Is Snape Really Evil?

[Mistress Siana]

And why would he want to torture Narcissa? He has no need to. Oh, and I'm sure Lucius cares for his son. He's a git, but not a totally horrible, loveless, overlordly git.

[Asphodel]

Hang on.

You think Lucius cares more for his wife than his heir?

Whoa, no way! Where did you get that notion?

Anyway, I said that LV wanted to torture Narcissa, how did Lucius come into the picture?

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Hmm.

Let's think.

Why do you think he wants to torture Narcissa?

[SunsetG|rl]

I though all of that was to punish Lucius. And I think he likes his son a lot. And maybe LV is trying to hurt all around Lucius. And I think he loves his wife. So making her hurt... makes him hurt?

[Asphodel]

Well, LV probably thought that Draco would end up killing himself (he almost did in the bathroom) then he ascertained that Narcissa would be so broken up that she'd die. Now Lucius has no one left.

[Chimera]

Or maybe he assumed Draco would get nicked, and a good stretch in Azkaban would all but kill him. Not to mention the heavy OoP presence in Hogwarts, maybe LV assumed Draco would be killed by one of them. There's no way LV doesn't know about DD's motley crew.

As for Snape being evil, I get the impression that Snape is more about survival than power. He seems to belong to whichever side is less likely to kill, imprison or otherwise harm him. After the killing of DD I'm guessing this is now neither side, and so the only chance Snape has is to overthrow LV and become an even bigger badass.

I think the seventh book will see the emergence of a rival bad-guy faction, with Snape playing Saruman to LV's Sauron.

[Asphodel]

As for Snape being evil, I get the impression that Snape is more about survival than power. He seems to belong to whichever side is less likely to kill, imprison or otherwise harm him. After the killing of DD I'm guessing this is now neither side, and so the only chance Snape has is to overthrow LV and become an even bigger badass.

I don't see Snape as a survival-of-the-fitest kind of guy. If DD trusted him to take position of potions master, then he probably isn't a choose-your-own-side guy.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Hmm, sorry? Didn't understand that.

IF DD trusted him to take the position of Potions Master, he instantly isn't capable of being a look-after-number 1 type of person?

[isasniffelus]

Or maybe he assumed Draco would get nicked, and a good stretch in Azkaban would all but kill him. Not to mention the heavy OoP presence in Hogwarts, maybe LV assumed Draco would be killed by one of them. There's no way LV doesn't know about DD's motley crew.

I think VM wanted to test Snape with the whole Malfoy thing, plus of course the revenge on Lucius. As someone said: killing two birds with one stone.

[Asphodel]

Hmm, sorry? Didn't understand that.

IF DD trusted him to take the position of Potions Master, he instantly isn't capable of being a look-after-number 1 type of person?

Well... I mean Snape isn't neutral, like Karkaroff. I don't think he'll just choose whichever side offers him best rewards.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Well... I mean Snape isn't neutral, like Karkaroff. I don't think he'll just choose whichever side offers him best rewards.

Karkaroff wasn't neutral. He just thought Voldemort was gone and wanted to save his own skin like the little worm he is.
Snape, well I don't know his motives. I don't even know if he has motives.

I think he's lost.

[isasniffelus]

I think he's clearly on DD's side. He had told DD well in advance that VM was getting stronger (in DD's memory-pensieve)

And if VM wanted to test S then DD might have had a plan which involved self-sacrifice ("No, Draco, it is my mercy, not yours, that matters now").

Besides, he could have killed DD and return to VM earlier with no one noticing, namely right after DD destroyed the ring horcrux, but he didn't. Only when DD said "Please".

[Asphodel]

Well... I mean Snape isn't neutral, like Karkaroff. I don't think he'll just choose whichever side offers him best rewards.

Karkaroff wasn't neutral. He just thought Voldemort was gone and wanted to save his own skin like the little worm he is.
Snape, well I don't know his motives. I don't even know if he has motives.

I think he's lost.

Well... that's kind of what I meant by "neutral". He really doesn't care which side he's on, as long as he's safe.

[Fantasy girl]

i don't know what to think exccept i believe snape was guity
he always dislike Dumbly-dorr, and i think he just found a good way to kill him, when he entered the vow

[Lone_Buck]

I've tried arguing this both ways in my head. I like how it progresses the story, even though i'm a little disappointed DD had to die. Either way Snape is a really good spy.

I think that if Snape was good, he would have distanced himself from DD that night. He should have the resources to know what Draco was up too, be it talking to portraits or whatnot. Obviously, some other Death Eaters had to know ahead of time, so snape should have found out too. Snape has alot to gain in the wake of DD's death, perhaps taking Lucious's spot as Voldy's right hand man.

However, this also puts snape in a better position to take a shot at killing Voldemort. I assume he has some idea about the horcruxes, so i think that he will tell harry somehow where or how to destroy them. Though he despises harry, if he really is good, he'll want to get involved to assist in the downfall of voldemort. i don't anticipate Voldemort to tell snape where or what the horcruxes are, let alone even tell him he has them. But snape may be able to generate some idea. He should have perhaps more knowledge of Voldy's past than dumbledore, being on his side for a number of years.

That's a brief summary of my arguement for both sides, now i'm gonna go have some dinner.