HBP post DH look Chapters 1-2.

[lealess]

No: HPFGUIDX 184343

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "tommy_m_riddle" <scarah at ...> wrote:
>
> > 
> > Carol:
> > I think you're missing the point, which is that Snape only
> > reluctantly agreed to kill Dumbledore and still, even after the 
> > vow, doesn't want to do it. 
> 
> Sarah:
> Well, I suppose we are even since I think it is you who are missing
> the point.  Which is that Snape agrees to things that are convenient
> for Snape.  Which is why he agreed to the UV, because it was 
> something he already planned on doing anyway.  He was reluctant when 
> he agreed to kill Dumbledore, *at first.*  Then, like everything else 
> in his life, he accepted it as a given, since it was ordered by  
> Dumbledore. He was seen later trying to get out of it, but a) I don't 
> think Snape is really that stupid that he actually believes that 
> would be feasible and b) as I said earlier, Snape is attempting to 
> leverage Dumbledore into something entirely unrelated, so he's just
> waving that around.
> 
<snipping most of the discussion>

I am interested in Harry Potter's last scenes with Dumbledore in HBP.
 One minute, he is in Dumbledore's office, angry at the Headmaster for
keeping from him the information that Snape was the one who revealed
the Prophecy to Voldemort.  He wants something from Dumbledore, though
-- the chance to be in on the action.  So, Dumbledore shuts him down,
reminds him that they were accomplishing a task under Dumbledore's
lead, and secures his promise to do whatever is asked of him.  Then
they go to the cave.  Harry feeds the contents of the basin to
Dumbledore knowing the potion is causing Dumbledore intense harm. 
Harry doesn't hesitate to do this.  It's fair to say that Harry has
very little information about what's going on.  He makes matters worse
by giving a thirsty Dumbledore the water surrounding them.  Inferi
advance on them.  Harry freaks, and Dumbledore has to take command of
the situation.  Harry is left to take action to bring the situation to
what he hopes will be a safe conclusion.  (Sorry if any of this is
misremembered, and thanks for any corrections.)

To me, this is a mirror of the situation with Snape, although played
out in a much shorter timeframe.  Dumbledore secures a promise from
someone who is  angry at that moment about the truth being withheld
from him.  Dumbledore defuses the anger, then asks his subordinate to
put Dumbledore's life in danger for Dumbledore's concept of the
greater good.  The subordinate does all in his power to follow through
with Dumbledore's plan, disregarding any other sources of help, even
taking extraneous action which he thinks will be helpful (the UV, the
water) to fulfill Dumbledore's mission.  Dumbledore has to step in at
the end to reinforce his will and protect his subordinate.  The
subordinates, both Harry and Severus, are left to deal with the
consequences and their consciences.

Neither, by the way, seems very guilty or even reflective over their
actions.  We see little of Severus, of course, but we see plenty of
Harry.  I don't recall him ceasing to feed the potion to Dumbledore in
the cave or worrying about it afterwards, or wondering about the
effects of giving Dumbledore the cave water, or chastising himself
over failing to destroy the Inferi.  He did as he was told and even
went beyond that on his own initiative.  Does this make Harry cold and
calculating and self-interested?

Harry is younger and thus presumably more innocent than Snape -- and
yet, he took actions that inadvertently led to the death of someone he
loved.  He found relief in hating and blaming others.  Snape, failing
someone he loved, hated and blamed himself, and became Dumbledore's.

I don't see Harry as being innately better than Snape at the end of
Dumbledore's life.  The only difference is that Dumbledore loved Harry
and did not love Severus, callously expecting Severus to kill him
while mercifully withholding from Harry information on the
potion/water's effects, which Harry could see in any event.

Why did Snape take the UV?  Perhaps he felt as if he had nothing left
to lose and saw it as a way out.  Perhaps he wanted to protect Draco.
 Perhaps he thought taking the Vow cost him nothing, *if* he thought
killing Dumbledore was going to cost him nothing.  I doubt the latter,
however, because killing Dumbledore caused him great pain, as seen in
Dumbledore's office when he all but begged Dumbledore to confirm his
worth by asking about the value of his soul, and as seen in the light
of Hagrid's burning hut.

I see Snape as a vulnerable, conflicted, isolated, and ultimately
tragic human being.  It seems others still see him as a conniving,
cold-hearted, self-interested (yet impotent and resigned!) Slytherin.
 I would love to know what leads us to these different conclusions.

lealess