HBP. Killing DD

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 181623

-zgirnius:
> I don't think it was as simple as your last suggestion, for a couple
of reasons. First, the situation had not reached the point where 
someone else was clearly stepping forward to do it. And second,
Dumbledore's tone of voice truly frightened Harry, which I think 
reflects genuine fear/concern by Dumbledore, not annoyance that Snape
is dawdling (which he hardly is, havign just shown up).
> 
> Having read DH, we now know that the argument in the Forest, which
occured many months after Snape agreed to Dumbledore's plan, was about
several things including Snape's reluctance to go through with the
plan. "Maybe I don't was to do it anymore" (paraphrase) was about 
killing Dumbledore.
> 
> Further, Dumbledore tried to shore up Snape's sense of being trusted
by him by telling him about the soul bit in Harry, a piece of news 
Snape did not accept all that gracefully either. In fact, we are 
never shown Snape agreeing to pass the message on to Harry. So I 
think Dumbledore was in some doubt what Snape would choose, and also 
may have been asking in part, for Snape to remember and stick with, 
the whole plan - kill him, and then protect the students, and then 
wait for the right time to tell Harry about the soul bit.
> 
> The first step was crucial - if Snape failed to kill Dumbledore, he
might not be alive to do the rest.
>
Carol responds:
I agree with most of what you said, except that Snape does hesitate.
Dumbledore speaks his name softly, almost pleadingly, and Snape meets
his eyes, gets that terrible expression on his face that Harry reads
as hatred, but still doesn't raise his wand until Dumbledore literally
begs him: "Severus, please . . ."

I read the desperation in DD's voice as fear that the Unbreakable Vow
will kick in and Snape will be dead, ending what's left of
Dumbledore's plan. I also think that he feared for both Draco and
Harry if Snape died. He was counting on Snape to get the DEs off the
tower, away from Harry, and to keep the provision of his vow that
involved protecting Draco even after the task had been performed.

Snape knew that DD wanted him to be the one to kill him, in part to
protect Draco's soul and in part to prevent DD from a terrible death
at the hands (teeth) of Greyback or a DE who would torture him before
killing him. He knew that DD wanted him to maintain Voldemort's trust,
protect the students once Hogwarts was taken over, and pass that
crucial message to Harry when the moment arrived. And he knew the
consequences of breaking the UV. So, at that moment, he had to decide
whether he wanted to risk his own soul to carry out the plan or die
with Dumbledore, almost certainly taking Harry and Draco with him and
enabling Voldemort to win. It was a terrible decision, and the
expression of hatred and revulsion shows how hard it was for him to
make, as does the hellish agony on his face when Harry calls him a coward.

In short, DD knew how important it was for Snape to kill him and kill
him now. He was not afraid for Snape's soul, which he had more or less
assured Snape would be unharmed if he killed him for the specified
reasons; he certainly wasn't concerned for his own life, which was
about to end one way or another; but he was terrified that his plan
would fail. Snape's survival was as crucial as Harry's. 

Snape, OTOH, *was* concerned about his soul and clearly didn't want to
"murder" DD, but he had nodded his assent to the plan, sworn to
Narcissa that he would protect Draco and perform the deed if it seemed
that Draco would fail, promised to protect Harry for Lily's sake,
promised to protect the students, and promised to deliver the message.
He was bound by his word of honor and by a vow that would kill him if
he broke it. I think that maybe, in that last exchange of glances
between two Legilimens, DD reminded him of just how much was at stake.

IMO, time was of the essence. It wasn't just a matter of someone else
killing DD and becoming master of the wand without knowing it (unlike
Snape, who was giving him the death he chose). It was his desperate
fear that the UV would kick in and Snape would die from it or be
killed by the DEs if he tried to defend Dumbledore. Basically, his
plea meant "Kill me now before it's too late!" Or that's how I read it.

Carol, more or less agreeing with zgirnius but factoring in the UV as
the main reason for DD's sense of urgency