by Ryan Yost

Created on: February 09, 2007   Last Updated: May 08, 2007

In chapter 2 of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" we saw Snape make an unbreakable vow with Narcissia to help Draco in "his task" and explained to Bellatrix how he was hoodwinking Dumbledore. It is my belief that he, in fact, did not know of the task Voldemort had set before Draco. This is because later in the book we see him questioning Draco as to what he is up to. I believe it therefore caught him by surprise to discover that Draco was being made to kill Dumbledore and didn't know quite what to do at the end.

The choice of presented in Chapter 2 was whether we believed Snape was lying to Dumbledore or Voldemort. I personally believe that Dumbledore was right to trust Snape. And I have some very strong reasons for this that, I believe, completely destroy all opposition. Firstly, I have always believed that Dumbledore knows much more than he lets on. Secondly, what I just said about Snape not really knowing what task was set before Draco. In the end, when Snape kills Dumbledore, I don't think it was murder or loyalty to Voldemort. All Dumbledore says to Snape is, "Please, Severus please." I believe that the potion Dumbledore took (in the cave, looking for the horcrux) was a poison that killed slowly and painfully. It was said that not all poisons have antidotes and that not all can be cured by a beazor. I believe that this was one of those. It is my belief, therefore, that Dumbledore was going to die shortly anyways and that Snape was merely putting him out of his misery. Dumbledore's words to Snape, therefore, were not words of pleading for mercy, but, rather, pleading for a painless end. Also, had Snape not killed him he would have died himself as a result of breaking the unbreakable vow. Therefore Dumbledore gave him permission to end his life peacefully while maintaining his appearance of being a loyal Death Eater and gaining unending trust from Voldemort. Ultimately, I feel that Snape is still good, and I believe the facts presented prove that.

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