CHAPDISC: HBP 29, The Phoenix Lament

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 164252

dungrollin: 
> > 11. <snip> What story about Malfoy and Snape should Harry be able 
to 
> > piece together from the information he has?

> Carol responds:
> I notice that no one has responded to this part of the question, and I
> promised to come back to it, so here I am. 

zgirnius:
Actually, I did respond to this question, but since there seems to be 
some interest in discussing it, I will expand on my earlier answer.

As far as what Harry can figure out about Snape and Draco in HBP, I 
think Harry has a coherent story in his head of what happened that fitd 
all of the facts he knows:

Draco has become a Death Eater, and Voldemort has ordered him to kill 
Dumbledore. Snape has taken an interest in this matter. (Harry does not 
know why, but can suppose this is for Snape's own reasons, such as 
ambition, or on Voldemort's orders). As a result of this interest, 
Snape has taken an Unbreakable Vow of unknown, and immaterial, content 
with Narcissa Malfoy in furtherance of this interest. 

Draco and Snape work at cross-purposes, with Snape putting Draco's 
henchmen in detention, and Draco refusing to share his plans with 
Snape. The reasons for their failure to cooperate are made clear to 
Harry in the overheard conversation during Slughorn's party - they view 
themselves as in competition for the glory they can win by being the 
one who carries out the deed.

In the end, Draco gets Death Eaters into the school and corners 
Dumbledore, but because of his unwillingness to murder, is in the end 
beaten out by Snape, who kills Dumbledore and assumes command of the 
Death Eaters at the school. They leave, to report their victory to 
Voldemort.

Since I think Harry is wrong about what happened, obviously, he (and 
thus we) need to learn otherwise in Book 7. I don't think the events of 
HBP is where the story will fall apart, however. I think that what will 
force a reexamination of this story with be some combination of the 
past and the events of Book 7. The part of the story Harry has 
glaringly wrong at the moment is why Dumbledore trusted Snape. Harry 
seems to have forgotten Dumbledore's prior insistence that 
Snape 'returned' before the Potters were killed, and I think the 
reasons for Dumbledore's belief will come to light. And of course, 
Snape could take actions in Book 7 which are inconsistent with 
personally motivated evil/loyalty to Voldemort.