Rereading/Rewatching the Harry Potter Series
Chapter 19 - The Silver Doe
Before Harry goes into the pool:
"Was he imagining that somebody stood beyond the reach of the wandlight, watching him?"
After Ron rescues him:
“You didn’t see anyone else?”
“No,” said Ron. “I —”
But he hesitated, glancing at two trees growing close together some yards away.
“I did think I saw something move over there, but I was running to the pool at the time, because you’d gone in and you hadn’t come up, so I wasn’t going to make a detour to — hey!”
Not only did Severus stay long enough to make sure Harry found the sword, but he was still there when Harry was struggling in the water. The fact that he moves at that point… was he about to intervene himself, afraid he had no choice? That's really the only explanation, even if that would've meant blowing his cover. I can't even imagine how relieved he must've been when Ron showed up.
Either way, I love the idea of him watching from the shadows, Harry's silent guardian and even his savior if it had come to that. It's such a beautiful, poignant image, even if it is bittersweet.
This isn't really on the topic of Snape, but more on the Golden Trio: based on what I know about the falling out between Ron and the others, I understand why Ron left, and I think, even though he was influenced by the locket, he brought up some good points.
- Ron's terrified about losing anyone in his family, which is something neither Harry nor Hermione can fully understand.
- Harry's parents are dead, he doesn't have a strong relationship with his living relatives, and he's known most of his loved ones for about 6 to 6 1/2 years.
- Hermione manipulated her parents' memories and sent them away to protect them from the Death Eaters. As far as we know, she doesn't have other relatives.
- Ron's frustrated by Harry's lack of planning. They know Horcruxes exist, and they've found one. However, they don't have the means to destroy it.
- The only reason they retrieved the locket is because they happened to be in the house of the brother of the man who betrayed Voldemort, and the man's house-elf had held onto it until Mundungus Fletcher stole it. And the only reason they were in that house to begin with was because the man's brother was Harry's godfather. So realistically, they got a lead on the locket by sheer coincidence.
- Aside from this, they don't know what or where the other Horcruxes are; Harry suspects, but he has no plan for how to find them.
- They have no access to anything that can destroy Horcruxes (the venom), and the only way they actually get their hands on something that would work (the sword) is entirely due to Snape's interference after the break-up.
- The only reason they retrieved the locket is because they happened to be in the house of the brother of the man who betrayed Voldemort, and the man's house-elf had held onto it until Mundungus Fletcher stole it. And the only reason they were in that house to begin with was because the man's brother was Harry's godfather. So realistically, they got a lead on the locket by sheer coincidence.
Keep in mind that Ron, having been Splinched due to their botched infiltration of the Ministry (because Harry intelligently removed his Invisibility Cloak and assaulted/stole the locket from Umbridge during Mary Cattermole's hearing, exposing himself to every single wand in the room and alerting the Ministry that he was there), is also suffering from hunger and is most likely anemic. In addition, they know the locket negatively affects the wearer and choose to give it to their injured, anemic friend who also has a history of selfish and vicious behavior.
I can't blame Ron for behaving the way he did, as a majority of the factors that led up to the split were due to things outside his control. I have to place a majority of the blame on Harry and Hermione, Harry for his volatility and--
Actually, I forgot one thing: Harry told Ron to leave. Harry told his injured, anemic, mentally and emotionally unwell best friend, someone who was being influenced by a Horcrux, someone whom the Death Eaters know is associated with Harry and would be a top-priority target to capture and interrogate, to leave.
You are 100% spot on with everything you said about Ron. I might not like his behavior in other parts of the series, but here, it's completely understandable (even more so with how thoroughly and eloquently you laid it out). Harry and Hermione are also really hard on and dismissive of him, which I personally found painful to read.
Also, good point about Harry literally telling him to leave, which makes Hermione's behavior (losing her shit on him) when he comes back even worse. Why is it Ron he yells at and not Harry? Harry was the one who pushed him, knowing he was already teetering on the edge.
Beyond that, you touched on something that has bothered me throughout this book, much more than it did 10 years ago. Damn near everything comes down to lucky (and often implausible) coincidences. That's true in the other books, too, but it's especially blatant in this one. There are so many things I just don't find believable, plot elements that feel like lazy shortcuts. It also exposes just how insufficient Dumbledore was in his efforts to prepare Harry… realistically speaking, he never would've succeeded.
