[HPforGrownups] Re: Voldemort's Intentions & Snape's Expectations

[Shelley]

No: HPFGUIDX 189805

On 11/29/2010 1:47 AM, Mike wrote:
>> 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.
>       Bart:
>
>       OK, did nobody but me read that Sirius Black, in GOF, said, "Snape
> knew more curses when he arrived at school than half the kids in the
> seventh year"? Snape was a genius, and as such, very useful to Morty.
>
>       Bart

Shelley:
I am really with Mike on this one. Voldemort was nobody's friend. He 
didn't "do stuff" for other people. Either he was trying to get 
something to hold over Snape's head, or he never intended to keep that 
promise and never felt sorry about killing Lilly anyway, because that's 
what he does- murder anyone who stands in his way.

I think the only reason we have this awkard situation is that Rowling 
planned for Harry to have his mother's protection, and Lilly's stand for 
her child was enough to give a "love" protection, but she had trouble 
with Snape and the fans bugging her about his loyalties and whether he 
was good or bad. I think it wasn't good enough in her mind to have Snape 
regretting his choice to be mean to Lilly and wanting to make it up to 
her by trying to save her life, instead she had to go the "Snape's in 
love" route which has Snape grovelling to Voldemort to spare the woman 
he loved. Either way, I think she never planned for Voldemort to ever 
grant that request to save Lilly, and so you get this weak writing of 
Voldemort saying yes without having a reason to say yes, and then have 
him do the murder anyway without a clear reason of committing that 
murder other than she was in his way. If I had written it, Voldemort 
would have said no, and then Snape would have had to begged of 
Dumbledore to help, and then still, all backfired because of the sudden 
last minute changes in secret-keeper.