Mourning Snape's life - Objective Truth

[littleleahstill]

No: HPFGUIDX 183131

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboyminn at ...> wrote:
>
> > 
> Consider what it appeared that Snape had done in killing 
> Dumbledore. How could anyone, especially Harry, ever be made
> to believe Snape when he told Harry what he had to do? Yet,
> that was exactly what Snape's instructions from Dumbledore
> were. To tell Harry the whole truth in the final hours of
> the inevitable battle. But again, how could Harry be made to
> accept that truth as reality.
> 
> The only way was a death bed confession or dying declaration. 
> Snape would have nothing to gain at the moment of death from 
> lies. Also, we know the Penseive doesn't lie. Memories can be
> altered or blocked out, but they can never be lies; they are 
> fully objective.
> 
> I wondered about this as we were pondering what might happen
> in the final book, and, as far as I was concerned, one of the
> greatest mysteries was how Snape would bring Harry around to
> his way of thinking. I couldn't imagine how that could 
> possibly happen with the animosity between them so great. 
> 
> But, JKR found a way that satisfied everything. She found away
> for Snape to give Harry clear objective truth in a way that 
> Harry would never question. 
> 
> So, I ask, if not this way, then in what way?
> 
> Steve/bboyminn

Leah:  Just adding briefly to the earlier replies to this.  Firstly, 
I don't think it's true that Snape would have nothing to gain from a 
deathbed confession; he would be remembered as a hero rather than 
reviled as a traitor,possibly a posthumous Order of Merlin. 

It's clear from the Elder Wand chapter that Snape does not come to 
the Shack intending to die and make a death bed confession to Harry; 
he doesn't know the boy is there.  He is desperate to get away and 
find Harry, which suggests that he had some idea of how to 
communicate with him.  He has already sent Harry the doe patronus, 
which Harry instinctively trusted and knew was not dark magic, and 
which led Harry to the Sword of Gryffindor.  If Snape could let 
Harry see him casting the doe patronus, and use it to lead him to a 
pensieve, then that would probably have worked.

IMO it was disappointing  not to have got some sort of resolution 
between Harry and a living Snape earlier in the DH story.   It 
couldn't be because JKR wanted the big 'reveal' of Snape's loyalty 
at the end of the book, but I thought unsatisfying.

Leah