View Full Version : If Buckbeak hadn't attacked Snape...
In HBP, when Snape and Harry have their confrontation, Harry calls him a coward, at which point he lashes out at Harry. Buckbeak then swoops down and chases Snape from the grounds.
In my opinion, Buckbeak interrupted what I believe could have become a confession from Snape as to why DD trusted him, and why he did what he did over the last 16 years as a spy. There was no-one that would have heard him, and Snape knows that Harry is Dumbledore's man, so if Snape IS a good guy, he could have confessed, even out of anger, to shut Harry up, and to make him understand why he had to kill Dumbledore. He would have been feeling a lot of guilt at that stage, I am sure.
Now, I know this borders on 'Why did Snape kill Dumbledore' territory (i can copy and paste if you like, Alz) but what I really want to know if anyone else read or listened to this passage and got the same feeling? Did Buckbeak, whilst saving Harry's life on one hand, interrupt Snape from revealing all?
SnarkologyMajor
17-06-2006, 00:31
I totally agree kashlie:D Good call-that was exactly how I read the scene. Snape is always such an enigma because he keeps his thoughts and feelings under wraps. He has lost his cool a couple of times, (POA w/Sirius and OOtP when Harry is in his worst memory) and both of those times are a little suspicious to me. Those times it felt like he just had an agenda other than what we see-I mean Snape is an adult, why would that pensieve scene be his worst memory? Frankly I would think the time he almost got killed by Lupin the werewolf would be worse-or I suspect the night James and Lily got killed. Anyway-when Harry called him a coward, I felt like Snape lost all sense of reserve and he was completely on the edge of his emotions! I do think he would have told Harry the truth about his role at that moment if Buckbeak wouldn't have attacked him. I'm pretty sure that Snape could take control of a hippogriff though-but I think the attack brought him to his senses before he started blurting out things that Harry apparently isn't supposed to know about yet..and the reasons for that are just not revealed yet.
I don't agree Buckbeak saved Harry's life - Snape would not have killed him!
We know that much when he called off the other DE's and was seriously annoyed when one of them attacked Harry!
I think Harry would have attacked Snape and kept on trying - Snape would have been reduced to incapacitate Harry but he would certainly not have killed him - I am very sure on that!
But I do agree - I think he was on the verge of spilling it - and all of it - including the reasons he is hiding away and helping Harry - and I'm not sure he or Harry is ready for that just yet ... Harry would think he is just lying and would never entertain the idea that Snape and Dumbledore conspired and planned Dumbledore's demise ...
Nope - those stories are all coming - but that is book 7 and septology stuff that cant be revealed of hinted upon much more before we all make the links!
SnarkologyMajor
18-06-2006, 02:41
:D I most emphatically don't think Buckbeak saved Harry from Snape-in fact I'm entertaining the crazy though that Buckbeak/Witherwings was either completely misguided or one of our bad guys (I know-it's paraniod:D :D ) If Snape was really on the verge of killing Harry-do we really think that a hipppogriff would stop him? The idea is a little far-fetched-Snape is one extremely powerful wizard, so it just makes sense that Buckbeak's actions were enough to stop Snape from spilling all to Harry and get him back to "The Plan" he and Dumbledore worked on.
I don't really think Buckbeak saved his life either, but that would have been how Harry saw it, even though he heard himself that Snape said Harry belongs to the Dark Lord.
(SM, you raised a point that belongs on another thread about Snape's worst memory - you hit the nail on the head so to speak. it is snape's worst because it was the point where lily gave up on him)
I have a feeling Harry will have another chance to drive Snape in to such a rage that he spills. Harry won't hesitate to attack Snape when he sees him again, and i feel that even with an explanation - written or otherwise communicated, Harry still has much to be angry about in regards to what Snape has done. In the setting of the first few months of the next novel, DD's death will play heavily on Harry's mind, and he will have to mature rather quickly to get passed that. Which again, is another reason why Buckbeak's timing couldn't have been better. A confession from Snape BEFORE they could all come to terms with the death, would, in my opinion, have led Harry in a different direction.
JKR has built it such that when Harry finally gets to see Snape head to head - Harry won’t be going in brains engaged!
Harry will try and destroy Snape on sight - but we know that Snape has some information in him he has been holding back from Harry - the question is will Harry attack first and then as Snape lays there mortally wounded will Harry get the story and realise he has just killed someone who was on his side all along?
