Black Widower!Snape - repost from TOL (long)

[dungrollin]

Sorry (again) for the delay, I've been a bit under the weather.

> > > Anything other basics that might make the headlines?
> > 
> > Don't think so. On to the implications?
> >
> 
> Oh, yes.
> Ready when you are, sunshine.
> 
> Kneasy
>

Righty-ho. Please correct me where I'm wrong/vague on Black Widower.
 
1. Snape's level of dedication to Voldemort and the DEs.

The original BlackWidower!Snape was a fully committed DE, his reason 
for turning against Voldy was that he viewed interference in his 
family as a personal slight. This leaves Snape free to hate everyone 
(including DD), to still be rabidly anti-muggleborn, and a dyed-in-
the-wool dark arts fancier. He doesn't *have* to be, of course, it's 
your theory


The Scowling Potioneer was a committed DE, but he got involved 
through his friends, and they were always more important to him than 
any loyalty to Voldemort. He was always willing to bend Voldy's 
rules, and was never a Bella- (or Barty-) level nutter, he'd never 
have willingly risked his life for Voldemort. The Scowling Potioneer 
also reacted with genuine horror to the murder of his wife (and/or 
son), and although his major motivation for changing sides was to 
revenge himself upon Voldemort, he was also horrified when he 
realised Voldy was targeting the Potters because of the prophecy. 

2. Dumbledore's trust

Kneasy wrote:
> The two (OFH and DDM) needn't necessarily be mutually exclusive.
> If Sevvy is bent on revenge then his best option is to throw in his 
lot with DD. And since DD is the man with the plan, he'd be a bit 
foolish not to follow DD's lead. Sevvy wants Voldy brought down, but 
> he can't do it himself - ergo co-operate with the man that can.

I can see BlackWidower!Snape's motivation for working with DD, but I 
have a hard time working out why DD would trust him *completely*. 
You've used the word `remorse' a couple of times, but I couldn't 
really tell if you were being serious or not. If you were, what 
exactly was he remorseful about? Passing on the Prophecy? Getting 
involved with the DE's in the first place? What was it he did that he 
wished he hadn't? Why did DD buy the story? And most importantly, why 
does he think he can't tell Harry? 

Unfortunately Scowling Potioneer has the same problems, really. The 
best I can do is a rather uninspired kind of special pleading. 
Certainly not quite the cast-iron reason for trust that McGonagall 
says DD hinted at.

3. When Harry (remember him?) finds out.

BlackWidower!Snape is just as unsympathetic as Harry has always 
considered Snape always was. How will Harry react to this news about 
Snape's history, what will it change? Do you think it's enough on its 
own to convince Harry that Snape is against Voldy? 

Scowling Potioneer is a Snape story with the potential to make Harry 
feel uncomfortable. He's used to the idea that he's the one who's 
been picked out of the crowd, that it's all so unfair on him, that 
he's suffered terribly because of the prophecy, orphaned, scarred, 
repeatedly attacked 
 To find out that someone else lost their family 
for the same reason, and has been suffering ever since, *and* has the 
added guilt of it all being his own fault for passing on the prophecy 
in the first place has the potential to pull the rug out from under 
him. Scowling Potioneer inspires sympathy, and casts new light on 
Snape's belief that Harry is nothing special, his general 
misanthropy, his fondness for Draco, and his hatred of James. 

Dung
Noting that the third WOMBAT's got some interesting bits and pieces, 
and wondering if there's any chance of figuring out the scoring 
system this time.