HBP Spoilers - - ESE! Flitwick

[dungrollin]

Entropy wrote:

> 4. After Flitwick!Snape AK's Dumbledore, he runs down the stairs 
and believing that he has achieved what he set out to do, 
mutters "It's over." Harry takes this to mean that Dumbledore has 
been killed, but it seems a good point at which Flitwick!Snape could 
have removed the switching-like spell and returned into his normal 
body.
> 
> 5. At this point, Snape is returned to his own body, and realizes 
what has occurred. Bound to protect both Harry and now Draco, he 
chooses to remain undercover and flee with Draco. Notice how he 
duels with Harry; only blocking Harry's hexes, but never returning 
them.
> 

Dungrollin:
You're forgetting the unbreakable vow: "...if it seems Draco will 
fail ... will you carry out the deed that the Dark Lord has ordered 
Draco to perform?"

If Snape breaks the vow, he will die.  If DD dies in any way other 
than being killed by either Draco or Snape, Snape will have broken 
his vow, and will die. So I'm afraid it *was* Snape.

But I think he and DD had this all worked out beforehand. Snape knew 
all about the plan: "He intends me to do it in the end, I think."  
Voldy getting revenge on Lucius by using Draco was just a bit of 
icing, he was really testing Snape's loyalty. Snape of course 
discussed this with DD, and I don't believe it was the first time DD 
sat down with his double agent and pondered what would happen if 
Voldy told Snape to off DD. DD thought Harry would be better off 
having Snape on his side still pretending loyalty to Voldy, than 
having DD alive and Snape dead (or both dead, if the suspectedly 
fatal protection around the horcrux was indeed fatal - I wonder if 
Fawkes was instrumental in getting hold of the ring). 

Snape got cold feet - that's what Hagrid overheard. He's the master 
of self-control, but he's on the wagon as far as Dark Arts are 
concerned, and it's not easy. In killing DD (who I reckon was on his 
way out after that potion anyway) on DD's orders, Snape saves 
himself, he saves Draco, he may have saved DD from an awfully 
unpleasant death, and he gets the DEs out of Hogwarts, without 
another dark spell, and without hurting Harry or anyone else, while 
not breaking his cover and thus furthering the goals of the Order in 
destroying Voldy.

Interesting question though: if you tarnish your soul 
altruistically, for the ultimate greater good of finally vanquishing 
Voldy forever, does it count? 

And count for what? We've had a good lot of mentions of souls now, 
about how losing them or damaging them is a Bad Thing. But JKR has 
resolutely stayed away from the consequences of staining one's soul.

I don't think it should count, but then I'm an atheist with no 
understanding of that kind of scoring system.

Dungrollin