The people which talk about the series being about Harry and Snape above all else are ones that are well observed - Snape is woven into this tapestry like a continual thread which JKR has setup to be pulled by Harry as soon as he gets the chance - but will he see it all unravel before he finally finds out what it is all about?
I think JKR has been building this up - to the point Harry hates Snape more than even Voldemort - yet Snape's importance in the series is even more integral than maybe even Voldemort attacking and killing his parents - we know how this all started and we know that was with Snape!
Fortescue
24-06-2006, 01:09
I'm not sure how much of Buckbeak's dedication to Harry might have come from the fact that Harry inherited him from Sirius. Buckbeak did save Harry and Hermione from Lupin in the forest in PoA when he was still dedicated to Hagrid. Maybe Buckbeak knew Harry was his master?
I don't think that Snape was prepared to make a confession one way or the other. He had just killed, (or appeared to kill) Dumbledore, who was either his best friend or the worst enemy of his true master. Either way, Snape was a secretive fellow and I don't think he would reveal his true intentions to the likes of Harry Potter, regardless of which way he actually swings.
I think Harry got to him - and when Snape lost his composure I think he would have also gotten careless with his thinking and words - he would loose that cool demeanour and would have just spilled it - I mean if he really liked Dumbledore as much as he did and was forced into killing him - to be called a coward for the actions would have invoked blind fury in him!
I think Buckbeak almost served as a diversion - I wonder if that was intentional?
Think about it - I wonder if that was a sign someone else 'in on it' saw what was happening and seeing Snape loose it, decided to step in?
cagedcactus
28-07-2006, 10:54
I agree with most of you guys here.
Snape has a bigger role coming in book seven. Spilling all the secrets there in front of Harry would have been a disaster. Buckbeak is used to make sure that doesnt happen.
I think the most relevant parts here are - if Buckbeak hadnt have stepped in Harry was not about to let Snape leave - Snape needed to leave but couldnt turn his back on Harry - Harry wasnt going down without a fight and Snape didnt want to hurt Harry - just continue with his plan and orders ...
Harry would have continued to fight and fight with Snape until Snape put him out - but Snape by this point had lost composure because of the coward remark - all sense of planning was gone and he retreated back into the part of him we all know is there - the bullied Snape at the hands of James - and instead felt the need to justify and vent - this wouldnt have lead to him killing or hurting Harry - just meant he was in danger because he knew he needed to leave and carry on with the plan ...
I still think Buckbeak may have been set on Snape on purpose - to get him to re-focus on leaving the school and return to Voldemort - he was obviously stopping there with Harry far too long!
It would make for an interesting discussion if it was Hagrid - Buckbeak's carer - that set the hippogriff on to Snape.
1) He saw Snape attacking Harry and thought he was saving Harry's life or
2) He was in on 'it' and needed to distract Snape.
(i say this mainly because I don't think Hagrid is as simple as he makes himself out to be)
cagedcactus
31-07-2006, 06:41
It would make for an interesting discussion if it was Hagrid - Buckbeak's carer - that set the hippogriff on to Snape.
1) He saw Snape attacking Harry and thought he was saving Harry's life or
2) He was in on 'it' and needed to distract Snape.
(i say this mainly because I don't think Hagrid is as simple as he makes himself out to be)
You could be right.
Look in past matters. Hagrid has not been the one to keep good on secrets. But on the other hand, Dumbledore has always trusted him with vital informations.
DD trusted him with stone. Heck he even trusted Hagrid to bring one year old Harry to private drive after he became orphan.
So yah, story could twist there.
Gosh.......with all these unlimited amount of pointers that JKR has left, I some times fancy the book 7 with 3000 pages or some..... :D
Well Harry didn't call Buckbeak - but then again in PoA Buckbeak came to Harry's aid - so doesn't mean he isn't beyond helping Harry if he feels his life is in danger ... but I really do like the idea that Hagrid set Buckbeak off to Harry's aid in order to diffuse the situation - as we know Snape had lost it and was forgetting about everything other than talking to Harry - it couldn't have been too long before some other professor or order member was making their way towards Harry and Snape - after all the DE's were retreating ... and then we could have had Snape cornered ...
It just seems like a great diversion and also a way of re-focusing Snape who seems to have lost all composure by this time!
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