Do you think Snape is loyal to Dumbledore or Voldemort?

Question

In response to an answer above, yes I have read The Half-Blood Prince. I have my own theory, as well as do MANY Harry Potter fans, as to what happened between Snape and Dumbledore on that tower...there is more to this story than we know yet.

Answer 1

NOTE SPOILER ALERT IN THIS POST!!

Very interesting discussion going on with all the comments so far.

But I have to think about one clue from the previous books. Think about all of the headmasters and how they can move from picture to picture. They are obligated to help the other headmasters. By dying, Dumbledore has more opportunity to move at will through pictures from one place to another (we know he can go to Grimauld place and to St. Mungos). So, I think that Snape did what he felt he had to do. In the process, Snape can continue his role as a double agent, because he's proved his loyalty to Voldemort by protecting Malfoy.

To me, the fight scene in Book 5 reminded me of a Star Wars Analogy where Darth Vader and Obi Wan Kenobi (the original Star Wars movie) were fighting - only this time in the HP books it was Voldemort and Dumbledore fighting. The parallel given by Dumbledore about being more in power and the previous comment of "to the well ordered mind, death is but the next great adventure" tells me that Dumbledore still will be around in Book 7.

So, ultimately, I think that Snape is loyal to Dumbledore. The books really have not totally clarified how Snape proved his loyalty, but Dumbledore seems to be the only one who trulyl believes in Snape. And things are not always what they appear in the HP world, so I think Snape is going to turn out to be a good guy.

Answer 2

Severus Snape......

One moment, he’s the evil master, always taunting and picking on Harry, trying to get Harry expelled. He displayed his hatred for the boy for the entire world to see. He made an Unbreakable Vow to protect Draco Malfoy.....

But on the other hand, he had Dumbledore’s unstinting and unwavering trust. Dumbledore had always defended Snape, even against Harry’s many accusations and suspicions. For this reason alone, I have to believe that Snape is actually on the good side.

And I would be bitterly disappointed if Snape turns out to work for Voldemort after all. I feel that Snape is the most interesting character that Rowling has created, with his inner conflicts and mysterious past affiliation with the Death Eaters. With every line that Rowling writes about Snape, you would always question his motives, the real meaning behind what he says. He is always to me, an enigma.

Dumbledore was no fool. He wouldn't have blindly trusted Snape for nothing. There just HAD to be a reason for Snape to kill Dumbledore. Snape's expression of hatred before uttering the Avada Kedavra must mean something deeper than a loathing for Dumbledore. Maybe Dumbledore's death was a premeditated sacrifice for a final victory of good against evil. Maybe Dumbledore in death could do so much more for the Order of the Phoenix.

Remember when Harry once overheard them both arguing? I suspect that Snape had managed to convey to Dumbledore of the Unbreakable Vow he was forced to take part in with Draco’s mother. Snape would die if he didn't keep the vow to protect Draco, to kill Dumbledore in the event that the boy failed to do so.

And maybe Dumbledore would rather sacrifice himself than to loose the only link the Order of the Phoenix had with the inside workings of the Death Eaters' organization; Snape, the double agent.

Sure, Snape hated Harry's father. But I'd hate it if Snape was simply "getting his own back". Then there'd be no integrity in his character build-up so far. Rowling made Snape "hateful" for a reason. And other than her, maybe only Dumbledore knows who Severus Snape really is....

Answer 3

Going by the reactions in the hospital wing between the Order of the Phoenix members at the end of Half Blood Prince ... that looked too much like the way JKR liked to distract readers.

I don't like Snape ... I trusted Neville and Harry's gut feelings better ... but I think he may be loyal to Dumbledore.

Answer 4

I think Snape is loyal to Snape. In my mind he knows that he can't let Voldemort get power or else it would destroy everything, but also he isn't 100% loyal to Dumbledore because they just don't approach magic the same way. I definatly see him as more of a nuetral character with swings toward the "good" side because he realizes it is the only way he can gain power.

Answer 5

My bet's on Dumbledore. He either fooled the greatest wizard (Dumbledore) or probably the second greatest (Voldemort). Can you imagine Snape fooling Dumbledore? If not he got them both. But I think it's Dumbledore. They both were arguing in the forest in Half Blood Prince. It was probably Dumbledore's sacrifice of his life fo Snape.

Answer 6

I'm not sure. But you know how before Snape did that thing near the end of the 1/2 blood prince, he was like begging? Well, my friends think dumbledore was like begging him to do that for some reason...like he was in pain, or he needed that to happen for Harry to do something. Sumthin like that.

sorry, didn't want 2 spoil the end 4 people who have (still) not read it.

Answer 7

I beleive Snape is loyal to Dumbledore and I trust Dumbledore's judgment about Snape and I don't need a reason for why he trusted Snape. If we can't trust Dumbledore we can't trust no one.

Answer 8

I don't think that he's either. I want to believe that he works for Dumbledore, but I think, based on the books, that Snape works strictly for Snape.

Answer 9

Dumbledore.

Answer 10

i think professor snape is loyal to Dumbledore because on the first four books it's really loyal