The Prince’s Tale

[marika_thestral]

No: HPFGUIDX 172226

Since I'm no fan of Wuthering Heights, I'm not sure how I feel about
the similarities between Heathcliff (mystious man with a sad
childhood, one great tragic love and later he grows bitter and treats
others badly) and Snape (whom I have become quite fond of). I so wish
his story had taken a different turn, one where he didn't have to die.

Because of Snape's great remorse he deserved a chance to finally be
able to lead a normal life. His death left me with a feeling of
hopelessness (or possibly there is a dementor standing behind me). I
had wanted his story to bring hope, to say that even if you are poor,
don't look good and make mistakes there is a way out of it. No doubt
his mistakes had a horrible outcome, but he also had to pay a high
price for them.

Snape died before the last battle without even knowing if his efforts
(to help Harry survive and conquer Voldemort) had been for nothing or
if they actually made a difference. The last word spoken (yelled) to
him from a member of the Order was Minerva calling him a coward
(before he turned himself into a bat). In my point of view he had
deserved to be recogised for who he really was and for all he had done
before he died. The knowledge that he would go to history as as a
brave and heroic man had probably made him pleased. (Just an assumpion
because of his reaction in PoA when Fudge promised him a medal for
catching Black.)

And I can't believe that Hogwarts (in the Epiloge) kept sorting people
into Houses. Not because Voldemort suggested that Slytherin was the
only necessary house to keep, but for the same reason that Dumbledore
told Snape that sometimes he thought it was too early to sort at the
age of 11(DH p. 545), but I wish to add that besides being too early
it also prevents Slytherins to choose the good path. The parts of you
that are bad will grow worse since people around you are not very
good. To me is seems like ending up in Slytherin is like spending time
in prison (where serious criminals  influence the less serious ones to
become even worse) - but before you actually have comitted any crimes. 

Snapes friendship with Lily - on the other hand - brought out the good
in him. I do belive she did the right thing when asking him not to
spend time with cruel people, but it must have been difficult to get
away from them - since your House is considered your family while at
Hogwarts.. 

About her ending the friendship I don't know what to think. I wish we
had learned more about this, from Lily's point of view. Did she end it
because he had become ruder in general and was no longer a good friend
(hard to believe from how sincere his appolgies seemed to be) or
because she actually knew for sure that he disliked muggleborns and
wished to join Voldemort? -  than she defenitely did the right thing.
Did she on the other hand end it because of his unlikable friends
(just assuming he was like them), and because of  what he called her
(but regretted)? In that case I think she did wrong.  It was never her
job to change him or to save him, but a good friend doesn't turn
his/her back to a best friend without leaving an opening (if he
changed they would become friends again) unless having a good reason
for doing so. 

I'm really curious what Rowling had in mind when she said that the
thougth of Snape being in love was horrible, and that she couldn't see
why anyone would like him to be in love with them. Did she mean the
grown up bitter man, whose heart belongs to a dead woman? If so, that
makes sense. Zero chance that a person like that would make anyone
happy. But she can't possibly have meant teenage Snape before he
became a Death Eater? All I see is a boy/young man who has been badly
treated by muggles, wanting to get away from that, and who really
badly wants a good friend, somebody who likes him. Wasn't his love for
Lily supposed to be the best part of him??? Or was that his remorse??
(DH p. 545) It also seems to me that he respected Lily and that he was
a good friend, who cared about her. Maybe he was a bit jelous, but not
in a scary controlling way, and when she reacted against this he
seemed to understand that this is not a good thing and stops (DH p. 541). 

Looking closer to Snape as well as Voldemort and Dumbledore, they all
had bad experience of muggles from their childhood, and started to
believe that wizards were better. Both Dumbledore and Snape later on
understood where these kind of thoughts are taking you, and  the loss
of somebody they loved that made them wake up and regret what they
were doing. Only Voldemort who was incapable of love, never changed
his mind.

Dumbledore ended up better than Snape. He succeded to keep his past a
secret to the public, and  he personally was the one to confront
Grindewald which I must have helped the healing process considering
the guilt he felt for his sister's death. He got the chance to live a
full life. He was respected by the public and loved by most of the
students. He did many good things which made up for the bad things
earlier in his life.

Snape on the other hand never lived to see Voldemort die (Lily's true
murderer). Even thou he took full responsibility for the part he had
played, it was not enough to make him heal. Sooo sad...

Marika