Snape, Draco, and Harry in DH (WAS Re: ChapDisc: HBP30, The White Tomb...)

[Zara]

No: HPFGUIDX 165846

> > Quick_Silver:
> > My own personal (and unlikely) theory is that the seed
> > of doubt about Snape will be planted in Harry's mind 
> > by Draco...

> bboyminn:
> But Draco presents the same problem as Snape. While 
> Harry may have realized that Draco couldn't kill 
> Dumbledore, Draco, none the less, caused Dumbledore's 
> death. He is guilty of conspiracy to commit murder or 
> accessory to murder. In the eyes of the law, Draco is 
> just a guilty as Snape. So how can Harry reconcile with
> Draco? What could possibly happen to bring them together
> on the same side?

zgirnius:
I am not very interested in legal arguments, not being a lawyer, and 
not having handy the legal code that governs wizarding Britain. I 
think in this my approach is probably similar to Harry's <g>.

>From Harry's point of view, (and not the point of view of DDM!Snapers 
such as you and I who may feel the whole situation forced Snape's 
hand) is Draco responsible for what happened to Dumbledore?

Harry knows that Draco excluded Snape from his plans, he heard their 
discussion during Slughorn's party. He believes Draco would in the 
end not have killed Dumbledore. And he saw Snape kill Dumbledore, he 
believes because Snape is Voldemort's man. Not a Death Eater Draco 
brought in, but someone who was trusted completely by Dumbledore and 
had daily access to him. Sure, legally there's probably something 
there because they belong to the same illegal organization, or Draco 
was in the process of committing a felony, or what have you, but from 
Harry's point of view, the same outcome could have resulted if weak, 
sick Dumbledore had gotten to Snape in his dungeon that same evening 
as he appeared to intend, without Draco lifting a finger.

There is also what I think Harry would see as a mitigating factor, 
the threat to Draco's family.

So much for Harry, on to Draco - what would bring him to Harry's 
side? My answer - desperation. He has been forced to face the fact 
that he does not have what it takes to be a successful Death Eater. 
Being an unsuccessful one is likely to be unpleasant and/or deadly 
for Draco and/or his family. Running and hiding is not something 
Draco can do successfully on his own. I am sure he is aware of the 
fate of Igor Karkaroff, a much older and more accomplished wizard 
than Draco. 

He does have some pride, and this would be a barrier to approaching 
Harry. But I think the threat to his parents might help overcome 
that. Also, if Draco can bring something to the table - a piece of 
useful information, or some such, that might help as well, it would 
feel less like begging his old rival for help.

bboyminn:
> If Draco contacts Harry, why would Harry even remotely
> trust him. How could he possibly dare met with Draco
> when Draco has caused Dumbledore's death and caused the
> injuries to Harry friends, and is now working with the
> Death Eaters? 

zgirnius:
I would not expect Draco to try and set up a meeting, that does smell 
like a trap. Showing up on Harry's doorstep is another matter.

> bboyminn:
> I picture Snape luring Harry into a clandestine meeting,
> Snape offerring his explanation, but no matter how I
> word that explanation in my mind, Harry is just not 
> going to buy it. He has too much hatred of Snape to
> forgive so easily. 

zgirnius:
I'm replying to you, but really I want to say something more general 
about this type of discussion, about how Harry and DDM!Snape could 
ever again cooperate, and am just using your post as a spot to jump 
off.

There are a lot of very interesting theories about how Harry will 
come to realize that Snape is on his side. What they have in common 
is cold, hard facts and logic. An Order member knows the plan, he 
will explain to Harry. Lupin or Hermione will figure it out (Lupin, 
because he seems capable of a dispassionate view of a situation, or 
Hermione because she is so darned smart) and will explain it to 
Harry. Harry will find a letter from Dumbledore. Harry will see a 
Pensieve memory of the argument in the Forest (either one Dumbledore 
has left, or perhaps Hagrid's). And then Harry will be forced to 
reexamine his ideas about Snape. I've probably missed a few.

I can see one or more of these playing a role, but to me Harry's 
feelings about Snape really have very little to do with facts and 
reason, and a lot more to do with emotion. To be clear, at the end of 
HBP Harry has an excellent, logical reason to hate and be suspicious 
of Snape. He has just seen with his own eyes that Snape is a 
murdering traitor.

But, Harry was already burning with hatred for Snape at the *start* 
of the book. He blames Snape for Sirius's death - but the plot that 
led to it was facilitated by Kreacher, not Snape, as Harry knows 
well. He is aware Snape saved Dumbledore's life, that Snape sent the 
Order to the Ministry, that Snape returned to Voldemort as a spy in 
GoF, and that Snape tried to save his life from Quirrell's broom 
jinx, but none of these facts make a dent in Harry's feelings. For 
this reason, I think that the breakthrough will have to involve 
emotion. 

Which is why I don't think it will be accomplished through the clever 
machinations of Snape, but probably come about spontaneously, when 
Harry and Snape next bump into one another. (Yes, I think Rowling is 
promising us that with Harry's comments at the end of HBP).

My mental model for how this would look and feel is the Shrieking 
Shack scene of PoA. Snape's position is similar to that of Sirius 
Black - a wanted fugitive, damned by appearances, and hated by Harry 
more than Harry hates Voldemort. I believe, also, that like Sirius 
before him, Snape is affected by his involvement in the tragedy, and 
feels responsible.

Much CAPSLOCK conversation and drama must ensue given the feelings of 
both characters (look how far they got in the chase scene...), after 
which Harry will be able to look at old facts in a new light, or 
entertain new facts with less prejudice. Enough of a shift for Harry 
to consider taking the super-useful hypothetical piece of information 
that he really needs to accomplish his mission, rather than turning 
Snape over to the Ministry or killing him in cold blood.