Did Snape really abandon his post? Was: No progress for Slytherin?

[krista7]

No: HPFGUIDX 173853


> colebiancardi:
> > I do wonder about that quote.  It wasn't that Snape "abandoned" his
> > post - he was run off.  If he had stayed, he would have been killed 
> > or he would have killed.  Not exactly a *win-win* situation.  Not to
> > *question* JKR's answer, but that reply doesn't connect with The
> > Sacking of Severus Snape chapter.  What was he supposed to do?  I do
> > not agree that he abandoned his post.  
> 
> 
> SSSusan:
> Just weighing in to say my eyes bugged out a bit when I read that 
> response, too.  Does *anybody* here have a real inkling of what JKR 
> was thinking of when she chose the words 'abandoned his post'?  If 
> so, please pipe up!

This is my theory: 

Snape had 2 jobs at Hogwarts:
1.) to continue to protect Harry/forward Dumbledore's plan;
2.) to take care of the students of Hogwarts.

When Snape was engaged in battle with McG, he had to make a choice:
1.) die or be disarmed by McG, either way being removed from 
the real action (including protecting Harry);
2.) kill or incapicate McG, effectively taking one of Hogwarts'
greatest defenders out of action;
3.) confess he's a good guy, to make McG back off, and ruin his cover;
4.) run, to keep his cover, and to allow Hogwarts to have within it 
someone solely devoted to the good of the students.

He chose #4--to depart, and give the job of governing Hogwarts to 
McG. Since the main reason he leaves is to continue his job
of protecting Harry, he's really given up his post as Headmaster
of Hogwarts to McG. So, he abandoned post--for good reasons, but
he still left his job at Hogwarts.

I thought about how this fit with Dumbledore's example, since
he too fled Hogwarts at one point (from Umbridge and the aurors),
but he's reinstated after the Umbridge reign. Thus, when he dies,
he's still serving officially, and he gets a portrait. Snape doesn't
get the chance to be reinstated and to die in office, like AD, so 
he doesn't automatically get a portrait.

Krista (who would love to hear Snape snarking away in the portrait!)