Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Half-Blood Prince/Chapter 2
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Chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Spinner's End
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[edit] Synopsis
Two cloaked figures Apparate alongside a dirty river. Narcissa Malfoy and her sister, Bellatrix Lestrange, head for a dilapidated brick row house on Spinner's End. While walking, Bellatrix is apparently trying to dissuade Narcissa from doing something. At the house, they are greeted by Severus Snape, who assures them that they are alone, except for Wormtail (Peter Pettigrew). Snape orders Wormtail to fetch drinks for himself and his guests, and Wormtail complies, though protesting that he is not there to be Snape's servant. Narcissa believes only Snape can help her, but before she can say more, Snape points his wand at a concealed door and sends Wormtail scurrying. Narcissa starts over, only to be interrupted by Bellatrix, who distrusts Snape. She interrogates him about where (and with whom) his true loyalties lie. Before responding, Snape asks in turn: does Bellatrix really think that the Dark Lord had not asked him those same questions? Does she think he could have fooled the Dark Lord?
While she hesitates, Snape answers her previous questions. Where was he when the Dark Lord fell? At Hogwarts, where Voldemort had ordered him to spy on Dumbledore. Why did he not hunt for the Dark Lord after he fell? For the same reason many other Death Eaters failed to: he believed the Dark Lord was finished. Bellatrix retorts that she searched for him. Snape sarcastically comments about how "useful" she was while imprisoned in Azkaban, while he collected sixteen years' worth of information on Dumbledore for Voldemort. Snape continues: Why did he stand between the Dark Lord and the Philosopher's Stone? Because the Dark Lord believed Snape had deserted him for Dumbledore, Snape was left unaware that it was Voldemort who was looking for the Stone. He thought Quirrell wanted it and, of course, he acted to prevent that. Why did he fail to respond to the Dark Lord's summons when Voldemort returned? He returned two hours later, at Dumbledore's orders. That way, Dumbledore would continue to believe that Snape was spying on Voldemort for him, rather than the other way around. Bellatrix says she is unaware of any information Snape passed to Voldemort, although she should know: Voldemort says she is his most trusted lieutenant. Snape asks if she retains this status after the fiasco at the Ministry. And where was he during that battle? On the Dark Lord's orders, he stayed away. Did Bellatrix think Dumbledore would fail to notice if Snape had joined the Death Eaters in that battle? In any event, the information Snape supplied made Emmeline Vance and Sirius Black's deaths possible, and the Dark Lord was satisfied with his information. Why did Snape not kill Harry Potter? Because it was only Dumbledore who was keeping Snape effective as a spy and out of Azkaban. If he killed Potter, he would lose that protection and would be unable to help Voldemort. And that is what has continued to make him so useful to the Dark Lord: Dumbledore's trust in him.
With Bellatrix's worries overridden, Narcissa explains her reason for coming. Voldemort has assigned her son, Draco, a difficult and probably deadly task. Narcissa wants Snape to protect him. Snape replies that it is folly for them to discuss it because that is breaking the Dark Lord's wish. Death Eaters seldom know what tasks their colleagues have been assigned. Luckily for Narcissa, however, Snape already knows about this task, but even as the Dark Lord's most trusted confidante, he is powerless to persuade him to change his mind, nor will he try. Narcissa says assigning Draco this task is revenge for her husband Lucius' failure at the Ministry. Snape admits that the Dark Lord is angry at Lucius. Finally, though, Snape agrees to swear an 'Unbreakable Vow' to protect Draco, and if Draco is unable to complete his mission, Snape will do it for him.
[edit] Analysis
Snape's loyalty to Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has been established, but the evidence here is that he could be a traitor when he agrees to Narcissa Malfoy's Unbreakable Vow, and Harry's adamant (and lone) belief that he is still a Death Eater seems validated. Snape, whose fidelity to Voldemort is questioned by many Death Eaters, including Bellatrix Lestrange, knows he can help dispel these doubts by swearing a magically binding oath to protect Draco, even at peril to his own life. Bellatrix probably remains somewhat skeptical, despite Snape's seemingly convincing answers to her probing interrogation; indeed, it seems that Snape's true allegiance always remains just vague enough to keep each side guessing. Dumbledore, we remember, has always steadfastly defended Snape's loyalty, despite Harry's continuing suspicions. However, readers know that Snape has been acting as a double agent, and this may be a situation where he is forced into taking the vow so he can maintain his double agent cover. To do otherwise would cast even more suspicion on his supposed loyalties. It is also conceivable that Snape is loyal only to himself, maintaining a tenuous and dangerous position where he can align himself with either winning side. As a side note, although it seems that Bellatrix is satisfied by Snape's answers, she could have insisted on him taking Veritaserum (truth serum) before interrogating him. However, she does not, possibly because, as Dumbledore will suggest later, even Veritaserum can be circumvented if it is expected.
Wormtail's loyalty, however, seems far less questionable, as he is fully dependent on Voldemort for his very survival. Unlike Snape, he is unable to align himself in any way to Harry, Dumbledore, and their allies. And while it initially may seem that Snape has Wormtail under his constant, watchful eye, it is possible that Wormtail is secretly keeping tabs on Snape for Voldemort. Even though it appears that Snape has convinced Voldemort that he is his faithful servant, the Dark Lord likely has lingering suspicions about him or wants to reassure his doubtful followers. However, Voldemort may know that Wormtail owes Harry Potter a life debt, an obligation as magically binding as Snape's Unbreakable Vow, and which could prove to be a severe liability to the Dark Lord. Voldemort is likely having Snape and Wormtail unknowingly watch each other.
