⊠âYou must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that couldâve called Fawkes to you.â Thatâs the very first thing Dumbledore thanks and praises Harry for. Not for rescuing Ginny, or saving the school from the basilisk, or for keeping Voldemort from coming back, but for loyalty.
Dumbledore judges the people he works with based first and foremost on how loyal they are to him. Not because he thinks heâs all that, but because, as I said, he views people as game pieces, and you canât have your game pieces acting up, can you? He values his pieces. He wants to advance and protect them. But he doesnât want them running off beyond his sphere of influence and doing their own thing. I think thereâs something very ambiguous about Dumbledoreâs habit of seeking out desperate, socially outcast people and doing them one or two huge favors that leave them bound to him for life. Remus, Hagrid and Snape all fit that pattern, and Trelawney and Firenze appear to join the ranks in OOP. It kind of makes me wonder what Dumbledore has done for Fletcher, Moody and Shacklebolt.
âŠThe problem with Sirius is, heâs not loyal to Dumbledore at all; heâs loyal to Harry. From Dumbledoreâs point of view, itâs as if heâs playing wizard chess, and one of the knights suddenly decides that he doesnât care what happens to the king, heâs just going to take care of that little pawn on the left. So Dumbledore does the only thing he thinks he can do â he sticks his recalcitrant knight into a safe, isolated corner of the board and keeps him from making any moves. Perfectly sensible and strategically sound, as long as you donât expect your game pieces to have any pesky emotions or psychological issue that need to be taken into account.
âŠDumbledoreâs actions at Hogwarts are another symptom of his general approach. He doesnât treat it just as a school, but also as an instrument in his strategy. People like Snape, Hagrid and Trelawny â all lousy teachers, in very different ways â are given their jobs as perks, because of their past of future usefulness to the Order, and because it strengthens their bonds of loyalty to Dumbledore.
OTOH, look at Lupin, who is a talented teacher. Why wasnât he hired before Harryâs third year, especially given the difficulty of finding qualified DADA professors? My theory is that Dumbledore didnât consider it necessary. As far as he knew, Lupin was already totally loyal simply because Dumbledore had allowed him to attend Hogwarts. There was no need to bribe him with a job. He was hired only when his familiarity with Sirius became an important factor. Once Sirius proved not to be a threat, Lupin was allowed to resignâŠ
Thoughts on Dumbledore by marinarusalka, from hp-essays (via pottersir)
THIS IS SO GREAT AND SO INTERESTING AND EVEN MORE SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT SNAPEâS STORYLINE AND HEREâS WHY
Just look at Dumbledoreâs behavior in The Princeâs Tale - especially at the contrast between before and after Snape agreed to help him defeat Voldemort. Thereâs so much emotional manipulation, so much that Dumbledore is doing to keep Snape on his side.
âThat is why â it is for that reason â he thinks it means Lily Evans!â
âThe prophecy did not refer to a woman,â said Dumbledore. âIt spoke of a boy born at the end of July â â
âYou know what I mean! He thinks it means her son, he is going to hunt her down â kill them all â â
âIf she means so much to you,â said Dumbledore, âsurely Lord Voldemort will spare her? Could you not ask for mercy for the mother, in exchange for the son?â
âI have â I have asked him â â
âYou disgust me,â said Dumbledore, and Harry had never heard so much contempt in his voice. Snape seemed to shrink a little, âYou do not care, then, about the deaths of her husband and child? They can die, as long as you have what you want?â
That line, the âyou disgust meâ line is SO IMPORTANT. Contrary to popular belief, Dumbledore doesnât find Snapeâs obsession love for Lily beautiful; he finds it disgusting - and understandably so. Because she âmeans so muchâ to Snape that heâs willing to sacrifice her family, and therefore happiness, in order to keep her alive. And, frankly, thatâs gross. Dumbledore agrees.
âHide them all, then,â he croaked. âKeep her â them â safe. Please.â
âAnd what will you give me in return, Severus?â
âIn â in return?â Snape gaped at Dumbledore, and Harry expected him to protest, but after a long moment he said, âAnything.â
Aaaaaand Dumbledore gets himself the perfect soldier - someone who is willing to do anything.
âI thoughtâŠyou were goingâŠto keep herâŠsafeâŠâ
âShe and James put their faith in the wrong person,â said Dumbledore. âRather like you, Severus. Werenât you hoping that Lord Voldemort would spare her?â
Also really important. Dumbledore was supposed to protect her, keep her alive, and it didnât work out and that greatly puts Snapeâs loyalty at risk. So what does Dumbledore do? Deflect. He places the blame on Snape and Voldemort here - which, Iâm pretty much with him here because Snape did tell Voldemort the prophecy and Voldemort did personally kill the Potters. But this isnât about that. This is strategy. Keep Snape guilty and keep the blame off Dumbledore by having this whole âwell there was nothing I could doâ stance and thereby keep Snape both vulnerable and loyal. Make Voldemort the real enemy, someone that Snape would be willing to do anything to fight against at all cost.
