marvelstars: I know that some HP fans like to talk about how morally wrong Snape was for asking Dumb
marvelstars: I know that some HP fans like to talk about how morally wrong Snape was for asking Dumbledore to protect Lily and how he didn´t dare have a change of heart right away. Given this argument gets talked about a lot of times, I wanted to add my two cents. 1.- I would like to say that Snape thought he was risking his life by going to Dumbledore, he thought Albus was going to kill him on the spot so going for him in the first place wasnt an easy choice to make but still he did it. 2.- I also would like to point out that before we have the scene of Dumbledore being disgusted by Snape, Severus already had said: “You know what I mean, He thinks it means her Son, he´s going to hunt her down _ kill THEM all _ ” Snape says he comes with a warning, that Voldemort is going to hunt Lily Evans and her Son, that he´s going to KILL THEM ALL. Here he already did the request of Dumbledore, a message in the form of a warning, that was all he nedeed to say really, before going on his way or be killed by Dumbledore or being send to Askaban really but: “If she means so much to you” said Dumbledore, “surely Lord Voldemort would spare her? Could you not ask mercy for the mother, in exchange for the Son?” It´s actually Dumbledore the one who suggest that Snape asks for Lily´s life in exchange of her Son´s life, when Snape says,“ I have asked him”, he means to asnwer Dumbledore´s question, not ask Albus to just hide Lily or to just keep her safe instead of her family. Here I can´t help but think the ruthless side of Dumbledore was showing, because this meeting looks like a practiced talk on his part to gain Severus allegiance and maybe even put in work the charm that later would save Harry´s life(but that´s a personal HC) Because it was Lily´s WILLING sacrifice what protected Harry from the AK, Something that would not have happened if Voldemort didn´t give her the choice to save herself. While Severus was scared he was not going to live enought to say his warning before Dumbledore killed him, he was after all a deatehater, disgusting in Dumbledore´s eyes and not worth to be listened to. Then we have this: “You disgust me” said Dumbledore, and Harry had never heard so much contempt in his voice. Snape seemed to SHRINK a little, “You do not care, then, about the deaths of her husband and child? They can die, as long as you have what you want?” “Snape SAID NOTHING, but merely looked up at Dumbledore” “Hide them all, then” he croaked. “Keep her _ them _ safe, Please” Here I ask myself did Albus mean that Snape should have asked Voldemort to spare them all which he probably would not have survived to tell the story? or did he mean to make Snape feel guilty enough to do more looking to keep Lily´s safe? To Dumbledore´s disgust what could Snape said, as far as he knew, Dumbledore always choose to protect the marauders over him, even when he almost died? what could he said to him in that moment except ask AGAIN that he keep them ALL SAFE,Lily with them, because that was the whole reason why he went to Dumbledore in the first place. Then: “And what will you give me in return, Severus?” “In return? Snape GAPED at Dumbledore, and Harry expected him to protest, but after a long moment he said, “Anything” Severus was obviously surprised of Dumbledore asking him something in return, he was like, isn´t the safety of members of your Order enough to you? to keep them safe? it´s funny but even the deathaters have this idea of Dumbledore being just a “sentimental old fool” when he can be very much a ruthless general when he puts his mind to it. Abeforth and Severus where the ones that most saw this side of him. And STILL Snape AGREES to do “ANYTHING” to keep not just Lily but all her family safe, even becoming Dumbledore´s agent. he didn´t plan any of it but it´s quite obvious to me that Albus planned it that way. And the thing is that, he didn´t NEED to do any of that, he didn´t need to try to do more after his warning was done, if he said no, Dumbledore could have send him to Askaban and that was that and Snape knew it before going to him, so for me the mere fact of him going to Dumbledore at all, says a lot about Snape´s character and this scene is the beggining of his internal change that we later see in HBP and DH. Also, please, keep in consideration that both Severus and Albus are enemies at this point, neither trust or likes the other at all, so don´t use this as a way to add hate on Dumbledore or Snape, both of them are very grey characters in my oppinion, and despite their story, they managed to become friends, enoug to say to each other the cold hard truth to their faces, something that talks about a deep friendship. -- source link