amanuensis1 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
amanuensis1) wrote2007-04-13 11:31 am
amanuensis1) wrote2007-04-13 11:31 am
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META: Did Snape know Draco's task?
Little bit of meta here, my take on one question posed by the Spinner's End chapter of HBP: did Snape indeed know what Draco's task was when he claimed to Bellatrix and Narcissa he did? Here's what Snape says:
"It so happens that I know of the plan," he said in a low voice. "I am one of the few the Dark Lord has told."
Some readers have speculated that he might not have, that he was bluffing. If that's so, that means he didn't know exactly what he was signing up for when he agreed to make the Unbreakable Vow. Why would Snape have taken such a risk? Possibly because he didn't know Draco's task and figured he darn well needed to know what Voldemort was plotting, so, by telling Narcissa "It's all right, you can speak freely with me," he'd have the chance to find out something crucial.
I don't see anything in that chapter that directly contradicts that idea; Snape's hesitation before he says the last words of the vow could also be said to support it. Perhaps he hesitates because he has no idea what he's promising, but knows he can't back out at that point without having his bluff called. However, one can also explain the hesitation if Snape does know that Draco's been directed to kill Dumbledore, because Snape would realize that by doing so, he's signed his own death warrant, since he's thinking there's no way he'll carry it through.
I'm more inclined to think that Snape does actually know, even though we have no hard-and-fast evidence. What we do have, though, is what can be seen as a clean example of an author's contrivance to keep the knowledge from the reader, by shrouding the element in "we must not speak of it, the Dark Lord has commanded," and "I already know of the plan." Keeps the reader in the dark. And that's all the explanation you'd need, as to why he says that. I think that's the most compelling element to sway me in that direction. But I do think that the chapter, and all the rest of the text, can support either hypothesis.
"It so happens that I know of the plan," he said in a low voice. "I am one of the few the Dark Lord has told."
Some readers have speculated that he might not have, that he was bluffing. If that's so, that means he didn't know exactly what he was signing up for when he agreed to make the Unbreakable Vow. Why would Snape have taken such a risk? Possibly because he didn't know Draco's task and figured he darn well needed to know what Voldemort was plotting, so, by telling Narcissa "It's all right, you can speak freely with me," he'd have the chance to find out something crucial.
I don't see anything in that chapter that directly contradicts that idea; Snape's hesitation before he says the last words of the vow could also be said to support it. Perhaps he hesitates because he has no idea what he's promising, but knows he can't back out at that point without having his bluff called. However, one can also explain the hesitation if Snape does know that Draco's been directed to kill Dumbledore, because Snape would realize that by doing so, he's signed his own death warrant, since he's thinking there's no way he'll carry it through.
I'm more inclined to think that Snape does actually know, even though we have no hard-and-fast evidence. What we do have, though, is what can be seen as a clean example of an author's contrivance to keep the knowledge from the reader, by shrouding the element in "we must not speak of it, the Dark Lord has commanded," and "I already know of the plan." Keeps the reader in the dark. And that's all the explanation you'd need, as to why he says that. I think that's the most compelling element to sway me in that direction. But I do think that the chapter, and all the rest of the text, can support either hypothesis.
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1. He did know, because Voldemort told him as a test of Snape's loyalty. ("I'm ordering Draco to kill Dumbledore...and you'd better not get in the way.")
2. He knew, but Voldemort *didn't* tell him. Either Death Eaters are more loose-lipped than Bellatrix thinks or else Snape legilimensed the info / is a good spy.
3. He didn't know, but had a strong suspicion just from hanging around Voldy for so long. When Narcissa extracted the vow, his suspicions were 98% certain.
But I think he did know. I think the hesitation was because he didn't expect to be asked to finish what Draco started, and because he also believed deep down that he wasn't going to uphold that part of the vow. He made the decision in that moment to sign his own death warrant, not expecting that Dumbledore was going to hold him to his promise.
Except that I think even deeper, he knew Dumbledore *would* make him do it, and he knew he would follow that directive rather than disobey. (So he's both a coward - for choosing his own life and D's last orders over his own conscience - and *not* a coward - for doing the hardest thing D's ever asked him to do. Which, I have to say, is deliciously complex and possibly the only thing I liked about book six. More or less.)
As for the Christmas party thing, I think at that point D's directions to Snape were to foil Draco's plan so that Draco wouldn't have to be directly responsible for D's death (or any other destruction he planned, such as letting DE's into the school). So while he knew Draco's major end point - a dead Dumbledore - he didn't know any of the other way stations, nor any of the methods Draco was employing. I don't see that scene as Clueless Snape at all, rather as a Snape who can see half the cards, but not all of them.
But then, I've always believed that Dumbledore sees Snape's role as a teacher at Hogwarts to be partly a way to keep the DE kids out of their parents' paths. So Snape's purpose has always been in part to protect Draco, and others like him, from their own prejudices. So it's not a stretch for me that Dumbledore would shift Snape's mission to include keeping Draco out of as much trouble as possible, not just to keep him from becoming a murderer.
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LOVE the icon, btw!
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But then, I've always believed that Dumbledore sees Snape's role as a teacher at Hogwarts to be partly a way to keep the DE kids out of their parents' paths. So Snape's purpose has always been in part to protect Draco, and others like him, from their own prejudices >> well duh.
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But you'd be surprised by how many people conveniently ignore that he's placed at Hogwarts with the interest of the DE Gen3 in mind. Knowing what we know of Dumbledore it's fairly obvious, but over the years I've had to argue it more than I ever thought necessary.
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