[HPforGrownups] What did Dumbledore have up his sleeve?

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 168843

From: Gary <fiziwig at yahoo.com>
>Simply put, we were shown DD's withered (dead?) hand, but how
>extensive was the damage? How far up his sleeve did it extend? And
>more importantly, was the damage still spreading? If the spread of the
>damage could be slowed but not stopped entirely, DD would be facing a
>terminal prognosis; an irrevocable death sentence. Given that
>possibility then DD's death wasn't so much "murder" as "assisted
>suicide" or "euthanasia". Perhaps, knowing that, no matter what, he
>must soon die, he wanted his death to serve some higher purpose,
>namely cementing Snape's position with LV, making Snape that much more
>valuable to the Order. Given the choice of watching DD die a slow and
>painful death or "putting him out of his misery", the choice for
>Snape, although undoubtedly difficult, might have been an ultimate act
>of mercy performed for a respected friend.

Bart:
It has been mentioned. Look for the phrase "already dead". 

It is the key to a lot of DDM!Snape theories; that the reason why it was OK for Snape to kill Dumbledore was because Dumbledore was already on the verge of death, and that Snape was just "pulling the plug". 

And, as long as it's been mentioned, let me point out that, if Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard in the world, and Voldy is #2, then, at least the way Snape has been depicted, he is at least in the running for #3. However, he has an additional advantage: he's not attached to Harry. He's kind of the equivalent to the powerful henchman of the bad guy in James Bond films who shows up to give Bond a last battle after the major baddie has been defeated; it may even be HARDER for Harry to defeat Snape than it will be to defeat Voldemort. And Harry vs. Snape may actually overshadow Harry vs. Voldemort. UNLESS...

...Snape is in fact still with the OOP, under very deep cover. He is not in a position to be the hero, but he IS in a position to be a surprise ally; perhaps sacrificing himself to give Harry the one opportunity to kill Voldy, assuming that Harry can take advantage of it. 

Between Harry must defeat Snape as well as Voldy, and Snape managing to give Harry that extra bit of an edge he needs, at great personal sacrifice, the latter is MUCH more dramatic. 

Bart