Snapedom

“I have your word that you will do all in your power to protect the students of Hogwarts?”

Snape gave a stiff nod. (DH33)

*

“Will you, Severus, watch over my son, Draco, as he attempts to fulfill the Dark Lord’s wishes?

... And will you, to the best of your ability, protect Draco from harm?

... And, should it prove necessary… if it seems Draco will fail… will you carry out the deed that the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to perform?” (HBP 2)



How did our clever and cautious arch-Slytherin let himself get manipulated into doing such a foolishly Gryffindorish thing as to make an Unbreakable Vow with Draco’s mother—and without so much as requiring her first to spell out her terms?

Had he learned nothing at all from his previous blank-check dealings with Tom and Albus?


Oh, but of course. Severus was stampeded into it by Bellatrix’s insults and doubts. She was questioning Snape’s loyalty, courage, and commitment, and Severus panicked at the thought that she (and Peter) would report back to the Dark Lord that Snape lacked dedication and would balk when finally asked to fit his actions to his words.

Yep. That was it.


Um—but taking the Vow with Cissy (as opposed perhaps to doing so with Bella) didn’t show his loyalty to the Death Eater cause.

Because Narcissa was planning to ask Snape (at the least—of course Severus couldn’t have predicted her zinger at the end) to help and protect her son. Not the cause.

Only, the Dark Lord had made it quite clear that he didn’t want Narcissa’s son—Lucius’s son—to be protected or helped. The entire set-up of Draco’s “task” was an elaborate psychological torture directed at (otherwise safe-in-Azkaban—and how bad are things if Azkaban is a shelter?) Lucius, to punish Lucius for losing Tom that Prophecy and eleven of Tom’s scarce slaves.

The Dark Lord expected and wanted Draco to fail, and everyone except Draco understood this.

So Severus knew going into that Vow that he’d be committing to work against the Dark Lord’s known wishes.

Odd method of demonstrating his unswerving loyalty.

*

Well, of course, it was really Narcissa’s tearful blue eyes that made Severus indulge in such folly. The sight of a lovely mother risking her own life to plead for her son’s awoke the deepest feelings in Snape’s shriveled heart.

Narcissa’s action evoked not only Snape’s own memory of turning (treacherously, and in utter desperation) to Albus to beg him to save Lily, but also Lily’s subsequent death at the Dark Lord’s hands while entreating him to spare her son.

The poor man just lost his head when lovely Cissy (mother of Purebloods!) knelt at his feet, crying, and kissed his hand in gratitude at his offering merely to try to help.

And then begged her dupe to swear to it, to swear to her he’d truly give the little help that he’d dared to offer.

Albus had accepted a stiff nod as an absolute guarantee that Snape would protect the students to the very best of his ability. Albus knew that a nod from Snape meant more than a vow (or a Vow) from anyone else. But Narcissa didn’t know Snape that well and would require a more formal assurance.

So, carried away by his need to reassure this mother that he would protect her child as best he could, Severus rashly consented to make a Vow to give Narcissa the comfort of believing that he would indeed “help” Draco.

He was rewarded by Narcissa’s slipping in that last clause, when Sev couldn’t back out without looking suspicious. Or maybe, magically, couldn’t safely back out at all—we don’t know how that spell works, except that Snape was already two-thirds bound when the last clause hit him.

Poor Severus, betrayed by his own impulsive compassion for a desperate mother!

*

Of course, it had been entirely predictable that Narcissa, once she had Snape under Bellatrix’s wand, would seize the opportunity to bind Severus, not merely to “help” her son with that one “task” as Snape had actually offered, but to protect Draco in general “to the best of your ability.”

What (canny Slytherin) mother could possibly fail to make full use of such an opportunity? And Snape knew Narcissa to be a Black born, as well as a Malfoy wife and mother—the absolute epitome of Slytherin breeding for ruthlessness (“any means”) and cunning, in achieving such an “end” as protecting the life of her beloved child.

