Snape... and why.....spoiler

[kashlie]

he isn't evil

Snape, in HBP, claims to have not known that Voldemort was living on the back of Quirrells head when Quirrell was after the Philosopher's Stone.
But is there any evidence to support that?

He says to Quirrell "...We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decide where your loyalties lie."

I am guessing that even though he didn't say it, Snape new Voldemort was there. He would have to be able to sense it, having been a Death Eater, surely?


In every other book, Snape does a lot of nasty things and the trio get suspicious, and we did not know what he was up to, but in HBP, he was relatively quiet, and we all knew what he was doing, yet it was only Harry that still harboured those feelings.

This opposite effect has me thinking that we are now supposed to believe he is evil, when he is really good, where as before, we were led to believe, through Dumbledore's trust, that he was good, when he wasn't.

[Hermione]

He says to Quirrell "...We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decide where your loyalties lie."



This is a good point, but he could have meant other things besides Voldemort. He may have thought Quirrel was being greedy and trying to get the Sorcerer's Stone for himself. So his loyalties would be pulled between Dumbledore and himself.

As far as Snape being evil, I really think there is no turning back now. He used an unforgivable curse against Dumbledore. Not only will the use of the curse mean a life in Azkaban, but given the fact that it was Dumbledore he killed, there may be dire times ahead.

I really don't think there is anymore to this. He even said to Narsicca that this would relinquish him of his spy duties.

[Tonks]

You know, I am leaning towards going with kash on this one..

Snape had to kill Dumbledore once he saw that Draco couldn't do it - he had made the Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa. There was no way around it, unless he himself wanted to die, which he surely didn't..

After doing such, there is no way he could have stayed at Hogwarts and been all - oh im sorry i had to do it but i didnt really mean it .. nobody would have believed him!

I think when he told Narcissa that it would relinquish him of his spy duties he was still acting, and although that would be true, he was once again putting on the fact of a trustworthy Death Eater..

[Weasleyfanforever]

One thing I had to post here is a very interesting quote made by Severus Snape himself:

"It is an act crucial to success, Draco!Where do you think I would have been all these years, if I had not known how to act?"

Now, he is making a point to Draco that he has had to act good all these years, but why would he tell a 16 year old child that that is not what he meant? I think it's very possible that he, or JKR, could also have been alluding to acting as a DE...

[Alz]

I think the strongest defense you can place about him not being evil is the way JKR has made him now ...
She cant do anymore in her writing to make Snape seem more evil now that ever before - she even makes it look like he is, without doubt loyal to Voldemort ...
That isnt JKR's style to be so blatent - no, not at all!
I think that Snape has it in him to be evil - but then so does everyone else ..
I'm not calling Snape an unsung hero or nice guy - he made a lot of mistakes based on his crappy upbringing that lead him down the path he went - but Dumbledore offered him a way out - and he took the chance to try making amends for all the bad things he didnt in his short past - like when someone asked JKR is Snape was redeeming - you saw her answer ;)

[Fortescue]

Well, an argument for the fact that Snape is evil might be:

"I am not the Secret-Keeper; I cannot speak the name of the place. You understand how the enchantment works, I think? The Dark Lord is satisfied with the information I have passed him on the Order. It led, as perhaps you have guessed, to the recent capture and murder of Emmeline Vance, and it certainly helped dispose of Sirius Black, though I give you full credit for finishing him off." (HBP, pg 30 US)

If Snape is being honest and not just taking credit for something someone else had done, then he gave information that led to the death of a member of the Order of the Phoenix. It does seem like the fact that Voldemort doesn't allow all of his people to know everything he's up to, or what the other Death Eaters are up to, leaves a big hole for someone to come along and manipulate many situations. Even Bellatrix with her status among the Death Eaters is not told everything that is going on, and she is obviously too scared to ask the one who knows, that would be Voldemort.

[Alz]

I think you could argue you proved your own point in your argument there ...
Voldemort doesnt pass information out - it is need to know only - and Snape could sit there and tell everyone all day how he was responsible for each and every death that has been performed - unless someone has a path to Voldemort where he would answer and dignify these 'claims' - then it is open to manipulation of the events and I think that is what Snape is doing ...
You have to look at it in the context of the situation ... he was out to show a very 'doubting' Bellatrix that he is Voldemort's main man - she doesnt trust him one bit ...
Once again - I just attribute this to Snape's blaise claims so that he might continue in his facade ...

