[HPforGrownups] The Half Blood Prince (WAS Re: Unbreakable Vows)

[Ronin_47]

No: HPFGUIDX 165589

 
--Ronin's Comments--
My take on the UV is that Snape was backed into a corner. With Wormtail
listening in and Bella already suspicious of him, he didn't have much choice
but to accept the UV at the moment and hope to find a way out before the
time came to follow through. He didn't seem to know the details of what
Draco was ordered to do, but I'm sure he'd have known it was something
drastic. If he had known the specifics of Draco's orders, he probably
wouldn't have been interrogating Draco and telling him to let him help. He
was very persistent, which is why Draco was accusing Snape of trying to
steal his glory. None-the-less, Snape had to do something immediate and had
to also consider that if he didn't accept Draco's life could be in jeopardy
as well.
 
There was no way that Dumbledore was going to walk away from that tower.
Draco had plenty of time to kill him, but was obviously scared to death.
With Fenrir Greyback and the others there (and Dumbledore weakened and
wandless), someone was going to do it eventually. Snape had to be the one to
do it in order to save Draco and satisfy the vow. If he'd seen the TWO
broomsticks, he was probably saving Harry as well. How long would it have
been before Greyback had caught the scent of Harry's blood? (His injured
arm)
 
I've just finished reading HBP again and several things struck me as
curious. Snape knew that Harry had been using the book. I bet he knew it all
along. There's a reason that Severus Snape was Harry's potions teacher for
the past 5 years and there was something left to teach him which he learned
from the book. I think the book was planted for Harry. I believe that Snape
and Dumbledore knew that whatever the UV was, it was unavoidable and would
make it impossible for Snape to stay at Hogwarts after it was satisfied.
This is probably the reason that Dumbledore promoted Snape to DADA Teacher,
KNOWING that the position was cursed by Voldemort.
 
Most curious of all is how after killing Dumbledore, Snape doesn't duel with
anyone. He doesn't kill Flitwick to keep him out of the way, but merely
stuns him. As he's fleeing, he tries to get all the Death Eaters to stop
fighting and follow him immediately out of the castle. He has the perfect
opportunity to kill Harry, but doesn't even use any unforgivable or even
aggressive curses on him. (He could've hurt Harry permanently or at least
weakened him substantially without killing him if he was in fact worried
that Voldemort wanted to do it himself.) Instead, he tells Harry that he
WILL NOT use unforgivable curses on him, he will not use his own curses
against him (Dark Arts). He even goes so far as to stop the Death Eaters
behind Harry from harming him when they try to use Crucio on him.
 
Then, in the midst of all of this, Snape is giving Harry final instructions;
"Blocked again and again and again until you learn to keep your mouth shut
and your mind closed, Potter!"   - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,
(1st American Hard Cover Edition, pg. 603)
 
In other words, Practice nonverbal spells and occlumency if you are to have
a chance at defeating the Dark Lord. Never let yourself be tempted to use
the dark arts against him. (This would also go with what Dumbledore was
telling Harry was his greatest power. Never being seduced by the dark arts)
 
If Snape REALLY WANTED to kill Dumbledore, he had plenty of opportunity. He
knew that Dumbledore was after the horcruxes because he was the only one
Dumbledore trusted to help him with his cursed injuries. So, if Severus were
truly a Death Eater, he'd have stopped Dumbledore then by simply delaying
his treatment or giving him the wrong treatment. (Saving his master's
remaining horcruxes in the process and drawing less attention to himself)
Just as if he'd REALLY hated Harry, he could've just let him be jinxed off
his broom in the first year instead of working a counter-jinx. Or he
could've been rid of the lot rather than throwing himself between the kids
and the werewolf/Lupin.
 
This gets me thinking that Snape was Harry's most important teacher all
along. His job was to teach him the practical things, things that would save
Harry's life and prepare him for the final duel with Lord Voldemort. And in
doing this, he had to become as vile, loathed and hated by Harry as Lord
Voldemort was, to teach Harry to use his emotions and to keep his head
rather than attacking stupidly out of anger. Snape's job was the most
important and dangerous of all of the Order members as well as the most
thankless work. This is probably why he goes into a rage when Harry calls
him a coward. (This was also why it had to be Severus, who taught Occlumency
to Harry)
 
Another thing that struck me is "Snape's Worst Memory". I don't think it's
his worst memory because of how he was treated by that lot (although that
doesn't add pleasantness to the incident). I'm thinking that it's his worst
memory because he insults Lily and calls her a "Mudblood". He loses control
of himself because of James Potter and says something so disgusting to
someone I believe is very dear to him (and the only one who stood for him in
the situation). 
At some point during their 6th year at Hogwarts, or even at the end of year
5, I believe that Severus and Lily became close. Maybe they became lab
partners in potions class and collaborate on the notes together. She doesn't
get any credit in the book (Unless it was altered), but there are some
obvious clues to this collaboration in canon. Slughorn's praises for Lily's
potions mastery, Hermione insisting that the Prince could've been a girl,
etc. 
It also strikes me as odd that Harry didn't recognize the handwriting in the
book when he's spent the past 5 years, seeing Snape's handwriting on the
board in each potions class.
 
Dumbledore trusted Snape without a doubt. He knew something that nobody else
was aware of. Harry thinks he knows that it was because of the regret Snape
felt when Voldemort used his information to go and kill James and Lily. But,
I doubt Dumbledore would've trusted Snape based on that, without something
MAJOR to back it up. It's my belief that we will find this out somehow in
book 7, as this is a carrot that has been dangled in front of us for too
long now for it not to be significant. (I also think that Lupin knows
something he's not sharing. He acted very peculiar when Harry was going over
the details of Dumbledore's murder, IMO.)
 
Lastly, I don't think the news that Severus killed Dumbledore is going to go
over too well with the Dark Lord. Snape makes Voldemort look like an
incompetent fool. Lord Voldemort has feared Dumbledore for so long, only to
have him killed by a servant. Not to mention the Death Eaters seeing the
Dark Lord fail repeatedly against Harry Potter, a mere student of a wizard
who isn't even licensed to apparate yet! It amazes me that they still fear
him, let alone follow him. So, if I were Severus, I'd watch my back.
 
To sum up my feelings of the Half Blood Prince; "What doesn't kill us only
makes us stronger".
 
I would love to hear anyone's thoughts on these ideas.
 
 
Cheers,
Ronin


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