âHer boy survives,â said Dumbledore.
With a tiny jerk of the head, Snape seemed to flick off an irksome fly.
âHer son lives. He has her eyes, precisely her eyes. You remember the shape and color of Lily Evansâs eyes, I am sure?â
âDONâT!â bellowed Snape. âGoneâŠdeadâŠâ
âIs this remorse, Severus?â
âI wishâŠI wish I were deadâŠâ
âAnd what use would that be to anyone?â said Dumbledore coldly. âIf you loved Lily Evans, if you truly loved her, then your way forward is clear.â
Okay so Dumbledore is definitely using Snapeâs love for Lily against him - I think we can all agree with that. I mean look at how heâs referring to her as âLily Evansâ rather than as her married name, âLily Potter.â Dumbledore has a very tough sell here; he wants Snape to help him protect the child of someone Snape loves and someone he hates. So he takes James out of the equation and itâs all about Harryâs eyes and how much they look like Lilyâs and Evans. And then he takes Snapeâs love and gives it a purpose.
âYou know how and why she died. Make sure it was not in vain. Help me protect Lilyâs son.â
âHe does not need protection. The Dark Lord has gone â â
âThe Dark Lord will return, and Harry Potter will be in terrible danger when he does.â
There was a long pause, and slowly Snape regained control of himself, mastered his own breathing. At last he said, âVery well. Very well. But never â never tell, Dumbledore! This must be between us! Swear it! I cannot bearâŠespecially Potterâs sonâŠI want your word!â
âMy word, Severus, that I shall never reveal the best of you?â Dumbledore sighed, looking down into Snapeâs ferocious, anguished face.
Before it was disgusting, but now that Snapeâs agreed to help him, has pledged his loyalty, Snapeâs love is now ~the best part of him~
â â mediocre, arrogant as his father, a determined rule-breaker, delighted to find himself famous, attention-seeking and impertinent â â
âYou see what you expect to see, Severus,â said Dumbledore, without raising his eyes from a copy of Transfiguration Today . âOther teachers report that the boy is modest, likable, and reasonably talented. Personally, I find him an engaging child.â
Dumbledore turned a page, and said, without looking up, âKeep an eye on Quirrell, wonât you?â
Snape is only seeing Jamesâ worst qualities in Harry (which tbh first year Harry definitely did not have) so Dumbledore brings up qualities that were, actually, found in and associated with Lily to placate him. Because Dumbledoreâs biggest challenge is to make Snape forget that James is Harryâs father. He then follows this up with a request.
âKarkaroffâs Mark is becoming darker too. He is panicking, he fears retribution; you know how much help he gave the Ministry after the Dark Lord fell.â Snape looked sideways at Dumbledoreâs crooked-nosed profile. âKarkaroff intends to flee if the Mark burns.â
âDoes he?â said Dumbledore softly, as Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies came giggling in from the grounds. âAnd are you tempted to join him?â
âNo,â said Snape, his black eyes on Fleurâs and Rogerâs retreating figures. âI am not such a coward.â
âNo,â agreed Dumbledore. âYou are a braver man by far than Igor Karkaroff. You know, I sometimes think we Sort too soonâŠâ
He walked away, leaving Snape looking strickenâŠ
Whether you believe it or not, both Sirius and Remus have said that Snape was jealous of James - of his popularity, his talents, all the glory he received, etc. And a lot of those things are perks from being a brave Gryffindor rather than an âevilâ Slytherin. Dumbledore is capitalizing on that, on Snapeâs secret desires. Heâs manipulating Snape because wow he thinks heâs brave, he thinks heâs brave enough to even be a mighty Gryffindor - something Iâm sure no one has even told him before. Something heâd never admit to secretly reveling in because he grew up unloved and unwanted. But it keeps him loyal, keeps him close to Dumbledore.
âI am fortunate, extremely fortunate, that I have you, Severus.â
The power of being complimentary, my friends, is not focused on enough. (And Iâm not trying to take away from the fact that Snape is a talented wizard, because I do think that, but Dumbledore is so totally manipulating him come on. What makes me say that? Because not long afterwards does he segue into asking Snape to kill him)
âIn short, the boy has had a death sentence pronounced upon him as surely as I have,â said Dumbledore. âNow, I should have thought the natural successor to the job, once Draco fails, is yourself?â
âThat, I think, is the Dark Lordâs plan.â
âLord Voldemort foresees a moment in the near future when he will not need a spy at Hogwarts?â
âHe believes the school will soon be in his grasp, yes.â
âAnd if it does fall into his grasp,â said Dumbledore, almost, it seemed, as an aside, âI have your word that you will do all in your power to protect the students at Hogwarts?â
Great, Dumbledore has not only a spy, but an heir.
âHe is his father over again â â
âIn looks, perhaps, but his deepest nature is much more like his motherâs. I spend time with Harry because I have things to discuss with him, information I must give him before it is too late.â
Harry actually shares plenty of traits with James - and based on how heâs spoken of James in the past, Dumbledore liked him. (And why wouldnât he? Not only is James amazing jkalsdsalkdjasldaskdh but he was very loyal to Dumbledore) So this is for Snapeâs benefit. Again, heâs keeping him under control by bringing Lily into the equation and make Harry worthy enough, in Snapeâs eyes, to protect.
