Will Snape redeem himself?

Question

After reading HP and the HBP, I have to believe that Snape will redeem himself in the next book. Dumbledore trusted him, and I know that this trust can't be misplaced... there must be something about Snape that we don't yet know, some way that he will aid Harry.
I like Snape and hope that my hunch is correct... what do you all think?

Maria T very interesting theory about Dumbledore. I hadn't thought about the fact that his casket was closed. Kinda fishy!

Answer 1

I'm convinced that Dumbledore and Snape cooked up the idea together. That Dumbledore was referring to snape killing him at the end there, when he was saying, "Snape, please..."

If you're going to take down the bad guy - you may need someone in their camp. And the bad guy is going to have to be CONVINCED of that person's loyalty. Dumbledore sacrificing himself may be the tool they need to get snape into their camp.

Answer 2

there's nothing to redeem. Think of this way, Snape killed Voldemort's greatest enemy (besides Harry). He'll be Voldemort's right hand man now. Snape killed Dumbledore on Dumbldore's orders, and there are 3 very solids reasons why I think this...

1. In Sorcerer's Stone, Dumbledore tells Harry "To the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure"...then in HBP, he says to Snape "Severus...please" this is indicating for Snape to kill him and keep his valuable position as a spy. The 'hatred and revulsion' on Snape's face is not toward's Dumbledore, but towards what he is making him do. And...what Dumbldore says to Snape is exactly what Narcissa says to Snape in the beginning of HBP...

2. When Harry is chasing after him. You saw how easily Snape fended off Harry. Sure, he said "leave the boy, he's the Dark Lord's" but think about it. He could have just hit Harry with a leg-locking spell and taken him to Voldemort himself, but he didn't. Snape is Dumbledore's most trusted servant (can't think of a better word)...not Voldemort's!!!

3. Dumbledore had refused to give Snape the DADA job for years, because he knew it was cursed and he did not want to tempt Snape. Why would he all of a sudden give it to him? I think because right after Snape made the unbreakable vow to Narcissa, he confided in Dumbledore and they created a plan...maybe not to kill Dumbledore, but to protect Draco.

...I'm sorry it's so long!!! I hope you had the patience to read it all!!!

Answer 3

Even Dumbledore admits that he makes mistakes.

I know that I'm stretching here, but take a look at the prophecy...
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

We're led to believe that Harry is the one named, but think about this...
We know nothing of Dumbledore's past...(b-day, family, anything)
Is the scar really the mark making Harry his equal? or misguided belief? Maybe what happened to Dumbledore's hand could be the same thing...
Does Voldemort know that Dumbledore has been gathering the horcruxes?
If snape was acting on behalf of Voldemort (or causing the death eaters to think so at least) might that not mean "die at the hand of the other"?

Maybe, just maybe, Dumbledore decieved Harry (and the readers) in order to make Voldemort believe Harry was the one spoken of. Something about Snape killing Dumbledore smacks of a plot by both of them. Could Dumbledore be pulling an Obi-Wan here?

Like I said, this could be a stretch here, but Dumbledore himself says that prophecy is an inherently tricky thing.

Answer 4

I believe that Snape will totally redeem himself in the next book. Dumbledore trusted him for a reason. There is going to be a HUGE reveal about Snape's past, and he will be instrumental in saving Harry's life somehow.

Answer 5

I also believe Snape will be redeemed. I don't believe he knew exactly what he was promising to do when he agreed to the unbreakable bond, he was just trying to get information about the Death Eaters plans from Bellatrix and Narcisus. And then he had no choice...

Now here's my wild theory that has caused my friends to think I am off my rocker... JK Rowling has mentioned in her website that Dumbledore's patronus is the Phoenix. I think that like the phoenix, Dumbledore will return from death and may have already (maybe that wasn't Fawkes crying overhead).

On the one hand, I can't wait to see how the story finally unfolds, but on the other, I will be sad to see the last page of the last book...

Answer 6

Snape has always been the protector of Harry. Snape knows all the secrets of Voldemort and he also knows that there will come a final showdown between Voldemort and Harry.
It will be revealed that the things Snape has done were because he knows his role is to protect Harry, no matter what.
Snape will not only "redeem" himself but will, in fact, die a hero.

Answer 7

Actually, I think not.

One thing I really like about Rowling's characters is they are so REAL. She observes human nature really well. Maybe it shows I am a bit of a pessimist, but I don't think Snape will change his stripes. He has consistently clung to the dark side, and now he has really crossed a big threshold by murdering Dumbledore - that kind of extreme action usually makes people MORE stuck in their dark path than ever. Even if he wants to reverse his path, it is much much harder now, because of the force of consequences.

Answer 8

Snape did the ultimate no no in bagging Dumbledore/ for that Harry's got to put his own hit out on him.

Answer 9

I agree, I think that Snape and Dumbledore had an unbreakable promise and that is why he begrudgingly did what he did. I do think he will somehow redeem himself in the final book.

Answer 10

I think Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him, to save Malfoy from doing it.