Rowling also sheds light on some Death Eaters' personal relationships, as evidenced when sisters Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy affectionately refer to each other as "Bella" and "Cissy." This is a contrast to how Harry has viewed most Death Eaters. Until now, Voldemort's followers have generally been portrayed as two-dimensionally evil characters who unwaveringly serve Lord Voldemort. Other than the Malfoys, little is known about Death Eaters' family life, social interactions, or what factors, other than "pure-blood" beliefs, motivates them. Until now, Bellatrix has been portrayed as purely evil, fanatical, and probably unbalanced, even by Death Eater standards, and she may believe Voldemort is doing too little to rid impurities from the Wizarding world. In this chapter, however, she is seen as caring about her sister, Narcissa, wanting to protect her from Voldemort.
And while Bellatrix generally remains two-dimensional, the cold and haughty Narcissa, desperate to protect her husband and son, now displays love, fear, empathy, and sadness—emotions not generally associated with Voldemort's affiliates and that help develop her into a more fully-rounded character. Narcissa believes Voldemort tasked Draco with a near-impossible mission (in which he will likely fail and then be killed) only as a means to punish her husband, Lucius Malfoy, for his failure to retrieve the Trelawney prophecy at the Department of Mysteries (in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), and also apparently for Voldemort's Diary Horcrux being destroyed (in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets). This could ultimately affect Narcissa's loyalty to the Dark Lord and also to her sister. And despite their seeming affection for one another, it should be remembered that both Bellatrix and Narcissa readily disowned their sister, Andromeda, as a blood traitor for marrying the Muggle-born wizard, Ted Tonks. (Nymphadora Tonks is their daughter, and thus niece to Bellatrix and Narcissa.) Essentially, no one is what they appear to be.
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Snape was sent on an unexplained mission. In this chapter, we learn that his mission was to rejoin Voldemort and pledge his allegiance.
[edit] Questions
[edit] Review
- What might happen if Voldemort learns that Snape has made an Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa?
- What does Narcissa believe is the real reason Voldemort assigned Draco a nearly-impossible task? Is she correct?
- What is Snape's explanation about why he never killed Harry Potter, even though he had many opportunities to do so? Is his explanation plausible? Why?
[edit] Further Study
- Why does Snape make an Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa Malfoy, a vow that puts his own life at risk? Will he tell Dumbledore about it?
- Considering how much doubt there is about Snape's true loyalties, why does Narcissa choose him to protect Draco?
- Why did Narcissa and Bellatrix disown their sister, Andromeda? Can they trust each other? Explain.
- Why does Bellatrix remain suspicious of Snape? Does he convince her that he is loyal to Voldemort?
- Why do Death Eaters remain loyal to Voldemort, despite his tendency to threaten or eliminate even his most devoted followers or their families?
- Compare and contrast evidence that Snape is loyal to either Dumbledore, Voldemort, or even to no one.
- Why might Peter Pettigrew be at Snape's house? Does Snape trust him? Does Pettigrew suspect Snape might be a traitor? Who might Voldemort trust more?
[edit] Greater Picture
Readers see Draco cast in a more sympathetic role here when it appears that he is Lord Voldemort's victim as much as his ally, forced to do his bidding under duress and at extreme risk to himself and his family. We will shortly see how a smug Draco initially revels in his own bloated self-importance at being appointed the Dark Lord's task, woefully unaware and unable yet to comprehend the probable consequences to himself and his parents should he fail. Narcissa, however, has correctly surmised Voldemort's true intention: to punish Lucius Malfoy through Draco. She is risking her own life by defying Voldemort in an attempt to save her family. This raises the question as to why so many Death Eaters faithfully serve Voldemort, who demands his servants' total obedience and loyalty while offering little reward in return, and who readily eliminates a follower or their family for any reason; even his most devoted and trusted confidants are capriciously expendable, even for the smallest misstep. This flagrant abuse could eventually create enough dissent and discord from within to undermine or destroy Voldemort's power, although, for now, his continued rise seems unabated.
Snape tells Bellatrix that his information led to the death of Emmeline Vance, who as we have seen is a member of the Order of the Phoenix. We will much later find out that Snape actually is working for the Order himself, as a double agent; it is safe to assume that Snape discusses with Dumbledore the information he will give to Voldemort. At the same time, we hear that Snape has only let those people die that he could not save. That strongly suggests that Dumbledore and Snape were somehow forced to give Voldemort information on Vance, and that they could not prevent her death. From this, we can assume that Vance's death was not preventable, Voldemort had already set his sights on her, but Snape had provided some small piece of information that had helped him find her. It is more than likely that Snape and Dumbledore had also provided Vance with the information that would allow her to fight back. While Vance clearly would not want to simply die, it is likely that she would agree to being put in harm's way, if in the battle she would have a chance to take some Death Eaters with her. While this is never confirmed, it is quite possible that, in fact, she did, and that the retreating Death Eaters had carried away and probably concealed their dead, as they tend to.
