Voldemort's Intentions & Snape's Expectations

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 189818


> Shelley:
> Bart, your premise still states that Voldemort could treat people 
> "nicely" (as in what you would do to a useful tool) on purpose. Name 
> even one other Death Eater than Voldemort considered the feelings of or 
> did anything remotely nice for? The only reason he keeps people around 
> is that he needs them, but he doesn't give anyone a choice in it, and 
> neither does he play favorites or dote affection, as much a Bellatrix 
> desired it. <snip> What is missing in this case is something that is 
> painfully required of Snape in exchange for his wish granted.
>

Pippin:
What is  required of Snape is to spy on Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts itself, at great personal risk, with no chance to Apparate out of trouble or use the  Dark Mark to summon aid if he is caught.  And there will be little opportunity to indulge in  the pleasures that being a Death Eater affords. Snape will have to confine himself to handing out unfair detentions to ickle firsties,  which is a bit of a come down for someone who's a specialist in the Sectum Sempra curse.

 As  for the  talent extraordinary enough to impress Voldemort, we know what it is, and it's not potion making or curses. Gifted as Snape is in those areas, Voldemort's gifts are greater. Riddle  is called the most brilliant student that Hogwarts has ever seen. IIRC, he won every award and distinction the school had to offer. Snape is just not in that class.  

What Snape does have,  and Voldemort says he always admires, is courage. The courage not only to voluntarily spy on Dumbledore  in Hogsmeade, but to keep his head and talk his way out of trouble when he was caught red-handed. Even Voldemort himself could not do that.

Such a one would not lack the courage to name the reward he desired. If no other DE ever was granted such a request, perhaps it is because no other DE ever dared to make one. 

So, shouldn't  Snape have been punished for daring to suggest that  serving his master was not the only reward he could hope for and indeed the only one he deserved? That would be in character for an Evil Overlord. But, IMO, it wouldn't be in character for Voldemort.

Voldemort  has one talent that sets him apart, one gift that his real life and fictional counterparts do not have.  When people tell Voldie that they exist only to serve him, he *knows* they are lying. He knows  that people always  want  things for themselves and he can look right inside their heads and see what they are: protection, maybe, but also glory, power, riches...and victims. Some don't want anything *but* victims. Dementors, for example. 

If Voldemort wasn't willing to accept  followers on those terms, he wouldn't have any. But no matter. Voldemort has never insisted on keeping all the power or treasure or victims for  himself, only the  important ones. His servants can have  the spares. 

 It's  no more "doing stuff" for them than dangling a carrot in front of a donkey to make it go is kindness to animals.

Voldemort has no particular reason to see that Snape ever actually gets the carrot. But equally there is no reason to destroy it -- unless it becomes more trouble than it is worth.

Pippin