How does he know?

[Aberforths Goat / Mike Gray]

Spoiler, Spoiler
Pudding and pie,
Kissed [name/s removed]
And made [him/her/them] cry.*

When the boys/girls
Ran out to play,
Spoiler, Spoiler
Turned out to be [...]!!




*Please note that "cry" makes it unlikely that Spoiler is a dementor,
since the Kissed cannot cry.



* * * * * 

Save the Spoilers!

* * * * *

OK, so how does Dumbledore *know* that Snape is true?

I mean, obviously, he saved both Dumbledore and Malfoy from fates worse
than death by giving Dumbledore the bump, so there's no question about
it now. But how did Dumbledore know *before* Snape proved his loyalty?

I spent a big chunk of the afternoon talking Potter with my neighbor, a
Catholic theologian and Harry Potter fan. She has a girl Natascha's age,
she's my wife's best friend, and her partner and I lined up to get our
copies together. I've enjoyed talking Potter with both of them for
years.

Anway, we got onto the topic this afternoon and ran across a theory you
guys have surely already figured out - but I thought I would try it out
here.

1. Snape loved Lily.
2. Snape gave Voldie with the provision that Lily would be spared -
perhaps even that he could drag Lily back to his cave. 3. Voldie broke
his promise, though he did sort of almost give Lily a chance. 4. Snape
realized what he had done and came to Dumbledore a broken man. 5.
Dumbledore's penance: Snape is to remain among the Death eaters as a
spy.

I like this theory a lot. I had noticed someone's suggestion that an
Unbreakable Oath with Dumbledore may have done the job, and that might
be part of it, but this seems like the kind of context Jo would like.
Dumbledore does not, ultimately, rely on magic but on his knowledge of
the human heart.

Baaaaaa!

Aberforth's Goat (a.k.a. Mike Gray) 
_______________________

"Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, 
so that may not have been bravery...."