Snape's Psychology: WAS: More thoughts on the Elder Wand subplot - Owner?

[jkoney65]

No: HPFGUIDX 187456

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "julie" <juli17 at ...> wrote:
>
> Julie:
> I guess we differ on a fundamental point, which is that I do
> think Snape atoned for his part in relaying the Prophecy, first
> by trying to undo his wrong (which he did by going to DD; it
> was Pettigrew and of course Voldemort who "undid Snape's undo"
> if you will ;-). And secondly, by spending the rest of his life 
> in service to Dumbledore and to protecting Harry. That to me
> does atone for his part in helping take Harry's parents away
> from him.


jkoney:
Atonement for his actions would be more believable to people if he had done it without Dumbledore roping him into it. Also if he done if for Harry and not just for the memory of Lilly.

>From the time he went to Dumbledore til the end he never cared about Harry, it was always for Lilly. That doesn't show me much if any growth in the character.


> 
> Alla:
> > 
> > Oh and of course because I do not want (in my imagination or if JKR ever decides to go back to Potterverse) to see Harry's kids to hear Snape badmouthing Harry as he badmouthed Harry's dad to him.
> > 
> 
> Julie:
> I'm not convinced this would have happened, had Snape lived.
> Snape spent his adult life in service first to Voldemort, and
> then to Dumbledore. Even more so, he spent his adult life in
> atonement to Lily. If he'd lived, all his debts would have 
> been paid, and to the fullest, given that Harry didn't die as 
> Snape was told and fully expected would happen. Snape at this
> point could wash his hands of it all, knowing he'd kept his
> promise to Lily and that Harry was free to live his own life
> too (no doubt, preferably out of Snape's sight!).
> 
> I doubt Snape would have stayed at Hogwarts. He wasn't that
> fond of children (to say the least), nor of teaching unless
> it was to those few students who had a true grasp of the
> subject and a focused desire to learn. If there were a
> wizarding equivalent of Unversity doctorate programs, that
> is where Snape might fit as a teacher, but not teaching 
> easily distracted children. Otherwise I could see Snape
> going off to do his own thing, be it potions research, 
> DADA or whatever.

jkoney:
If he had lived, I doubt even Harry backing him would have influenced the people to forgive the man who killed Dumbledore. I'm not saying it would be right, but the herd mentality tends to rule.

Also, I don't believe he would have been allowed to teach anymore. His earliest students would now have children approaching school age. I doubt they forgot how he was or how he acted. They would not want their children taught by a deatheater that killed Dumbledore (who inspite of the things printed after his death, is still seen as a hero. One of the people who first told us Voldemort was back). I believe his days at Hogwarts were over. Maybe he could have gotten a job at Durmstrung, but he wouldn't have been welcome in England. 

>> Julie: 
> Okay, I understand. It is more of an after the fact thing. I
> personally wouldn't want Snape to be thoroughly humiliated 
> by Harry if he'd lived, only because I don't like the idea of
> Harry stooping to Snape's level. 

jkoney:
It may have been fitting to humiliate Snape, but Harry was definitely the better man and wouldn't have done it.