Snape's culpability again

[quigonginger]

> Eloise:
> >>>It is perfectly logical he knew he was doomed. In which case, as 
I 
> say there was no need to do anything unless he wanted to end his 
> suffering quickly. And hot shot wizard as he is, he should know 
that 
> if his intent wasn't up to it, the AK wouldn't work properly.<<<
> 
> SSSusan:
> Actually, as I've just said above, in having Snape DO something -- 
AK'ing (real or fake) DD -- there *is* the advantage of what this 
says to Voldy.  If Snape just stood there and watched DD die, the DEs 
could report that Snape had not *helped* DD, but they couldn't report 
that he'd *killed* DD.  I think Voldy would be much more impressed 
with the latter.

Ginger, who has snipped a lot:
This may have been said somewhere by someone, but at this point, I've 
lost track and the thought did strike me....

If SSSusan is right, (and I think she is) then if Snape had done 
nothing, knowing that DD would have died anyway, there would have 
been an inquiry by LV into the matter of how Snape *knew* that DD 
would have died anyway.

Imagine:  The Tower DEs grovelling before their master, giving a 
report:

LV:  So you say Dumbledore is dead?
DEs:  Yes, your Snakyness.  Draco had his wand pointed, but he 
chickened out.  Snape came in and told us to leave because the old 
man was going to die anyway, so we all just left.
LV: Snape!  How did you know the old man was going to die?  Of what 
was he going to die?
SNAPE:  A potion, my lord, from your cave.  I was supposed to give 
him the antidote, but the others invaded the castle and I didn't have 
the chance.  But I'm on your side, I assure you.
LV:  If the old man was going to die, why didn't you all ravage the 
castle?  If he was in the cave, then he knows about ...my secret.  
Snape-what do you know?  Who else knows?  

This would have opened a really big can of worms.  I figure that not 
only did killing DD, who was about to bite it anyway, secure Snape's 
position as Toady Supremo, but also gave Snape a reason to order the 
retreat of the DEs.  Somehow "Run, you lot, I've just murdered 
Dumbledore and the staff will be after my blood" has a better ring to 
it that "Run, you lot, if we wait long enough, Dumbledore will be 
dead, and the staff will be sad."

So killing in DD, Snape covers his knowledge of DD's potion 
consumption, (which covers his knowledge of the cave excursion) 
cements his place with LV, and gives credence to his order to the DEs 
to retreat.

Ginger, who is sure that at this point, none of this is original, but 
feels like typing