CHAPDISC: DH1, The Dark Lord Ascending

[va32h]

No: HPFGUIDX 175944

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

I said:

> > 16. When Harry reviews Snape's memories later in the book, Snape
> > tells Dumbledore he has only watched people die whom he could not
> > save. Yet he looks dispassionately at Charity Burbage as she 
pleads
> > and cries. Was Snape lying to Dumbledore? Was this the first time
> > he could not save someone? Was Charity Burbage someone Snape could
> > not save?
> > 
> > va32h:
> > Well, he apparently sold out Emmeline Vance after all too. In the 
> big 
> > picture, Burbage's death is one of those "for the greater good" 
> > things. He can always apologize to her in the afterlife. 
> <SNIP>
> 
> 
 Then Alla said:
> 
> Could you please clarify what you meant here? As you know I will be 
> the last person to defend Snape, but I am not sure how Snape is 
> guilty of her death ( if he is good faith spy).
> 
> Are you saying that he helped Voldemort capture her or worse 
> captured her himself and brought to Voldemort?
> 
> Because if he did - BOOOO Snape, BOOOO. ;)
> 
> But I am not sure where is it in canon, or did you mean something 
> totally different?
> 

va32h;

Are you talking about Emmeline Vance? I'm referring to HBP, Spinner's 
End, when Snape says he provided information that led directly to the 
capture and murder of Vance. I had hoped, pre-DH that this was merely 
boasting, or a clever ruse (Emmeline's death faked a la the fake 
death Dumbledore offered Draco). 

However, Vance is not brought up at all in DH, and since Snape did 
sit by and let Burbage be murdered, and had just provided the 
information that led to Moody's death and the near-death of George 
(or would-be death of Lupin had Snape not been able to intervene at 
all) it would seem that both Snape and Dumbledore accept that Snape 
will have to let a few people get killed in order to keep Snape's 
cover.  

I have no idea if Snape captured Burbage - although since we do have 
canon that he was inside Hogwarts sometime after Dumbledore's murder 
but before he was announced Headmaster (his conversation with DD's 
portrait prior to the events in the Seven Potters chapter) it would 
not be unreasonable to conclude that Snape had access to the school 
and its occupants. 

I didn't expect Snape to try and save her, nor am I particularly 
upset that he didn't try to do so. It wouldn't have worked, and it is 
a necessary sacrifice for the greater good, although admittedly 
Charity would probably not have agreed at the time. 

Hope that makes sense. 

va32h