However, Severus couldn’t possibly have predicted that Narcissa would insert that third clause and thus remove all option of his backing out of murdering Albus. No one else, after all, could be expected to come up with the headmaster’s bright idea that “the only … thing to be done if we are to save him from Lord Voldemort’s wrath” (DH33) would be for Severus to anticipate Draco and do the deed himself.


I mean, it’s not as though Narcissa had already asked Snape to…

Oh wait.

“You could do it. You could do it instead of Draco, Severus. You would succeed, of course you would, and he would reward you beyond all of us—“


Oops.

*

Well, what would happen if Narcissa DID again ask Snape to perform “the deed” as part of his Vow, and Severus accepted (or had to accept)?

Well, it’s not disloyal to the Dark Lord, not really, not when both parties know that Snape is already You-Know-Who’s intended assassin.

But afterwards… if the Dark Lord should order Severus to allow Draco to die trying to kill the headmaster (or to fail so obviously that jolly Tom has an excuse to punish the boy by death), Severus would die if he obeyed.

In fact, if Narcissa managed to phrase her clauses cleverly enough, Severus’s life would be forfeit for ANY failure on his part to protect Draco from the Dark Lord’s wrath.

And the Dark Lord still has need of (or at least use for) that particular good and loyal servant.

*

The Vow had no actual effect on Severus’s choices or actions.

Severus had already committed himself: to watch over Draco, to “do all in [his] power” to protect Draco (and all the students) from harm, to offer “help” to Draco, and to carry out Draco’s assigned “duty.”

That Vow never constrained Severus. It constrained TOM. Who suddenly had limits put on what he could do to Draco without paying a price Tom would be reluctant to pay.

Tom now HAD to allow Severus to protect and defend Draco, and finally to step forward and lift that “deed” from him.

Or forfeit the services of his most valuable slave. Who of course would loyally obey the order if given, and die.

*

Of course that Vow, when Tom learned of it, might perhaps expose Narcissa to the Dark Lord’s anger. For foiling the Dark Lord’s clever plan to punish Lucius through his son, by enticing Severus into that Vow.

But a mother’s sacrificing herself to save her son’s life is not a circumstance entirely unfamiliar to Severus. Indeed, Narcissa’s coming to Snape when she’d been ordered not to speak to anyone would prove that she was already doing so.

And in the event, Tom’s devoted Bellatrix had to share the blame with her sister. Indeed, it was mostly her fault; Severus had been offering meaningless reassurances to Narcissa, when Bellatrix, who’d questioned his service to their Lord, provoked him into proving his commitment by agreeing to the Vow Narcissa had suggested.

*

So. Let’s remember Luna’s maxim (in my fanfic “Protean Charm”) for figuring out the machinations of the smartest Slytherins: you must at least consider the possibility that what did happen is what they meant to make happen.

What did happen as a result of this Vow was, Tom was prevented from venting his worst wrath upon Draco.

One of the children whom Snape had sworn to “do all in his power” to protect.

So is there any way that Severus could have manipulated Cissy and Bella into making that Vow with him?

*

Look at the conversation leading up to the Vow.

.
What did Narcissa originally hope to accomplish by coming to Snape?

When they finally got to the point of discussing the “plan,” here’s her initial request and Severus’s answer:

“Severus… please… You are, you have always been, Draco’s favorite teacher… You are Lucius’s old friend… I beg you… You are the Dark Lord’s favorite, his most trusted advisor… Will you speak to him, persuade him—?”

“The Dark Lord will not be persuaded, and I am not stupid enough to attempt it,” said Snape flatly. “I cannot pretend that the Dark Lord is not angry with Lucius…. Yes, the Dark Lord is angry, Narcissa, very angry indeed.”

She plucks every string she can to influence him, and his refusal is absolute. And he hammers on certain points. Yes, Narcissa is correct that the Dark Lord assigned Draco this task as a death sentence to get revenge on Lucius. No, the Dark Lord won’t let Draco off. And no, Snape’s not stupid enough to make a useless attempt to change his mind.

“If you are imagining I can persuade the Dark Lord to change his mind, I am afraid there is no hope, none at all.”

So then Narcissa comes up with Albus’s bright idea. She seizes Snape’s robes, cries on his chest, and begs Severus to do it in Draco’s place.

