On the perfection of moral virtues.

[julie]

No: HPFGUIDX 168943


> 
> justcarol67 Wrote:
> 
> >Harry has never showed the least bit
> > of gratitude to Snape for saving his
> > life in SS/PS 
> 
> And Snape has never shown the least bit of gratitude to Harry for
> saving his life TWICE in the very same book, AND again in the next
> book. Harry did this by stopping Voldemort from taking over the world.
> That is to say, Harry saved Snape's life if you are correct and Snape
> really is the avowed enemy of Voldemort.
> 
> Eggplant

Julie:
By that logic, Harry (nor anyone else) has ever shown any
gratitude for Snape saving the entire WW because his actions
*led* to Voldemort becoming Vapormort. Remember, the WW was
losing big time in that first war. If Voldemort hadn't been
vaporized, he likely would have won, in which case all the
Order members and their families would have been killed. Which
would have included Harry Potter, who instead--because of Snape's
actions--survived his encounter with Voldemort.

I don't really subscribe to that logic because it leaves out
intent, and we could go on forever pointing out how various
actions beget certain results regardless of the intent behind
those actions (not to mention, we have to start giving Peter
credit also for saving the WW). 

The meaningful difference between Harry inadvertently 
saving the WW, or Snape inadvertently saving it, is that 
Snape's actions in PS/SS were deliberate acts to save Harry.
As far as we know anyway, and if that intent on Snape's part
holds up (once we've read any pertinent revelations in DH),
then Snape remains ahead in the saving department, and by
something of a wide margin, considering he was instrumental
in saving Harry in several subsequent instances.

Julie