META: Did Snape know Draco's task?

[amanuensis1]

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.

Comments

[liriop.livejournal.com]

I think Snape knew. He's not an idiot to take an Unbreakable Vow on an issue he doesn't know. but that's not the whole of it. Let's see what he says:

"If Draco succeeds," said Snape, still looking away from her, "he will be honored above all others." He said that and how many tasks would imply this? You can say that he might have deduced it from what Bella had previously said:
"Draco should be proud," said Bellatrix indifferently. "The Dark Lord is granting him a great honor. And I will say this for Draco: he isn't shrinking away from his duty, he seems glad of a chance to prove himself, excited at the prospect —"
But granting a great honor isn't the same as granting that he'll be honored above all others.And a little later Snape says:
"He intends me to do it in the end, I think. But he is determined that Draco should try first. You see, in the unlikely event that Draco succeeds, I shall be able to remain at Hogwarts a little longer, fulfilling my useful role as spy."

A task that the Dark Lord would want Snape to do and that wouldn't allow him to remain at Hogwarts. Not many tasks would so completely make sense with what he says. I think it would be a very big bluff he he was saying those things without really knowing wht the task was. But even if he hadn't known in the beginning, by the time he made the Vow he certainly did. I knew when I first read it that it could only be killing Dumbledore or Harry. Think of what Narcissa said:
"But he won't succeed!" sobbed Narcissa. "How can he, when the Dark Lord himself— ?"
Snape, that is a very clever man, certainly knew that he would have to betray the Order of the Phoenix and kill either its leader or the only one with the power to defeat the Dark Lord (Snape knew at least the beginning of the prophecy).

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh, nicely done. That's so compelling, all that. Snape would be taking a helluva risk to bluff his way through all that. Yeah, that puts me even a little further into the "Snape knew" camp.