Voldemort's Intentions & Snape's Expectations

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 189801

> Nikkalmati
> 
> The interesting thing to me is that whatever LV said to Snape, it
> didn't satisfy him.  Even though LV must have promised that he
> would spare Lily, Snape went at the risk of his life (he thought)
> to Dumbledore to ask him to protect Lily. He was in a serious panic
> so he wasn't just covering his bets.  What made him think LV's
> promise was worthless?  Could it have been connected in any way
> with Regulus' death?

Mike:
I don't think it had anything to do with Regulus's death. The way I read DH, Regulus never revealed his change of heart to anyone but Kreacher, and LV never knew that Regulus had stolen the locket. So I don't see how Snape could have taken anything from Regulus's disappearance.

My thinking is that Snape was aware that LV couched many of his *gifts* with double entendres. For instance, he gave Wormtail his new hand and said "may your loyalty never waiver". Little did Wormtail know that if and when his loyalty waivered, his hand turned on him and killed him. Now I know this all occurred much later in the story, but I'm guessing that LV had done this kind of thing before. LV's little talk with DD about coming to Hogwarts as a teacher was filled with double entendres.

There is also the chance that LV actually conditioned his promise to Snape with 'if she doesn't cause any problems' or something of that sort. Knowing Lily, Snape would know that Lily would indeed 'cause problems' if LV showed up intent on killing her child.

And there's that added bonus that LV is a big fat liar, and Snape knows it. So he wouldn't trust that LV was going to keep his word, to him or anyone.

What I don't get is why Voldemort made the promise in the first place. Snape certainly wasn't high enough in rank to garner such special consideration. It would seem more in character for LV to punish Snape for making such a request, than to grant it.

Mike