my latest theory about Snape

[jmwcfo]

No: HPFGUIDX 172053

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Schlobin at ... wrote:
>
> Perhaps he plans to supplant Dumbledore AND Voldemort and become 
the most powerful wizard in the world.
>  


JW:
Susan, welcome to the land of the clear-thinking and sure-sighted.

There are many reasons to believe Snape is evil.  There are many 
equally valid reasons to believe he is on DD's team.  IMO, both sides 
in the debate are correct, in a sense.  Snape is indeed evil, but he 
is temporarily allied with DD.  His pragmatic strategy has been "any 
enemy of my enemy is my friend."  His worthy adversary is LV; DD was 
an ally of convenience, to be disposed of when no longer useful.

For the reasons Susan cited, and more, I concluded while reading OotP 
that SS was playing each side against the other.  Further, I 
conjectured that the reason he was so concerned about saving the 
hated HP's life (SS/PS, PoA) was that SS needs a way to defeat LV.  I 
believe he selected the Chosen One as his prime weapon.  His 
pragmatic strategy is to keep HP alive and ultimately assist HP in 
defeating LV.

I thank the History Channel for providing me with an interesting 
historic metaphor.  Around the year 200 C.E., Roman 
general/politician Septimus Severus became Emperor by (among other 
things) playing two rivals against each other.  Their names were 
Albinus (Albus?) and Niger (Dark Lord?).  I see this as an 
opportunity for art to imitate history.

At this point I leave the comfort of canon and enter the realm of 
that temptress, Wild Speculation...

If this approach to the Snape debate is correct, we will first see 
Snape consolidate his position with LV, then assist HP and his allies 
to defeat LV.  At some point Snape must play his hand irrevocably one 
way or the other: either proceed with his plan to eliminate and 
replace LV, or to redeem himself in an unexpected (from my 
perspective, for what it's worth) flash of courageous morality.

IMO, the stimulus that could turn him to moral correctness must occur 
in DH; it will have nothing to do with Lily, or DD, or a life debt... 
it may have something to do with his son, Draco. OR not - my point is 
in order to maximize dramatic impact, Snape must reverse himself in 
response to unanticipated circumstances that he will face in DH, not 
because he was DD's man all along.

There will be lots of Wagnerian donner und blitzen, and a torrent of 
tears.  At least, that's the way I would write it...