explanation of choice in Phoenix Tears
Let me note that in the most recent chapter (Chapter 11 : Special Delivery) I have deliberately and wilfully deviated from the letter of canon for the first and hopefully only time. This is what I’ve ignored (two lines of dialogue, from p.690 of the US edition of DH):
“And you still aren’t going to tell me why it’s so important to give Potter the sword?” said Snape as he swung a travelling cloak over his robes.
“No, I don’t think so,” said Dumbledore’s portrait. “He will know what to do with it.”
Secondly, here’s why: I cannot believe that Snape wouldn’t have put two and two together on his own-even without the secondary narrative I’ve crafted concerning him and Hermione. Let’s review the evidence. From Slughorn, we know that 1) a genial, fat man with no professed interest in the Dark Arts and a preference for general popularity over pureblood politics knew perfectly well what a Horcrux was, well enough in fact that he could answer Tom Riddle’s questions; 2) teachers were forbidden to speak to students of the topic.
Adding to that a few pertinent facts about Snape, namely, A) he’s incredibly clever, and B) he’s an expert in the Dark Arts such that even Dumbledore asks for his assistance. I think we can safely conclude that SS knew what a Horcrux was.
With that settled, let’s then ponder the knowledge that canon tells us he already has. C) Dumbledore has told him that a piece of Voldemort’s soul separated from the rest when Voldy-mouldy tried to kill Harry and that it attached itself to the only living thing (i.e. Harry). LET ME JUST MAKE IT CLEAR: I do not believe Snape so stupid that he didn’t realise that made Harry a Horcrux, OR, that it must have meant Voldevent’s soul was rather more fragile than usual (given Snape’s impassioned plea about the state of his own soul just before he agrees to kill Dumbledore, I think we can safely assume that Snape knew exactly what happened to souls during the killing process).
On to point D) When Dumbledore guilt trips Snape into the promise to find Harry and tell him he has to die, he faffs on about how by that time, Harry will have “arranged matters” so that “it will truly mean the death of” Lord Moldydoor. Add to that the obvious-as-the-nose-on-your-face (which in Severus’ case is very obvious indeed) secret quest Harry is on. CAN ANYONE REALLY THINK that SS didn’t ask himself, oh, what would keep you alive past death and make your soul vulnerable?? Or that the DADA teacher didn’t know how to destroy a Horcrux?????
I would like to propose, therefore, that the above two lines be stricken from the realm of canon. They are contradictory and gratuitous, serving only to shore up Harry’s belief that Dumbledore loved and trusted him far more than the old man loved Snape.
Sorry for the diatribe :)