My current opinion of Snape (Longish) / Re: Clues to Snape's Loyalties

[toonmili]

No: HPFGUIDX 170806

Charles:
> My personal take on Snape is that he is evil, but not Voldemort's
> man. I think he is out for himself, to be a powerful dark wizard
> in his own right.


Toonmili: I really have to disagree with you because JK is not
in the habit of using the same characters over and over. I
think Voldemort is a loner. Snape, though is always alone, is
not a loner. Just by the way he reacts to compliments you can
tell he has a desire to be accepted, unlike Voldemort.

To me there is only one character that screams evil but is actually
good, and that Snape. For the sake of proper storytelling. Snape is
now working for himself.

Charles:
> Snape wants to be the final authority on everything. He chose
> LV as a means to learn and gain power, and DD as a safeguard
> from Azkaban.

Toonmili: You are suggesting that Snape is Seer. Are you forgetting
that he joined DD before the knew the outcome of the incident. He
told DD about his mistake without knowing that Voldemort would die
(or disappear or whatever). So there was really no way he could
have known he would be in Azkaban. The DE all thought that Voldemort
would win.


Charles:
> In the terror of the time, when everyone connected with LV
> was getting chucked into prison, he used that safeguard to gain
> himself a position that would allow him both to study all those
> restricted dark arts books at Hogwarts he never got to see as a
> student, and an unlimited number of kids to bully, terrorize and
> otherwise cow into submission. When LV came back, he had to keep
> up appearances on both ends again. By the time of the UV, he is
> sick of burning the candle at both ends. He has to make a choice.
> He chose to kill DD.

Toonmili: Ask yourself. Why would Snape, who knows he is no way
near as powerful as DD put his life on killing DD when Voldy
himself couldn't do it. Again you are assuming that Snape is
a seer. He had no way of knowing that DD was going to drink a
Goblet of Potion that would weaken him.


Charles

> It is debatable as to whether or not he is still trying to teach
> Harry at the end. I personally think that he was. As loath as I
> am to admit it, in his own way he is trying to get Harry ready
> for that battle. His pitiful misunderstanding of Harry and what
> is needed to defeat LV gets in the way, but I do think Snape
> wants LV dead, so that he can be free. I cannot remember who
> said it, but I do remember once hearing that "A man who serves
> two masters will eventually want both of them dead." Whether
> Snape will live to see the demise of both of his masters will
> have to wait until 21 July.

Toonmili:
I never saw Snape as a leader. He seems very good at taking orders
and to me it seems like he is taking them from Dumbledore.