Is Snape Really Evil?

[b.scheller]

I'll just reiterate what I've said before and what I'm sure others have noticed as well.

If Snape was truly evil, he would have killed Hermione and Ginny when they came to warn him about the Death Eaters in the tower, instead of just stunning them.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

I believe that even a truly evil Snape wouldn't kill anyone unless he had his reasons to do so.

He simply removed the obstacle, he didn't need to take it any further.

[Asphodel]

I agree with PitA. Huh, the vote is started to get pretty close between "yes" and "no". Well... I think Snape knows how close Ginny+Hermione are to Harry, he would have killed them.

[b.scheller]

After all, aren't death eaters suppose to be ruthless, without mercy?

What Severus Snape did, was merciful, he did only what he believed he had to do, without killing Hermione or Ginny, or stunning and capturing Harry Potter for his master.

I do not believe, that Voldemort lives amongst a creed that the opposition should have a fair hand in a fight. He's paranoid, irrational and psychotic. Thus, was Snape did, was to leave the opposition with a fair hand, even though Dumbledore was dead.

[Asphodel]

Yup, Hermione & Ginny (that should be the name of a 7/11 rival store) were important, and Snape knew that, he could just as easily kill them as stun them, but he didn't.

[Bextra]

I haven't read this entire thing so just tell me if it's been said already.

I think Snape only killed DD to save his own life. Cause he made an un-breakable vow which means you die if you don't do it, so he had to kill DD so that he would stay alive.

This made a lot of sense in my head, but my head can be kind of complex, so don't worry if it made no sense to you.

Arghh! I'm getting confused!

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

No, it makes perfect sense...

The problem is that basically any other member of the Order probably would have died before killing Dumbledore. So we're led to believe that he killed Dumbledore because he was on LV's side.


View 1:
Unfortunately, whether you are correct or not, the point you are making comes down to when Snape made the Unbreakable Vow. If he did not wish to kill DD, he would not have made the Vow. And that he so good at being himself that he probably could have made an excellent excuse to get out of it.

View 2:
We can only presume that Snape took the Unbreakable Vow because he knew that Dumbledore would have wished him to remain under cover. We also presume that DD is pleading, not for his own life, and not even for Snape's... but for Draco's. We know that if DD had not died that night, then Lord Voldemort would have been most displeased with Draco, and very possibly killed him.
By Snape killing Dumbledore, he has saved the life of Draco Malfoy.

[Asphodel]

...so in a way, even if Snape was on LV's side, he would still have to kill DD... wait, but wouldn't that be what he'd do originally if he was on LV's side? Ooh... brain hurting....

[SunsetG|rl]

Unfortunately, whether you are correct or not, the point you are making comes down to when Snape made the Unbreakable Vow.

I might repeat something somebody else said. But wasn't he supposed to be just the helping hand in Draco's mission. A bit there, a bit somewhere else. Help him out so he does't het hurt. And he might have thought "Well even if I help Draco out. DD is a big man. He's a great wizard. He'll know how to protect himself." And then while making the vow Narcissa said about having to do the job himself.

"And, should it prove necessary... if it seems Draco will fail. . ." whispered Narcissa (Snape's hand twitched within hers, but he did not draw away), "will you carry out the deed that the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to perform?"

I don't think he was expecting it...

[Asphodel]

Maybe there's some loophole in the vow. The vow simply said that he must protect Draco. Perhaps protecting Draco could mean taking him away from the dark side, or a number of other possibilities.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Yeah, the Vow also stated that "If it seems Draco will fail, will you fulfill the task" (or something similar).... and Snape said yes obviously.

Snape could not possibly think Draco could kill Dumbledore, therefore as soon as he said yes he knew that he was going to:

a) Sacrifice himself by breaking the Vow, or
b) Kill Dumbledore, as finish the task.

So Snape was left with a choice.

Die himself. Or kill DD.

[Asphodel]

....and he probably would have died himself, but DD told him to kill him.

[Tanuki]

Here's another reply (back from oblivion... it's surprisingly nice this time of year)

What if Snape is on neither of their side. We assume that there are only two sides in this war. Or, if you count the ministry of magic, 3 sides. What if he is on his own side, trying to kill both leaders, and take power for his own.

As for killing Hermy and Ginny:

1) He would then have had to deal with fighting his way out of the castle. Which makes things much harder

2) He would want to avoid unnecessary killing himself. If you recall, Voldermort is like that as well.

Now, we assume that Snape was so endebted to DD that he wouldn't do anything to harm him, but we see more and more over the books a growing resentment in DD for sticking up for Harry. He hates Harry. He wants James, and therefore, Harry to suffer.

People here, think Dumbledore planned everything out. Or that he had some contingency plan. that would make DD infallable, which he most certainly wasn't. He even made it clear that being so smart made his mistakes much more pronouced. He put too much faith in a man with a history of dark deeds.

Now, some will argue as to why DD put Snape in the position of DADA teacher, if he didn't want him gone by the end of the year. To which I can only answer. Eventually, the pickings become slim enough that anyone will do. It was only a matter of time before Snape was picked. there might be something more there, there might not be.

Me personally, I believe the theory of snape having his own faction

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Oh yes we've gone over that.

Snape can be on his own side all he wants in his own head, but he'll have to align himself loyally with one or the other.
And now his service is back with Voldemort.

But:
Snape knows he can't kill LV because he knows the full prophecy. So (agreeing with you theory) he's known all along that Harry will have to kill him or vice-versa.

So:
Why on earth has Snape been such a [insert words here] to Harry. Shouldn't he be trying to make him a great wizard? So he can defeat Voldemort?

And:
The times when Snape saved Harry, was it possibly not because he felt like he owed James, but because he had heard what the prophecy had to say.

If this is the case.

[b.scheller]

I was sure that Snape only heard a part of the prophecy. He missed out on something...