Here’s Snape’s response:

Snape caught hold of her wrists and removed her clutching hands. Looking down into her tearstained face, he said slowly, “He intends me to do it in the end, I think. But he is determined that Draco should try first. You see, in the unlikely event that Draco succeeds, I shall be able to remain at Hogwarts a little longer, fulfilling my useful role as a spy.”

“In other words, it doesn’t’ matter to him if Draco is killed.”

“The Dark Lord is very angry,” repeated Snape quietly. “He failed to hear the prophecy. You know as well as I do, Narcissa, that he does not forgive easily.”

She crumpled, falling at his feet, sobbing and moaning on the floor.

*

For now we’ll leave her sobbing on Snape’s floor to consider the conversation before “the plan” was ever alluded to. Severus started his show by inviting Bellatrix to vent her reasons for mistrusting him, so that he could reassure her. Bella’s reasons boiled down to: what have you done for The Cause, really? When have you exposed yourself to danger to fulfill the Dark Lord’s wishes? What have you sacrificed or suffered or risked?


And Severus essentially confirms her impression that the answer was, “Well, nothing.” He’s been a useful source of information, no more. Whenever it came time actually to do anything dangerous, difficult, or unpleasant, he was always elsewhere.

And he doesn’t apologize for this; he repeatedly TAUNTS Bella that his craven cozying up to Dumbledore had been of more ultimate use to the Dark Lord than Bellatrix’s heroic, desperately loyal, self-sacrificing (and, incidentally, criminal and depraved) actions.

“He’d have me!” said Bellatrix passionately. “I, who spent many years in Azkaban for him!”

“Yes, indeed, most admirable,” said Snape in a bored voice. “Of course, you weren’t a lot of use to him in prison, but the gesture was undoubtedly fine—“

“Gesture!” she shrieked; in her fury she looked slightly mad. “While I endured the Dementors, you remained at Hogwarts, comfortably playing Dumbledore’s pet.”

“Not quite,” said Snape calmly. “He wouldn’t give me the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, you know. Seemed to think it might, ah, bring about a relapse… tempt me into my old ways.”

“That was your sacrifice for the Dark Lord, not to teach your favorite subject?”…

“… I had sixteen years of information on Dumbledore to give him when he returned, a rather more useful welcome-back present than endless reminiscences of how unpleasant Azkaban is….”

Later,

“But what use have you been?” sneered Bellatrix. “What useful information have we had from you?”

… “If he chooses not to share it with you—“

“He shares everything with me!” said Bellatrix, firing up at once. “He calls me his most loyal, his most faithful—“

“Does he?” said Snape, his voice delicately inflected to suggest his disbelief. “Does he still, after the fiasco at the Ministry?”

Finally he dismisses her actions and her:
“What’s done is done.”

“But not by you!” said Bellatrix furiously. “No, you were once again absent why the rest of us ran dangers, were you not, Snape?

“My orders were to remain behind…. And—forgive me—you speak of dangers… you were facing six teenagers, were you not?”

Then, the very last thing Snape says before finally inviting Narcissa to speak her piece, is to invite the sisters to admire how untrustworthy he is. “I have played my part well…. through all these years, he [Dumbledore] has never stopped trusting Severus Snape, and therein lies my great value to the Dark Lord.”

For the entire conversation, Severus responds to Bellatrix’s accusations that he didn’t act in the Dark Lord’s interests not by providing counterexamples, but by taunting her about (her) bold, brave, self-sacrificing actions that had not proved useful. While his information (gathered while he stayed cozy, safe, and idle), had. That’s his “great value” to the Dark Lord—not that he has sacrificed or accomplished anything, but that he has “played a part” and induced someone important to trust him incorrectly.

Having deliberately invited Bella to air her concerns and told her he’d attempt to assuage them…. Severus could come up with no instance of crime, no distinguished trait of depravity or recklessness that might rescue him from Bella’s attacks, or at least, by the preponderance of viciousness, atone for the idleness and virtue of many years?

(To paraphrase Miss Austen.)

