Would Harry forgiving Snape be character growth for him? Re: CHAPDISC: HBP 29,

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 164132

Alla:
> 
> I am afraid I still do not understand. Harry forgiving Evil Snape
would not provide anything new for his character? How is that possible?
> 
> Right now Harry **hates** Snape, then he will learn to **not hate**
> Snape anymore. Not because Snape did not do anything wrong, but
> because Snape either commits redemptive act OR because Harry would
> realise that it is really bad for his mental health to become like
> Snape or because Harry would realise that Lily would have wanted him
> to forgive Snape or something.
> 
> So, he will grow, no?
<snip>
> I do not agree then, I think that Voldemort in JKR¡¦s world is way 
> beyond forgiveness ( he is a sociopath as she called him) and he 
> would be defeated by some sort of metaphoric showing of power of 
> love, but Harry would also had to forgive somebody IMO, literally.
<snip>

Carol responds:
Let me start by saying I agree that Voldemort is beyond forgiveness.
IMO, Harry's defeat of him using Love won't mean forgiving Voldemort
himself. That's neither necessary or possible, as far as I can see.
But he *will* need to be motivated by compassion for the victims of
Voldemort, not only those who have been killed or tortured by
Voldemort and his Death Eaters, or have lost family members and
friends, but even those who, like Snape, have done things they regret
and now suffer the agony of remorse. If Snape is truly sorry that he
ever aided Voldemort and helped to bring about the Potters's deaths,
and particularly if he's suffering anguish over having to murder
Dumbledore, then he, too, is Voldemort's victim. Understanding and 
forgiving him instead of seeking vengeance on him would be an
essential step forward in Harry's journey toward Love.

So while it would perhaps be noble to forgive a truly evil Snape, it
might be as impossible to do so as it would be to forgive Voldemort.
ESE!Snape would simply be a sociopath on a smaller scale. And even if
Harry could forgive him and set aside his desire for revenge, as he
surely must if his weapon is to be Love, there would be little motive
for doing so. What would be the point of forgiving a wholly evil
Snape? (Snape in any variety is unlikely to ask Harry's forgiveness; I
think it will have to be extended vouluntarily.) And what's the point
of undestanding ESE!Snape's motivations, which would be exactly the
same as Bellatrix's and Crouch Jr.'s, fanatical loyalty to Voldemort,
or OFH!Snape's, which would be chiefly self-preservation, like Peter
Pettigrew's? 

An understanding of DDM!Snape's motivations, however, both his genuine
remorse and his loyalty to Dumbledore, would be a step toward
developing the compassion that Harry needs if he's going to be willing
to sacrifice himself for the WW (which includes Snape as well as
Neville). It would also be a step toward understanding Dumbledore and
seeing the wisdom of his second chances policy and his complete trust
in Snape. (Admitting that DD was right would be an act of maturity for
Harry, not a step backward toward childhood.)

So as far as I can see, forgiving DDM!Snape promotes Harry's progress
toward growing up and toward defeating Voldemort. Forgiving any other
kind of Snape is either too much to expect of Harry or insufficiently
tied in with the compassion a hero must feel for the people he is
trying to save, none of them wholly good or evil, and none, even the
most powerful and talented, able to save themselves.

Carol, sure that the recognition scene, when Harry learns to see Snape
with Dumbledore's eyes, will be one of the most moving and powerful in DH