Snape, a Deatheater who assists suicide?.

[quick_silver71]

No: HPFGUIDX 164068

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, elfundeb <elfundeb at ...> wrote:
<snip>
> Debbie:
> My view is the same regardless of whether Dumbledore was dying -- 
either
> before or after drinking the potion in the cave or begging Severus.
> Dumbledore's death was a sacrifice, not a suicide.  Dumbledore 
always looks
> at the very big picture, not at episodes as ends in themselves.  He
> understands that victory against Voldemort cannot come through him, 
and he
> understands that the critical actors (Harry and Snape but 
especially Harry)
> will not fully understand themselves as long as he is around.
> 
> Snape's arrival on the Tower backs Dumbledore (and Snape) into a 
corner.  (I
> believe that the potion in the cave weakened Dumbledore but that he 
probably
> could have been saved with effective magical medical assisance.)  
There is a
> way to spring Snape (who is needed to help Harry) from the trap but
> Dumbledore must sacrifice himself to make it work.  Accordingly, he 
asks
> Severus to do the deed.
> 
> I don't see this as any different than if the HP cast was on a boat 
and
> there was a fire in the engine room, threatening to spread to the 
entire
> ship.  The ship's only hope is if the engine room door is closed to 
contain
> the fire, but closing the door would doom the crew members in the 
room.  If
> the crew member (say it was the captain) begged the next ranking 
officer to
> close the door, killing the captain but saving the ship, would that 
be
> suicide?  I think not, whether or not the captain was already dying.
> 
> In other words, I give Dumbledore 150 points for cunning, 
resourcefulness,
> and above all, patience and fortitude.
> 
> Debbie

Quick_Silver:
Here's the thing...when I read this post I get the impression that 
there's two "trains" of thought if you will (not necessarily 
contradictory). One is that Dumbledore was not in fact fatally 
wounded and the other is that Dumbledore sacrificing is a brilliant 
strategic move. I don't really have an opinion on the first part but 
the second part...troubles...me. I mean I know on one level that 
you're correct because I believe that Harry must deal with Draco, and 
more importantly, Snape on the road to victory (and of course Harry 
must survive to travel that road). On the other hand Dumbledore on 
the Tower is a man that's been gravely hurt (and seems to be on the 
way out from the potion...although perhaps that could be reversed) 
and is facing a bleak outlook...Harry is on the Tower with him, 
Snape's under that blasted Vow, and Draco is in grave danger. So the 
Tower almost looks like a fighting retreat (is that the right 
military term?) to me...Dumbledore loses but he loses while 
maintaining his principles (Draco) and his players (Snape and Harry). 
But at the same time Voldemort did get what he wanted...Dumbledore is 
dead (perhaps there is a parallel to the end of GoF...Harry wins by 
surviving but Voldemort gets most of what he wants too). 

It's just that before I start praising Dumbledore's sacrifice (too 
much) I need to know what was lost with him (information, a restraint 
on Voldemort, etc) and whether it was worth the trade-off. Especially 
because, from my point of view, the things that Dumbledore seems to 
have been angling for at the end of HBP, mainly, Harry and Snape 
forming some sort of working relationship and his ability to outwit 
Tom Riddle are the two things that I'd want him to gamble the least 
on.

Quick_Silver (who gambles but with loaded dice)