He couldn’t come up with one instance, even one, where he’d clearly risked danger in the Dark Lord’s service? Or even discomfort? Or dirtied his hands?

Well, maybe his hands really were lily-white, and maybe a cursed position he didn’t actually want was the greatest privation he’d ever suffered for supporting the Dark Lord. Or maybe, he was encouraging Bella and Narcissa in their belief that he had indeed always somehow managed to slither out of everything asked of his fellow DE’s that was difficult, dangerous, or criminal.

That he would slither out again unless he were forced in some way.

And his closing argument is to remind them that he’s a professional deceiver. They cannot trust his bare word; no one can.

*

Having established all this, he turns the floor over to Narcissa, and she makes her original plea. (Intercede with the Dark Lord to save my son!) He slaps her hopes down hard, while reinforcing her fears.

And after she collapses in hysterics, Snape lifts her up and says: “Narcissa, that’s enough.”

“It might be possible … for me to help Draco.”

She sat up, her face paper-white, her eyes huge.

“Severus—oh, Severus—you would help him? Would you look after him, see he comes to no harm?”

“I can try.”

*

Severus had told Narcissa “flatly” what he would not do: attempt the useless and dangerous task of trying to persuade the Dark Lord to let Draco off.

When it came to what he would do, he gives that evasive, “I can try.”

Not (God forbid!) “I will help your son.” Not even “I will try to.” “I CAN try.”

Er, yes, Severus, you can. You are perfectly capable of attempting to help Draco if you so choose. And you haven’t actually committed to a thing with that statement, except to the abstract proposition that it’s possible that you might be able to save the boy if you could be bothered to make the attempt.

Really reassuring to a desperate mother trying to prevent her child’s death, isn’t that?

Narcissa has to have noticed that Snape has not made any promises; he hasn’t even actually made any offers. He’s made soothing noises to get her up off his floor, because her grief and despair are making him uncomfortable. If she falls for his line of patter, his empty reassurances that, yes, he “could” look after Draco and help him, if she leaves without getting some firm commitment, the slippery bastard will do nothing. He could help and protect Draco. He could save Draco entirely by doing the task himself. He’s admitted as much! He’s even admitted the Dark Lord means him to do it in the end! But it’s clear he won’t lift a finger just to save his own student or his old friend’s son. Unless he can be forced. Or lured.

Snape seems to have made his half-hearted non-offer out of discomfort at her despair, as he’d made his admission of being the intended assassin when she clutched at him and cried on his chest. Whereas her attempt to invoke his friendship for Lucius and Draco had fallen entirely flat. He’s always been susceptible to a pretty face, and he used to be a bit in unwilling awe of the elegant and accomplished Black sisters—look how’s he’s gotten back at her sister today in revenge for her contempt. And the scrawny little half-blood has always craved recognition from his betters.

Of COURSE Narcissa responds by flinging herself at Snape’s feet, kissing his hand in passionate gratitude for the offer of help he hasn’t in fact made, and trying if that will lure him into making one. In fact, go for broke—he won’t accept, of course, but he might then be brought to consent at least to making a firm promise to her. For whatever that would be worth.

*


“If you are there to protect him… Severus, will you swear it? Will you make the Unbreakable Vow?”

“The Unbreakable Vow?”

Snape’s expression was blank, unreadable.

[The last piece: will Bellatrix bite? Wait for it…. Wait for it….]

Bellatrix, however, let out a cackle of triumphant laughter.

“Aren’t you listening, Narcissa? Oh he’ll try, I’m sure…. the usual empty words, the usual slithering out of action… oh, on the Dark Lord’s orders, of course!”

[Severus couldn’t have scripted a better lead-in if he’d tried.]

“Certainly, Narcissa, I shall make the Unbreakable Vow. Perhaps your sister will consent to be our Bonder.”

*

For now, when Severus reports this little snafu of a Vow to his master, he can tell the Dark Lord, “My Lord, Bellatrix goaded me into such an injudicious action by questioning my commitment to you.”

Making Severus the first person in history to prove his absolute devotion to his master by swearing on his life to thwart that master’s known will.

And it’s really all Bellatrix’s fault.