I think I'm noticing these things more this time because I'm currently writing a version of DH where Snape is directly involved. He knows about the Horcruxes and is assisting the Trio, relying on his own knowledge/judgment rather than following Dumbledore's instructions. It's amazing to explore how differently it would've been handled in the hands of a competent adult, which (so far) is safer for the trio, far more efficient, and leaves a lot less to chance/coincidence. That last part really is the most maddening thing as far as canon goes… with the fate of the entire Wizarding world at stake, it is absolutely insane that Dumbledore left Harry to play guessing games rather than giving him every last scrap of information he had.
On Dumbledore: I'll say, in Dumbledore's defense, that he didn't know the exact number of Horcruxes until near the end of his life, so odds are that he would have been theorizing without too much of a solid framework.
- He managed to identify the nature of the diary.
- He found the (original) locations of the ring and locket (he wouldn't have known about Regulus's betrayal) and retrieved them (but again, he didn't know about the locket switch).
- We could guess that he suspected the cup was another Horcrux.
- I don't remember if he mentions theorizing about a Ravenclaw artifact as the fifth one.
- Not sure if he explicitly stated that Nagini was a Horcrux; if he did, then he definitely knew she was one.
- For strategic reasons, it makes sense that he would make sure Harry didn't know about his own nature until the last second.
Now, as for Dumbledore's original plan: he would have failed, and it is only through sheer coincidence via Weasley twins nearly committing manslaughter that the plan was put out of place and guaranteed Harry's ultimate victory. I'll talk about it more when you reach his conversation with Harry, but it's a horrible example of coincidence saving the day.
Quote from The Gestalt Prince on January 16, 2023, 12:35 am
- Not sure if he explicitly stated that Nagini was a Horcrux; if he did, then he definitely knew she was one.
Confirmed via Snape's memory:
“That is between Harry and me. Now listen closely, Severus. There will come a time — after my death — do not argue, do not interrupt! There will come a time when Lord Voldemort will seem to fear for the life of his snake.”
“For Nagini?” Snape looked astonished.
“Precisely. If there comes a time when Lord Voldemort stops sending that snake forth to do his bidding, but keeps it safe beside him under magical protection, then, I think, it will be safe to tell Harry.”
Your points are fair, though I still think he could've been more explicit about certain things. In the interest of fairness though, you're right – there were a lot of things he didn't know until the last minute, and his actions in the last year of his life do suggest that he was trying to give Harry as much information as possible in the time he had left.
Meanwhile…
Chapter 32 - The Elder Wand
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Oh shit, since you're there already, just wanted to comment on Harry using the Cruciatus Curse on the Carrows for spitting at McGonagall. I get that McGonagall is important to him, but... it's the Torture Curse. The crime of spitting doesn't equate to full-body torture to the point of incapacitation.
On the Elder Wand chapter: we could've gotten a duel. Snape would have been completely justified in defending himself, and it would only have made sense for him to do so. Or at least blow a hole in the wall of the Shack and fly away. We could've gotten an aerial duel, with Snape on the defensive. Instead, we got a dead Snape. We got a Snape who died, believing he was sending the son of the love of his life to his death.
Yeah, this chapter breaks my heart again and again and again. It's like the purpose was to hurt Snape as much as humanly possible on every conceivable level. His slow dawning, horrifying realization that he's about to die, and that Dumbledore set it up to happen that way. No explanation. No warning. Not only is that deeply, fundamentally cruel, but it was extremely shortsighted. It limited Snape's options, considering that if he'd known that it was coming, he would've also known to avoid Voldemort until he passed along the info to Harry. Instead, all he can do is beg Voldemort to let him go find Harry, which he does with increasing desperation, even though I'm sure he realizes it's a futile effort.
The attack itself is horrific. No need to comment on that other than a.) it was unnecessarily brutal, and b.) it is an absolute travesty that Snape was given NO opportunity to defend himself. The idea of him lying there alone, bleeding to death on that floor (before Harry shows up) is absolutely gutting. The thoughts that must've been running through his mind, believing he had failed… it might've only been a couple of minutes, but to him, I'm sure it felt like an eternity.
Of course, Harry does show up, which is another fortunate coincidence. I'm willing to forgive that one, if for no other reason that it gives Snape some relief, but it was still badly handled/deeply unfair to him as a character. And of course, it's still heartbreaking, considering that a.) he believes Harry is going to die, regardless, and b.) he dies without knowing what the outcome of the battle will be.
It's that last part I find hardest to forgive. Everything he suffered, all the sacrifices he made… he deserved to know that Voldemort was defeated, which of course, would've never happened without him.
