Doing it for Lily? was Re: Snape and Harry and expulsion LONG

[lealess]

No: HPFGUIDX 188909



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" <justcarol67 at ...> wrote:
>
> Carol responds:
> 
> I think we can rule out that he was doing it for Harry, at least! But I agree with you that it would require mental gymnastics to convince himself that he was doing it for Lily. In effect, DD is now asking him to *stop* protecting Harry, as he has done since Lily's death so that her death will not be in vain, and send Harry to his death.
> 
> Now why would Snape do that, when he's appalled by it and when he's already agreed against his will to kill Dumbledore? I don't think that loyalty to Dumbledore is a sufficient motive. He needs something stronger. The only motive that seems sufficient to me is the desire to destroy Voldemort forever.
>
><Snip>
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I think the reason is partially found in the other boy Snape swore to protect, Draco Malfoy.  At some point in HBP, Snape probably realized he couldn't protect Malfoy, even at pain of losing his own soul or his life, as long as Voldemort remained alive.  While Lily's death made Snape a life-long enemy of Voldemort, the danger to and compromise of his friends' son must have strengthened his perception that Voldemort had to go at any cost.  Since Dumbledore seemed to have the means to eliminate Voldemort, Snape had to follow Dumbledore's plan.

Hope this makes sense,
lealess