...About Snape - Edgar Bones was killed, with his wife and children...

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 171366

vmonte:

> I'd like to read where JKR said that Snape saw things 
> but they weren't real to him because there was a 
> massive disconnect. Can you point me to that quote?

houyhnhnm:

She has said that Draco, unlike Harry, would be 
naturally gifted at Occlumency becaue he is able to 
compartmentalize his emotions.  He has shut down pity 
and compassion because "how else would you become a 
Death Eater."  This would apply as well or better to Snape.

It is canon that Snape joined the Death Eaters and 
carried what he overheard of the prophecy back to 
Voldemort.   It is canon that Albus Dumbledore 
claimed Snape had rejoined "our side" and is "now 
no more a Death Eater than I am."  It is also canon 
that Dumbledore considered giving the prophecy to 
Voldemort the greatest regret of Snape's life and 
it is secondary canon that Rowling said Snape had 
seen things as a Death Eater but omitted to say 
that he had done things. Beyond that *everything* 
regarding Snape's activities during VWI is speculation.  
However, given what we know for sure, I feel it is 
a reasonable conclusion that he had some kind of 
epiphany.  Obviously that's my interpretation. So 
obviously, in fact, that I didn't think I needed to spell it out.

vmonte:

> My comment was that Edgar Bones family (including 
> his children) were murdered in the 1970s--before 
> Voldemort's fall. Hence, Snape knew full well, 
> what Voldemort was capable of.


> Aside from that, what is your argument really saying?

houyhnhnm:

I should have snipped the second two paragraphs because 
what I was really responding to was:

> Snape wasn't the average wizard on the street.
> Snape was working in close proximity to Voldemort.
> He knew what was happening to the community around him.

We don't really know that.  Snape may have been a low 
level minion the first time around, for all we know.  
But then as I was writing, I started thinking that it 
doesn't make any difference to the issue of *culpability*, 
[IMO].  It should have been obvious (as the dimensions of 
an aluminum tube) to Snape, Regulus, Mr. and Mrs. Black, 
and all the others who got cold feet when they saw the 
lengths that Voldemort was willing to go to, the lengths 
that Voldemort was willing to go to. People see what they 
want to see.

vmonte:

> Making pretend you don't notice your neighbor being 
> hauled off to a concentration camp is a lot different 
> than what Snape did. 

houyhnhnm:

How is it different?