Folly, A Harry Potter Fanfic
Summary: Snape’s life has been a series of spectacular errors of judgment, to put it kindly.
This has to have been his worst.
“All the privilege I claim… (it is not a very enviable one, you need not covet it)…. is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone.” Jane Austen, Persuasion ( Read more... )
This has to have been his worst.
“All the privilege I claim… (it is not a very enviable one, you need not covet it)…. is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone.” Jane Austen, Persuasion ( Read more... )
On how it read to me before your comments - well I'm sure I miss a lot of layers. But it seemed to me that Severus had simply worked out what Neville was really upset about - which was difficult, because it's something he finds very hard to imagine or believe - and moved to salve that pain. I got the impression that he had admitted to himself that he cared about Neville's emotional state, not just his safety, in part 4, if not earlier. My impression was that Neville just saying it, if he'd been able to, would probably have worked just as well.
After all, he hasn't actually committed himself irrevocably to keeping Neville. He still has the hairs in his Gringott's vault. He's just demonstrated to Neville that he is really wanted, because he's worked out that that's what he needs. He could still do the responsible thing and explain to Neville why he should go back to his family, some time down the track when the boy is better able to handle it. (I doubt that he'll actually get around to that, after this, but that might be what he tells himself at first.)
I wouldn't be at all surprised if Severus keeps working on the potion, if he thinks he can do it without Neville guessing, just to have it ready if it's needed. After all, one day Neville will find out that he was stolen, not sold. He could conceivably think that Severus didn't understand what he saw and was wrong to take him. At least, Severus could think that was possible.
Oner of the things that rings absolutely true to me is how Severus tries so very hard to do 'the right thing', and looks to books to work out what that is. He doesn't trust himself to know. I'm not sure why that seems so right. The disastrous outcome of his Death Eater adventure for Lily must be part of the reason he doesn't trust himself, but I wonder if it goes further back. Knowing Tobias's way was wrong can't be everything, because he doesn't just decide not to do what his Da did. Also, I believe that the chance to learn more about the Dark Arts must have been one of the reasons he joined the Death Eaters, but he doesn't guard himself against that fascination, or his love affair with books and magic generally. I believe he still trusts that instinct just fine.
Looking forward to whatever happens next!
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