On being Lucky (was On lying and cheating)

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 166013

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Ceridwen" <ceridwennight at ...> 
wrote:
as a spy for whichever side you 
> prefer.
> 
> The interesting question about Snape here is, which does he 
prefer?  
> Who does he envy more: James, for dying a hero's death, brought 
with 
> laurels to his final bed?  Or, Dumbledore, who lived his long life 
> out, providing continuity and wisdom, and was honored on his 
funeral 
> bier?  Is he cautionary, or epic?
> 
> Ceridwen.
>


Well, I guess he would envy both of them for different things.  He 
would envy James his glory and his "brightness," and DD the respect 
and veneration in which he is held, and likely the power he wields.  
He probably envies them other things as well -- things yet to 
revealed.  Maybe he envies James Lily's love and Dumbledore ... well, 
who knows what?

That this means he is deeply conflicted is surely not unrealistic.  
He envies James and Dumbledore for things that are mutually 
exclusive, perhaps, in that James' glory is partially from an early 
death and DD's veneration partly from a long life.  But that is the 
way people are -- they yearn for opposed things, usually without 
admitting such to themselves.  When you get down to it Snapey-poo 
probably doesn't KNOW what he really wants.  But in that he isn't any 
different than anybody else, including DD if his speech at the end of 
OOTP is to be credited.


Lupinlore, thinking that, come down to it, Harry in some ways is the 
least conflicted guy in the whole bunch