FW: The Geist predicts again, mostly about Snape

[pippin_999]

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Amanda Geist" <editor at ...> wrote:
>
> Hey, y'all.  I compiled the following for the HPforGrownups list, but apart
> from one response (which, I admit, was sterling), nobody's commented. I need
> *thoughts*--I have to talk to the Mensans on June 20!  Forwarding it here,
> because I know I can depend on you guys. Even if you have all heard all this
> before.

Pippin:
I have been thinking about this. 

Amanda:
> (1)  The rest of the Order, along with Harry, go on believing Snape is a
> turncoat.

Pippin:
It will be revealed that Hagrid continues to believe Snape is innocent

 <snip stuff I agree with>

Amanda:
> (6.a.) Harry will be unable to withstand Voldemort's mental abilities.

Pippin:
 Harry's already shown he can banish Voldemort from his mind.
I don't think that's going to be undone. But Voldemort might demand
that *Snape* use legilimency on Harry, and that might be the mechanism
whereby Harry realizes that Snape is not on Voldemort's side. 

<more snippage> 
> (8)  Snape will die. All of his character looks backward. He gives me the
> impression of someone whose goals are not ahead, except to rectify mistakes
> made, and who does not care much if he dies in that attempt. He can't let
> the past go, because that's where he lives; I think he accepted long ago
> that the future holds only one task for him and nothing else, and so has
> made no effort to move past the past that defined that future.  I personally
> think he will go heroically in some blaze of redemption, but he's toast. 
> 

Pippin:
Nah, he lives. There's that old "he's tough" rumor. But he really doesn't
fit the trajectory of a character who dies. He hasn't got a future, as you say.
But it's the characters *with* a future who get knocked off. Or at least, the
ones whom Harry expects to have a future. Cedric. Sirius. Even Dumbledore,
who was obviously going to get his ticket punched, was handed a stack
of unfinished business to leave behind him. 

It doesn't quite fit the pattern of a redemptive death either. Characters
like that have some moment in their past when they should have chosen
to face their doom and dodged it by joining the Dark Side. "YOU SHOULD
HAVE DIED" bellows Sirius to Peter, and we know that Peter is going to
have to die in the end. Boromir couldn't face the loss of his city, Anakin
couldn't face losing Padme, and they have to redeem themselves by
dying to save the people they betrayed, or their descendants.
 
 Now, if Snape should have turned down the UV, or should have died 
on the Tower rather than fulfill it, then he has such a moment. But 
otherwise he doesn't, because according to Dumbledore, when Snape's
big test came, the moment when he should have died rather than 
co-operate with the murder of James, Snape passed. He's *already*
redeemed himself. 

I agree that Harry has to understand this at some point. But if
Snape is dead that would make it all rather futile. 

Pippin