âInformation,â repeated Snape. âYou trust himâŠyou do not trust me.â
âIt is not a question of trust. I have, as we both know, limited time. It is essential that I give the boy enough information for him to do what he needs to do.â
âAnd why may I not have the same information?â
âI prefer not to put all of my secrets in one basket, particularly not a basket that spends so much time dangling on the arm of Lord Voldemort.â
âWhich I do on your orders!â
âAnd you do it extremely well. Do not think that I underestimate the constant danger in which you place yourself, Severus. To give Voldemort what appears to be valuable information while withholding the essentials is a job I would entrust to nobody but you.â
âYet you confide much more in a boy who is incapable of Occlumency, whose magic is mediocre, and who has a direct connection into the Dark Lordâs mind!â
Dumbledore is clearly making Snape angry and I donât think itâs necessarily intentional. But I do think heâs trying to make sure that Snape desires and values his trust over Voldemortâs. I mean, Iâm sure heâs double checked that he has Snapeâs loyalty before, but itâs safe to keep checking every now and then. But then this happens:
Snape looked angry, mutinous. Dumbledore sighed.
âCome to my office tonight, Severus, at eleven, and you shall not complain that I have no confidence in youâŠâ
MUTINOUS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT WORD. DUMBLEDORE IS AT RISK OF LOSING THE BEST AND MOST ESSENTIAL PIECE TO HIS GAME, HIS MVP, SO HE HAS TO REEL HIM BACK IN.
âSo the boyâŠthe boy must die?â asked Snape quite calmly.
âAnd Voldemort himself must do it, Severus. That is essential.â
Another long silence. Then Snape said, âI thoughtâŠall those yearsâŠthat we were protecting him for her. For Lily.â
Snape is currently reevaluating his life and all of his choices. Because he thinks, if not for Lily, then what is the point of protecting Harry Potter? Why is he fighting this war? Why is he on Dumbledoreâs side?
âWe have protected him because it has been essential to teach him, to raise him, to let him try his strength,â said Dumbledore, his eyes still tight shut. âMeanwhile, the connection between them grows ever stronger, a parasitic growth. Sometimes I have thought he suspects it himself. If I know him, he will have arranged matters so that when he does set out to meet his death, it will truly mean the end of Voldemort.â
Dumbledore opened his eyes. Snape looked horrified.
âYou have kept him alive so that he can die at the right moment?â
âDonât be shocked, Severus. How many men and women have you watched die?â
âLately, only those whom I could not save,â said Snape. He stood up. âYou have used me.â
Indeed he has! And after all this time, youâve finally caught on!
âI have spied for you and lied for you, put myself in mortal danger for you. Everything was supposed to be to keep Lily Potterâs son safe. Now you tell me you have been raising him like a pig for slaughter â â
Uh-oh no longer Lily Evans - now she is Potter, now she and everything thatâs a part of her (i.e. her son) is tainted by James. Still worth protecting? Still worth sacrificing and risking so much for? Apparently yes because this happens:
âBut this is touching, Severus,â said Dumbledore seriously. âHave you grown to care for the boy, after all?â
âFor him?â shouted Snape. â Expecto Patronum!â
From the tip of his wand burst the silver doe. She landed on the office floor, bounded once across the office, and soared out of the window. Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears.
âAfter all this time?â
âAlways,â said Snape.
Okay so obviously, if you hadnât already caught on, Snape isnât doing all of this for the cause or because heâs repenting for being a Death Eater. Itâs all for Lily. The woman he helped kill. I beg you to not find that romantic. Remember Dumbledoreâs "you disgust me"? Thatâs pretty much how I feel about Snape, and I suspect that Dumbledore still feels that way. Because, as valuable as he is, Snape has not changed. And I guess it doesnât bother him at all if heâs risked and sacrificed so much for a child who will die anyway if it was all for her.
After all this time, you still do not see the value of protecting an innocent child? Always. After all this time you still cannot let go of a woman who never loved you romantically? Always. After all this time, youâre still fighting against Voldemort because he killed Lily and not because you believe in muggle-born rights? Always. Dumbledore had to have known this - I mean heâd been using Snapeâs love for Lily against him for how long? But Iâm sure it still saddened him.
Anyway, âThe Princeâs Taleâ is a brilliant example of Dumbledoreâs manipulation and how he used it to win a war. This is where we see him really in action - and itâs fascinating. Because this is the power of loyalty - how Dumbledore could get a Death Eater so firmly on his side that he continues to do Dumbledoreâs work for him after his own death. Thatâs powerful.
And thatâs why Voldemortâs fucking scared of him. Iâm kind of scared of him.
(via comealongraggedypond)
I normally donât reblog Potter stuffâŠbut this was a really interesting read.
(via district12slytherin)
