of Lily and Harry

[colwilrin]

No: HPFGUIDX 175018

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Katie" <anigrrrl2 at ...> wrote:
>
> McJuels:
> 
> <<<BIG SNIP>>>
> 
>  When Snape asked Harry to "Look at me!" I choose to believe
> > that Snape was finally forcing himself to look at Harry and see
> > him for who Harry is and not who his mother and father were.
> 
> 
> > Colwilrin:
> <<SNIP>>
> > I disagree, however that he had Harry look at him at the end to 
see 
> > Harry for himself.  I think that throughout his entire life, 
Snape 
> was directed to act from his love for Lily.  In his last moments, 
he 
> wanted to leave his life looking into the eyes of his beloved 
Lily.  
> It was his last comfort, and I'd like to think that in those eyes 
> some 
> > forgiveness and comfort was given to him by Harry.
> <<SNIP>>
> 
> ***Katie:
> <SNIP>
> Katie, hoping Snape wasn't all creepy, selfish, and obsessive in 
his 
> last moments of life.

Colwilrin:

I didn't see it as creepy or selfish. It reminded me of last 
confession (to stick with the religious themes of the series).  Snape 
was asking for forgiveness from Lily before he died.  He wanted to 
look into those eyes...apologize for his misdeeds and receive 
forgiveness from the one he loved completely and wronged. This also 
is supported by JK's comment that Harry having "Lily's eyes" is so 
important...this interpretation seems to be the one place where the 
importance of the "eyes" makes sense to me.  JK stressed it, and this 
seems to be the only place where it fits.

Though I agree that Snape was not a selfish person.  I do believe 
that his loyalty was not to Dumbledore, or to Harry, but to Lily.  As 
Snape himself stated of his doe patronus "always".  Lily was his 
entire motivation.  He spent the final 16 years of his life trying to 
make up for his betrayal of Lily.

I like your point about coming to terms with Harry as his own 
person.  When Snape did ask Harry to look at him, it was the first 
time Snape fully acknowledged the "Lily" part of Harry and saw more 
than "James' son".  IMO this was part of the request, but secondary 
to his desire to be forgiven by the woman he loved.  I guess the best 
interpretation for me is that Snape died in the comfort of Lily's 
forgiveness given to him through her son, who Snape finally realized 
was more like Lily that he could have ever imagined.  

Now, if you want to take that into a religious theme context.  It is 
Snape accepting the Christ figure and his ability to convey the 
Father's forgiveness to him before he dies.  Comparable to looking 
into the eyes of a priest and seeing God's forgiveness...you accept 
it is a priest, but feel God's presence and forgiveness at the same 
time.
>