Is Snape a Traitor?
December 4, 2005
Warning, Book 6 Spoilers Ahead
In my spare time over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been re-reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I read it so fast the first time that I definitely missed a few things. But no matter how many times I read the book, I can’t decide whether or not Severus Snape is a traitor to the Order of the Phoenix.
As you probably already know, Snape kills Professor Dumbledore with the Avada Kedavra curse at the end of Prince. Then he takes off with a bunch of death eaters, including Draco Malfoy. Dumbledore trusted Snape, who turned spy for the Order of the Phoenix a few months before Lord Voldemort disappeared while attempting to kill Harry Potter.
There are several points on each side of the is he or isn’t he? debate.
Snape could be a traitor because:
- The whole book contains foreshadowing of death and betrayal.
- Dumbledore says, “I make mistakes too, Harry. Although being rather cleverer than most, my mistakes are proportionately bigger.”
- Snape has always been very cruel to Harry when nobody is looking. More so than any teacher really ought to be, even to a student they dislike.
- Snape made an unbreakable vow to Draco Malfoy’s mother, promising to help him kill Dumbledore.
Snape might not be a traitor because:
- Dumbledore has always talked about death as the last great adventure, not something to be feared. It’s possible he was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to get Snape close to Voldemort
- After Snape kills Dumbledore, Harry catches up with him. He and Harry duel, but Snape does not curse him. Yes, Voldemort wants Potter for himself, but Snape could have used the Cruciatus or Imperius curse on him for the Death Eaters’ benefit. Instead, he uses the moment as a teaching experience to show Harry the importance of casting his dueling spells nonverbally, albeit with a great deal of spite.
- Dumbledore must have had very solid evidence to trust Snape. Yes, he always tried to see the good in people, but he was not a fool. We don’t yet fully know the reason why Dumbledore chose to let Snape into the Order.
- Snape and Dumbledore were overheard arguing about Snape not wanting to do something. “You agreed to do it and that’s all there is to say,” says Dumbledore. It could be about anything, but could possibly be about their plan to kill Dumbledore.
But I will officially reserve my judgment of Snape until book 7. Now if Ms. Rowling would just write it.
One last note. Has anyone else noticed how very close Avada Kedavra is to the “magic word” Abracadabra? Do you think maybe that Muggles developed that word because of having heard a wizard’s killing curse at one time or another throughout history?
And let us not forget that in Book 1, which I am now re-reading, Harry experiences a jolt of pain through his scar the first time he makes eye contact with Snape. That’s not just because he and Snape loathe each other. He doesn’t feel that pain when he makes eye contact with Malfoy, even though they share the same deep loathing.
Another point in favor of Snape being a true Death Eater.
I personally think that Dumbledore faked his own death. Why else would he freeze Harry were he was? It would give Dumbledore the perfect witness. Notice how quickly Snape cast that spell. Like Dumbledore would not have been able to react. It does two things… it breaks the vow and he keeps his word to Dumbledore. Dumbledore trusts him with his life for a reason. Just like Snape promised Harrys parents he would look after Harry. That is why he is so hard on Harry… pushing him just like Harry’s real parent would have. Snape maybe bitter b/c he gave up a chance to have his own children (being a spy) and now has to look out for Potter.
It makes since why Snape told Harry about how to cast spells with out saying anything.
It also gives Dumbledore the perfect cloud under which he can look for the remaining hexes.
I know it’s a stretch but, Dumbledore just can’t be dead.
dumbledore is dead because he was in the painting at the end.
About that time in book one when his scar hurts, Snape was talking to Quirell, when it happened. I think the fact the scar hurt when he looked at Snape was just a coincidence. The scar’s pain was always linked to Voldemort, not the Death Eaters.
And I agree, its difficult to decide if he’s a traitor or not. I hope not. For some reason… perhaps because of that “something” that Dumbledore knew about him that we never discovered. I don’t think that Dumbledore would accept anything but an absolutely true proof from him, since Snape was a Death Eater before he went to see him. What other way could there be for a Death Eater to switch sides than to become a spy? For the servants of Voldemort, as Sirius told Harry when talking about his brother, once you’ve joined their ranks, you were dead if you tried to leave.
Let’s not forget also that Hermione thought he was one of the good guys. And she is rarely wrong.
Oh and another thing. Snape may have been cruel, meen and unjust with many students, but I think he liked being at Hogwart’s. I remember he even gave up black and wore a green robe to cheer the Quidditch team of his house in book three.
Anyhow, I can’t wait for the last book!
I am so disappointed that Harry Potter won’t be coming out until July 2007!!! I want to watch it NOW!
Hmm….Harry’s scar may have hurt when he made eye contact with Snape, but you also have to take into account that he was talking to Quirrel, who was sitting right next to him, and Quirrel was letting Voldemort use his body…so I personally don’t think that that fact is much proof.
Kris: I was thinking that myself.