"Bad Snapers," Karma, and the End of Snape (was Re: Of Sorting and Snape)

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 175565

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at ...> wrote:

> 
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Absolutely, those are exactly my reasons why I loved the ending of 
> Snape as well.
> 
> I may add Dumbledore treating Snape sometimes, well... sort of 
> similarly to how Snape treated Harry, hehe.

That was another irony, was it not?  Or, at least, it adds an 
interesting wrinkle to things.  I would not say that the 
Dumbledore/Snape relationship was like the Snape/Harry relationship, 
in that I don't think DD ever hated Snape, except, maybe, at the very 
beginning when Snape first came to him for help.  However, the 
relationship changed over time and comprised much more compassion and 
respect than was found between Snape and Harry.

Nevertheless, it is clear that the Dumbledore/Snape relationship was 
not what many had assumed.  It was by no means all positive or 
approving or loving or nurturing.  It certainly had a different 
quality than the Dumbledore/Harry relationship.  And, let's face it, 
it is true that some of Dumbledore's more human side, even dare we 
say it his darker side, came out in his relationship with Snape.  He 
certainly was not above pettiness and even sharp cruelty in his 
dealings with the potions master.  It turns out, for instance, that 
his goading of Snape in PoA was probably not some sort of "lesson" 
or "amiable ribbing" as some interpreted, but due to the fact that he 
just didn't approve of Snape's attitude and couldn't resist getting 
in a few knocks (rather like Kreacher, "one more for luck.")

All in all, the behavior of DD and Snape toward each other mirrors 
very well the behavior of people forced for some greater cause to 
work together even though they don't entirely like or approve of one 
another.  Over time respect and even compassion develops, but there 
is always tension, frustration, and "acting out" due to the fact that 
one has to constantly put up with things you really, really don't 
want to deal with (in DD's case Snape's bitterness and inability to 
get over the past, in Snape's case DD's secretive nature and tendency 
to manipulate).  And, as in most such relationships, they each feed 
off the other in a negative cycle.  The more bitter and petty Snape 
acts, the more secretive and withdrawn DD is likely to be.  The more 
secretive and manipulative DD is, the more bitter Snape becomes.  And 
around the rosey we go.


> 
> It is so funny that JKR managed to make myself, who hated Snape so 
> much so very happy with his end **and** many Snape fans as well.
> 

I go back to something Sydney said on this subject: everybody, or 
rather a lot of people win to an extent.  DDM!folks got what they 
wanted, but with enough OFH! and Grey!Snape that those camps can feel 
vindicated as well.  Snape lovers got Snape as crucial to the fall of 
Voldemort.  Snape haters got a satisfying and karmic end for the 
potions master.  The LOLLIPOPS people were by and large pleased.  I 
guess the people left out would be the Ethical!Snape folks, who 
wanted Snape to be motivated purely by his own choices concerning 
right and wrong, the Living!Snape folks, who wanted Snape to live, 
and the Repentant!Harry folks, who wanted some sort of reconciliation 
between a living Snape and a living Harry.


Lupinlore