Favorite chapter in The Half Blood Prince.

[foxmoth at qnet.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 192554

 Geoff:
Following Liz's train of thought, Dumbledore didn't quite "arrange"; he 
forced Snape to agree to kill him – by applying a little arm-twisting in the 
shape of an Unbreakable Vow. This was to protect Draco who, if he had 
managed to kill Dumbledore would have had his soul split but also to 
ensure that the wand would remain faithful to him as he had willingly 
allowed Snape to win.
 

 Pippin:
 Dumbledore did not force or arrange the Unbreakable Vow -- barring some unlikely conspiracy with Narcissa and Bella. Dumbledore's methods of persuasion were more subtle, as revealed in The Prince's Tale. He first asked for Snape's word that he would do all in his power to protect the students of Hogwarts, should the school fall into Voldemort's grasp. Snape readily agreed. But then Dumbledore revealed the consequences. 
 

 It  followed that Snape must do all in his power to protect Draco, who was already in Voldemort's grasp. Snape must also do everything he can to protect any accidental victims of Draco's schemes, and finally,  Snape himself must agree to kill Dumbledore, first, to protect Draco from the damage done by murder, and secondly, to spare Dumbledore the pain and humiliation that someone like Greyback or Bellatrix would inflict on him. 
 

 Dumbledore does not claim that Snape owes him so much that he ought to be willing to damage his soul for Dumbledore's sake, although some readers have read that into the encounter. Instead he says  Snape alone can judge whether the favor of sparing a man on the brink of death from pain and humiliation would damage Snape's soul. Snape, IMO,  is  trapped by his own determination to keep his word, and his need to follow the most rational course of action.
 

 At any rate,  by the time Snape is confronted with Narcissa's request that he make an unbreakable vow to "carry out the deed the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to perform" Snape has already agreed to do it as a favor to Dumbledore. We know that the meeting with Narcissa and Bella takes place after Snape's agreement with Dumbledore, because Snape tells them that Dumbledore has recently damaged his hand. 
 

 As to whether Fawkes could have helped Dumbledore, I don't think so. 
 

 Fawkes's tears  cure wounds given by magical beasts, such as the basilisk and the acromantula. But he does not even attempt to heal the stab wound in Harry's arm given by Peter Pettigrew. Clearly his powers are limited, and there is no suggestion anywhere that Fawkes could heal damage caused by a curse. Even over the wounds of magical beasts there may be a limit to what he can do. Arthur was loyal to Dumbledore if anyone was; surely Fawkes would have helped him if he could. But Arthur is in St Mungo's for weeks after Nagini bites him. 
 

 But it might be that Fawkes was able to help Arthur somewhat, and this is the reason that Arthur survived until other help could reach him, while Snape died so quickly. 
 

 Pippin
 

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