Clues to Snape's Loyalties

[wfgriffeth]

No: HPFGUIDX 170801

"justcarol67" <justcarol67 at ...> wrote:
<snip>
> Dumbledore is really dead, and yes, Snape killed him (unless
> Pippin is right that the spell was not a real AK and DD died
> from the poison or something else), but there's that exchanged
> glance between two Legilimens, a possible silent exchange of
> images and emotions which passed so quickly that Harry only
> saw its consequence, the expression of (self?)hatred and
> revulsion, and then, after "Severus, please" (also
> misinterpreted?), Snape finally raises his wand and speaks
> the words, resulting in a most unusual AK that sends DD over
> the wall and allows him to die with closed eyes and a peaceful
> expression (in marked contrast to Cedric Diggory and the
> Riddles).

> Assuming that Harry is wrong and DD was begging (not ordering)
> Snape to kill him--for the Order, for Harry and Draco, for the
> WW--we have at least two precedents for a widespread
> misunderstanding of events involving murder or intent to murder.
> A large number of Muggles *saw* Sirius Black "murder" twelve
> Muggles and Peter Pettigrew, and he was sent to Azkaban on
> their testimony (and DD's that black was Secret Keeper, which
> he "knew" to be "true"; in CoS, a large number of Hufflepuffs,
> Ravenclaws, and Slytherins *saw and heard* Harry "egging
> on" the conjured snake to attack the Muggle-born Justin
> Finch-Fletchley and conclude that Harry is the Heir of Slytherin.
> Ernie Macmillan, Justin's fellow Hufflepuff, stubbornly tells
> Harry that he knows what he saw, but like the Muggle witnesses
> to the Black-Pettigrew confrontation, what he and the other
> students think they saw--with their own eyes in clear light--is
> wrong.

> Carol, agreeing that what Harry saw and heard on the tower was
> in some way misinterpreted and believing that, like Ernie
> Macmillan in CoS and DD in PoA, he will learn the truth in DH



It's quite possible that Snape is speaking the Avada Kedavra
but actually performing a different, non-verbal spell (one that
nevertheless filled him with revulsion). We know from Bellatrix
in OP that one must really mean an unforgiveable curse for it
to be effective, so Snape may not have even been able to AK
Dumbledore. Typically, AK victims lie where they are cursed,
with their eyes open. Dumbledore, contrary to this pattern,
flew over the parapet and lay with his eyes closed.

How can Harry overcome the vivid memory he has of Snape's
apparent treachery? Perhaps by experiencing Snape's or
Dumbledore's memories of their agreement via the pensieve.
Perhaps by building on his admiration for the Half-Blood
Prince, who taught him so much. Perhaps by rekindling the
understanding of Snape that he developed from seeing Snape's
worst memory. After all, Harry's greatest strength is supposed
to be his ability to love. If this notion is not simply "great
love implies great thirst for revenge", then perhaps Harry will
grow to understand Snape and to reconcile with him. Harry might
even be able to offer Snape a deep apology for James's treatment
of Snape, a sort of truth-and-reconciliation.

Finally, Harry can offer Snape a way to complete his dealing with
the greatest regret of his life -- setting Voldemort on the path
to killing Lilly Potter. Harry manipulated Slughorn by playing on
his affection for Lilly. If, as many people think, Snape secretly
loved Lily, then he would be even more susceptible to an appeal
from the son with her eyes.

BillG