Is Dumbledore really dead? Did Snape really betray him?

Question

because of college and life, it took me a year to get started on HP and the half blood prince and I just finished it last night..... I just can not accept that Dumbledore was wrong with trusting Snape! What does everyone else think? do you guys believe that that was it, and Snape is really a deatheater again!!!!? It just doesn't make sense for Dumbledore to die this easily!!!

Answer 1

Snape isnt evil and didnt betray him.
So this is what I have posted over a year ago at some potter communities! I guess that shows why I have been thinking that way:
this is my long statement towards this. I don't think innocent is the right word for Snape, but I don't think he is evil.
He has killed Dumbledore. Yeah I think that's true.
But here my reasons why he is not evil

1. Dumbledore might have know that he would die anyways after drinking the poison. Also at the begin of the journey with Harry Dumbledore did know that he might die. Dumbledore as well as Snape are occlumentics. So Dumbledore might have let him know that he would die and ask Snape to make the curse. He didn't want to loose Snape as a spy and as he would have died anyways...
If Dumbledore wouldn't have killed it would also have been more worse for Draco. Draco would have been very very badly punished...
And we allready know from book 5 that Dumbledore can make look things different then they are (when the ministers try to catch him).

2. Wormtail being at Snape's house... Couldn't that be that Voldemort didn't really trust Snape and let Wormtail be there as a spy. This would also show that Snape needed to do something that made Voldemort trust him.

3. He has saved Harry's life. I doubt it was only because of Dumbledore. Would be no real reason. He could have said he couldn't do anything etc.

4. I think he might have been in love with Lily and that's propably also the reason why Voldemort didn't wanted to kill Lily.
I think Snape has propably told him of this profecy, but he made an arragement with Voldemort that he shouldn't do anything to Lily. (remember Voldemort didn't wanted to kill Lily at first)
As an occlumentic and powerfull poisen maker Snape was a very good men for Voldemort. And for Voldemort it was not important wether Lily lived or not.
At the end Voldemort broke this promise and killed Lily.
That could be the reason why Snape got back to Dumbledore I think.

I am not the person who desperatly wants Snape to be good, but I think he is.
Well maybe not really good (still remembering the way he treats Neville) but good to Dumbledore.

Just read the passages with Snape again. What I can say is now: I have allways known that Snape is not on Voldemords side, but this book made me 100% sure that he's against Voldemort!!!

1. Snape explaining reasons to Bellatrix for not killing Harry
Snape says why he hasn't killed Harry at first is because he thought Harry might be a new dark wizzard and the new leader of them. Harry the new leader and Snape doing what he wants????! Never!!!! Snape always saw James in him and Harry had from the begin on the feeling that Snape dislikes him. Snape would never excepted Harry as a new leader not as a dark magician as as a good!!! He only wanted to have a reason for not killing Harry. And Bella needs to belive it.(it shows again that there was no real reason not to kill Harry)

2. Wormtail wanting to spy as Snape talkes with Narcissa and Bellatrix
Wormtail spying at the door (Snape hurts him with his wand and he runs away). This could also support the theorie that Wormtail is spying for Voldemort, as Voldemort doesn't really trust Snape


3. Snape tells he knows about Voldemorts plan
I don't think he knows of Voldemorts plan with Draco. He only acts like he knows, but in reality he has no idea. If you reread the passage: Snape doesn't say one sentence which let show that he knows about it.
He gets it all to know from Bella and Narcissa and they don't even know. They just think he knows everything and tell them part to part whats happening.
This could be another sign that Voldemort didn't trust him.

4. After Harry and D. arrived after the Horcruxes...
Dumbledore asked imidiatly to call Snape and not Mme Pomfrey. He might have seen that Mme Pomfrey couldn't help him anymore that he would die anyways. That he would die anyways shows also how week he gets in the tower. He gets weaker and weaker and even the Death eaters recognise. Belive me guys he would have died anyways!!!!

5. The Scene where Dumbledore gets killed by Snape and speaks to him.
Do you really think this strong wizzard would ever demand or implore for his life if someone wants to kill him??? No, I never think Dumbeldore would ever ask for his life!!!! I think that he speakes to Snape that way has a completely other meaning. He's demanding Snape desperatly to kill him, because he would die anyways. Snape doesn’t want to that’s why he’s asking him so much. Read that passage again and read it onder that aspect and you will see it completely different. Further would Draco be killed by Voldemort (and as we know Dumbledore would ever prefere to die himselfs than let a student be killed)

6. Snape saves Harry’s life again as an other Death Eater tries to kill him. He says the Death Eater should leave Harry for Voldemort.

7. Snape just uses Expeliarmus while fighting with Harry. He could have cursed him etc., but he didn’t do!

8. As Harry tells Snape „Kill me like you’ve killed him, you coward“ Snape seems to feel so much pain etc. Why should he feel so bad only because Harry called him coward??? No!!! Harry has called him coward before. I think that makes him realize that Dumbledore is really death and that he really did it at the end no matter if Dumbledore would have died anyways. He feels pain because he has lost the only person that really seems to like him and support him. That’s why he feels so much pain. And I feel so sorry for him at that part :(

Answer 2

Snape will turn out to be a good guy. Harry will learn from his fathers mistake and bridge the gap.

If you remember back in book #1 Snape was pertecting Harry because he felt guilty for Harry's dad saving his life. I am sure this will be a big plot point in book 7.


Also Dumbledore really did die, but I think the Phoenix sybolism at his funeral may have a big part in book7. Maybe he will have a rebirth like phoenix! I may be wrong, but this may give you a feeling of hope until book 7 is out!

Answer 3

I have the feeling too that Snape isn't a "bad" guy. And Dumbledore really is dead, he's not coming back unfortunately. That rumor was debunked (along with a few others) in an interview that Mugglenet.com did with JK Rowling.

I also was late reading up on the books because of school and what not. I'm glad I waited though, it would've killed me to have to wait even longer for the 7th book to come out!!!

Answer 4

Dumbledore may have ordered Snape to kill him so Snape would gain the trust of you-know-who.

Answer 5

dumbledore is dead, he actually died to protect harry since the second he used to make him stand still under the cloak, took him the chance to hold his wand and defend himself against malfoy. now about snape, i dont know..maybe dumbledore was too weak and was about to die anyway and snape did him the favor even though that sounds like a long shot...i think snape is evil thats why he left running with bella and malfoy.

Answer 6

Snape is on Dumbledores side - he is devoted to dumbledore. He is just a nasty character, but he is really a good guy!

As for dumbledore being dead . . . well - i dont really think he is - but thats just my opinion.

Answer 7

I dunno what to think. But I I follow my gut feeling, I think Snape is still good. I dun think he's a deatheater.
But then again, how van Snape deceive dumbledore AND Voldemort at the same time???
Well, just have to wait for the next and final book......

Answer 8

i have no idea, but you know, Borders is asking the same question! all their posters and setups for the 7th book have book marks with points for Snape being a friend, and then for him being a foe....i guess we'll just have to wait and see...which bites!!!!

Answer 9

yeah it's really sad.

and the first original dumbledore actor died in real life.

Answer 10

We'll have to wait and see!