Why DD did not ask Snape to kill him. (extremely long)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 166143

> Dana:
> 
> For me the idea that Snape did everything on DD's orders is
> stretching believability to such an extent that it makes it
> highly improbable because it makes assumptions that DD knew
> that Narcissa would come to Snape for help. 

Pippin:
In an earlier post you said that Harry would have to rely on
instinct because reason is not quick enough. That's why
people who know they might find themselves in crisis
situations learn to do their thinking *in advance.*

Do you think that Dumbledore and Snape never discussed
what Snape should do if a DE wanted his help? Or wouldn't
discuss which DE's might be most likely to ask for it?

And Snape and Dumbledore would also have had to consider 
what Snape would do if  Voldemort  commanded him
to take a UV. While I can't imagine Voldemort subjecting 
himself to a procedure that forces him to kneel while 
someone holds a wand on him, it wouldn't be out of character
for him to demand that Snape undertake a UV with someone else.

I can imagine that Snape would be told that if the situation arose
he should take the vow as commanded and Dumbledore would 
do his best to find a way around it. What other choice would there 
be? If Snape refused, he would still die.

So DDM!Snape would not have to think very long when Narcissa
asked for the vow -- his questions to himself would not be,
Will Dumbledore approve of my risking my life to save a student,
or, What  if I'm forced into a situation where I have to 
betray Dumbledore or die, because Snape would have considered  
those things already. Nor would he ask himself "What do I have to 
lose?" Smart risk takers ask, "What am I trying to gain?"

By agreeing to take the vows, there is a reasonable chance that
Snape will  gain  the life of at least one student and silence the
rumors that are threatening his position with LV. Voldemort
will not long tolerate his Death Eaters whispering that one of their
number has managed to hoodwink him.

By refusing, Snape gains nothing -- both he and Dumbledore are 
already in mortal peril, The Plan is already underway,  and refusing 
the vow will not change any of it.

Voldemort had tried to kill Dumbledore already --
which means vow or no vow, his life expectance was no better 
than Karkaroff's. 


I don't know what Dumbledore's plan for Snape was, but we
can believe the mission involves more than finding out what
the Dark Lord was telling his Death Eaters. That must be
Snape's cover story, because that's the part that Snape
admits to freely in the presence of someone whose mind is
an open book to Dumbledore and Voldemort alike.

But most of us have realized that Harry cannot possibly 
defeat Voldemort in the final confrontation without backup.
In this kind of story, the hero may bravely set out to take on 
the villain alone, but victory usually comes because
someone else, quite unexpectedly, shows up and helps.

Pippin