[Snuffles]

"That isnt JKR's style to be so blatent - no, not at all!"

Even though I have to agree with you, Blaise, on JKR not being so blatant, I really think Snape is evil one. He always have been.

Of course, here's the point that says:
"Snape had to kill Dumbledore once he saw that Draco couldn't do it - he had made the Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa. There was no way around it, unless he himself wanted to die, which he surely didn't.."

But this is absurd. He was probably one of the most talented and dangerous Death Eaters; he could have fought his way through the four Death eaters--one of them a teenage boy, the other two an insane brother and sister, and another one who was easily felled by Harry. Even when he had the Unbreakable Vow, Draco Malfoy wasn't in any mortal danger at the moment. He was "assisting" to the mission, possibly, but why help the other Death Eaters? Why did he rush to the aid of the Death Eaters as soon as Professor Flitwick reported this? Why did he stupefy Flitwick, leaving him at the charge of Luna and Hermione? He must have known--reported by Draco or possibly Voldemort himself--that the Death Eaters were going to come into Hogwarts castle soon.

[Boing]

Interesting the different ways you can read that.

I read it as Snape hears the DEs are coming into the castle, knows why they are there and knows he needs to go and help Draco and Dumbledore at the same time. So, he stuns Flitwick so Flitwick doesn't follow him up and see what he is about to do. He doesn't kill any students along the way, yet spares them so they don't get caught in the fray (hey, that rhymes!).

He goes up, sees what is happening and that he needs to help Draco by killing Dumbledore (which if you believe the theory, Dumbledore and Snape had already discussed before), so Dumbledore knows he is going to die and Snape needs to be the one to do it . . .

And what happens if he had killed those DEs on top of the tower? You don't think that somehow Voldemort would know or find out? Plus, if he did, then that would sort of end the big mystery of the series wouldn't it? ;) Harry would know for sure that Snape was on the good side and we wouldn't be wondering anymore! :D

[Weasleyfanforever]

One thing that I found interesting about Snape on the tower is that when he entered and pushed Draco out of the way, the other DE 'fell back without a word. Even the werewolf seemed cowed." It's like Snape is above them, so my impression is that he is the leader, he is closest to Voldemort, and as Narcissa says, his most trusted advisor.

But if you look at his other top DE, which we have inferred are Bellatrix and Lucius, enjoy killing, especially Bella. Snape seems to be above these things. He could have killed a number of people: Flitwick, Luna, Hermione, any number of students on the way, Hagrid, and of course Harry. He didn't kill anyone other than who he had to. I think that really needs to be stressed, that he had to kill Dumbledore. Not only would it be in Voldemort's plans, obviously, as it was Draco's orders to kill him, and in order for Harry to truly avenge Voldemort on his own, Dumbledore had to be dead.

[Alz]

One thing that I found interesting about Snape on the tower is that when he entered and pushed Draco out of the way, the other DE 'fell back without a word. Even the werewolf seemed cowed." It's like Snape is above them, so my impression is that he is the leader, he is closest to Voldemort, and as Narcissa says, his most trusted advisor.

But if you look at his other top DE, which we have inferred are Bellatrix and Lucius, enjoy killing, especially Bella. Snape seems to be above these things. He could have killed a number of people: Flitwick, Luna, Hermione, any number of students on the way, Hagrid, and of course Harry. He didn't kill anyone other than who he had to. I think that really needs to be stressed, that he had to kill Dumbledore. Not only would it be in Voldemort's plans, obviously, as it was Draco's orders to kill him, and in order for Harry to truly avenge Voldemort on his own, Dumbledore had to be dead.
Sorry I have to go with an fully agree once again ....
As pointed out above - Snape could have taken pot shots as multiple people on his way out - indeed it might have slowed Harry down if he attacked Hermione, Ginny, Ron or Hagrid ... but he wasnt interested in it ...
He needed to get Malfoy out of the grounds - once again as part of his Vow - and also why he was behind Draco and not in front - evil people dont tend to do consideration ...
All the characteristics of Snape post killing was not the way someone who was out and out evil would act - and if Snape was really evil - he the body count would be higher ... he had all the chances to add to it ...