Obviously, I would've preferred that he didn't die at all. No one wants that for their favorite character. But if it had to happen, I wish it had been written in a different way, one that was more compassionate to his character and (IMO) would've made for a better story. A duel, as you suggested, would've been incredibly impactful. He could've dropped the facade at a point where it no longer mattered, opposing Voldemort openly. I'm sure that would've been satisfying for him, regardless of the outcome… it also would've been nice for everyone to see his true allegiance there at the end. An aerial dual (as you suggested) could've been amazing… I can picture fighters on both sides stopping to watch in astonishment as Voldemort's "most trusted servant" goes head to head with the Dark Lord himself.
The dual could've ended with Voldemort believing Snape was dead, assuming he is now master of the Elder Wand as he returns his focus to Harry. Snape could've survived that encounter (my preference) but again, even if JKR felt the need to kill him off, he wouldn't have had to die right away. He could've been mortally wounded, while surviving long enough to see the end of the battle/Voldemort's defeat.
Seriously, imagine that. Snape is lying there, his life ebbing away, but it's in a completely different context. He feels a deep, profound relief, knowing he has succeeded… he also has the comfort of knowing that Harry survived and that his own reputation has been redeemed. That would've been beautiful… still tragic, but beautiful. Certainly better than "Fuck Snape. His feelings don't matter beyond their relevance to Harry."
Anyway, enough ranting. I'm sure I'll have more to say after the next chapter, which (obviously) is my favorite one in the series.
Chapter 33 - The Prince's Tale
I've read this chapter more than any other in the series, but it never loses its impact. Despite my other complaints about how Snape and his death were handled, I can't think of a negative thing to say about this chapter. He did a magnificent job of summarizing Snape's history, his motivations, and how much he struggled and suffered to bring about Voldemort's defeat. Really, if I had to criticize anything (and it's not really a criticism), it's that I was left wanting more.
I plan on finishing the book tonight, so feel free to share your thoughts on the Weasley twins/Kings Cross station whenever you're ready. Really looking forward to reading them/posting my final thoughts.
Dumbledore's original plan was to have Snape be the new master of the Elder Wand, effectively being his successor.
- This would give Snape access to the power of the Elder Wand.
- Should Voldemort try to obtain the Wand, it would make Snape impervious to being harmed by it due to the Wand's refusal to harm its master, which is the reason Voldemort's killing curse backfired in the final confrontation against Harry.
The problem with this plan, and why it would have failed, is that Voldemort used Nagini to kill Snape. Assuming Snape was the master of the Wand, the ownership would transfer either to Voldemort or Nagini (whose Horcrux status might make Voldemort the owner as well, a bit unclear).
In addition, even if Voldemort tried to kill Snape directly with the Wand, it would "kill" Voldemort, but not kill Voldemort. He'd be a disembodied spirit, who would probably try to flee and hide away again with Nagini. Granted, Snape would have an easier time killing the snake if he acted quickly, but the issue remains that he would have to tell Harry that he needs to let Voldemort kill him. And as Voldemort is a disembodied spirit... how long is that going to take?
(SEMI) FINAL THOUGHTS:
JK Rowling is a masterful storyteller. For all my criticisms and frustrations, I have to give her massive credit for creating such a vibrant world, intriguing, well-developed characters, and an amazing story line. I also love the overarching theme of the series, which (from my perspective) is that love will always be more powerful than selfishness and hate. It's one of many concepts in these books that is compelling, relatable, and universal, which is why the series is (and always will be) so beloved.
As for my complaints… this might sound strange, but my favorite thing about the series is the things I dislike. Plot elements that seem implausible or insufficient, characters I feel were mistreated, relationships that drive me up the wall, things that just don't make sense. I might criticize them all day long, but the fact is, those flaws are what has kept me mesmerized by the series (and especially Snape) for more than a decade. They have led to countless fascinating discussions, valuable friendships, not to mention endless creative inspiration through fanfiction and artwork.
Had I been satisfied with the series, none of that would've happened. I would've read the books, appreciated them, and moved on as I've done with countless other series. I'm so glad that didn't happen… I would've missed out on so much inspiration, enjoyment, and creative growth.
Finally, I just want to thank JKR for creating Severus Snape. I may not always agree with how she handled him, but he is by far the most moving, fascinating character I've ever encountered. He is beautiful, for all his flaws and shortcomings… I'm beyond grateful to have him in my life, even if he only exists as part of my imagination.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I might be done with the books, but I still have five movies to watch, which I'll be commenting on in this thread. I meant to do them one after the other, but once I started, I just wanted to keep reading. 🙂
