Snape: Good or Evil?

Stardate 03-02-07

SPOILER ALERT!!!!
If you have not read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, do not procede.

Though I know that it will bring utter destruction and an end to the world, I cannot not help but be extemely excited for the 7th and final installment of Harry Potter. My excitement caused me to give HPY7 another listen. I listened to HBP with one thing on my mind; Is Snape good or evil. In this post I will try to present evidence pointing towards both sides of the spectrum. I'm excited for all of your insights as well.

Background- As most of us know, Snape has always been enticed by the Dark Arts. He was terrorized as a student at Hogwarts by James Potter, Serious Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Petigrew and because of this, has a serious hate for all of them, especially James and Serious. After leaving Hogwarts, Snape became a Death Eater and was in the service of The Dark Lord. After time, Snape returned to Hogwarts and took up the post of Potions Master, though it was always his desire to teach Dark Arts. Dumbledore allowed him to come back for reasons that are still unknown to us. Though his loyalties have always been in question, Dumbledore claims that he is sure that Snape is remorseful for his past and has chosen the side of good. We know that Snape is double agent; a Death Eater and member of the Order of the Pheonix, but we don't know to which side he is truely loyal.

None of the following is hard solid evidence. Just my interpretations and observations.

Is Snape Evil?
1. HPY6-Snape swore an Unbreakable Vow and killed Dumbledore after Draco Malfoy failed to do so. The unbeakable vow is key here. If Snape did not kill Dumbledore, he himself would have to die. The text reads, Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revultion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face. Dumbledore then says, "Severus...please..." Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly and Dumpledore. "Avada Dedarva!" Snape had revultion and hatred etched on his face and acted withouth hesitation.

2. Both Snape and Voldemort have muggle fathers and magic mothers. Because of this they play up their hate for wizzards and witches who are muggle born. Voldemort calls himself the Dark Lord and Snape calls himself the Half Blood Prince. Emphasis on Lord and Prince.

3. In HPY4, Harry and Cedric get transported to the cemetary. The Dark Lord's soul has been returned to its body and he has called the Death Eaters to aid him. If you will recall, the Death Eaters have encircled Harry and Lord Voldemort and Voldemort is going around the circle, one by one and pointing out each one for what they have done wrong during his absense. Its at this point that he says that his most loyal and trusted servant is at Hogwarts. Later in the book we find out that one of his Death Eaters, Barty Crouch Jr has taken pollyjuice potion and has taken on the form of Mad-Eye Moody. At first, I thought for sure he was speaking about Bartdy Crouch Jr. It later occured to me while reading HPY6 that he could have been refering to Snape.

4. What made me think that he could have been referring to Snape was at the begining of HPY6 when Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange visit Snape at his home and Narcissa asks Snape to make an unbreakable vow. Its at this point that Narcissa says, "You are the Dark Lord's favorite, his most trusted advisor."

5. Though at times it can be on the brink of annoying, Harry tends to get things right. In HPY5, Harry knew that Voldemort was back and was after something at the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic. Most everyone doubted him, but Harry was right. Voldemort was after the prophesy. In HPY6, Harry suspects that Draco is a Death Eater and is up to no good. Not even Ron or Hermionie believed this. In both instances, Harry was correct. Harry belives that Snape is still in the service of the Dark Lord.

6. Snape is a very accomplished Oclumence, meaning that he is a master at the magical defence of the mind and can protect himself from those with the talent of Legilimency, which is the ability to extract feelings and memories from other's minds. In HPY6, Snape tells Bellatrix that the Dark Lord is the most accomplished Legilimens the world has ever seen.

7. In HPY6, Dumbledore tells Harry that most of the time, he gets things right, but he does seldom make mistakes, and when he does make mistkes, the consequences are monumental. In HPY5, Dumbledore tells Harry that he made a mistake about not telling him things sooner and that if he had done so, Serious may have survived. It is possible that the mistake that he could have made about Snape cost him his own life.

Is Snape Good?
1. Dumbledore knew the whole time that Snape had made the Unbreakable Vow and knew that it was part of the overall plan to bring down Lord Voldermort. In HPY6, Hagrid overhears Dumbledore telling Snape that he must go forward with the something. Snape says that he can no longer bare to do it. Hagrid never heard what that something was.

2. The hate and revulsion that was etched on Snape's face was directed to the act that he was about to commit, not at Dumbledore.

3. Snape protected Harry in HPY1 during the Quiddich match when Professor Squirel was trying to make him fall off his broom.

4. After Snape has killed Dumbledore and he and the other Death Eaters are fleeing from Hogwarts, Snape blocks a Cruciartus curse that is fired at Harry. When Harry attacks him directly, Snape simply parrys his attacks and tells him what he is doing wrong, all the while emphasizing that he needs to learn to block his mind. Snape hardly fights back and activly prevents other Death Eaters from attacking Harry.

5. During his converstation with Bellatrix in HPY6, Snape tells Bellatrix and Narcissa that he has done his upmost to get Harry Potter kicked out of Hogwarts, yet when Harry performs the Sectumsempra curse on Draco Malfoy and almost kills him, Snape only gives Harry detention.

6. Probably the most important thing is that which we do not know. For some reason, Dumbledore is possitive that Snape is good.

So now you have some things to think about. Here are some more questions that come to mind:
What bennefit does Snape have for being either good or evil?
What does he stand to gain?
What does he stand to lose?
Is it important for Harry to believe that Snape is evil?
If Snape is good, the he and Dumbledore had to decide who's life was more important. The unbreakable vow would only allow for one of them to live. With all that Harry still has left to do, why would Snape's life be more imporant then Dumbledore's?

I look forward to your questions, comments, and arguments.