Originally Posted by Psyduck  USING HATE.
Snape's best trick of all, better even than his performance on the night of Dumbledore's "murder," is his trick on Voldemort.
HP-6, page 26 (Snape to Bellatrix) "You think he is mistaken? Or that I have somehow hoodwinked him? Fooled the Dark Lord, the greatest wizard, the most accomplished Legilimens the world has ever seen?"
HP-5, page 531, Snape said, "The Dark Lord... almost always knows when somebody is lying to him. Only those skilled at Occlumency are able to shut down those feelings and memories that contradict the lie, and so utter falsehoods in his presence without detection."
I have suspected for a long time that Snape was faking it. The childish hostility between James and Snape when they were kids does not add up. He should have grown up and moved on by now. I am sure that Snape's carefully cultivated hatred of Harry is for a purpose. A good actor does not just pretend; he digs deep to find something that he can really feel. Sure, Snape's grudge against Harry is real. The best lies are half-true. But Snape is hamming it way-way-way up. I also believe that Dumbledore has been tolerating Snape's bad behavior, from the beginning, because it is a part of Snape's master plan for fooling Voldemort.
Snape is able to "shut down those feelings and memories that contradict the lie," but that is not enough. Eventually, Voldemort would notice a blank, stone wall where a person with emotions should be. Snape needs to fill that blank space with something credible. Voldemort does not have the social / emotional depth to psychoanalyze Snape. While intelligent enough in some ways, he is not big on people skills. He will see this strong emotion and believe it. And Snape can use it as a cover for whatever he is really up to.
Dumbledore, too, is fooling Harry so that Voldemort will believe. Dumbledore is taking advantage of the fact that Harry never mastered Occlumency. It is all for a good cause, and I am sure that Harry will approve and forgive in the end.
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AND SPEAKING OF HATE --
HP-6, page 595, "Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face."
HP-6, page571, "Hating himself, repulsed by what he was doing, Harry forced the goblet back toward Dumbledore's mouth and tipped it, so that Dumbledore drank the remainder of the potion inside."
Like Harry, Snape was just following orders.
And like Harry, Snape was not happy about it. |