I keep wondering why Snape agreed to make the Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa and Bellatrix. They didn't force him to do it. Re-reading that chapter, Snape is in control of the situation the whole time. He's obviously not afraid of the two witches. I was surpised when he suddenly agreed to do it.

So why did he do it? Maybe it fit with something he was planning to do anyway, but even then, why would he limit his options by making the vow? Snape is not stupid, whatever else he might be. Is he "carrying a torch" for Narcissa? It certainly doesn't look like it. Does he really want to help Draco? Maybe, but that doesn't require making the vow.

Anybody have any ideas?

Snape does seem a man who has deep loyalties... if you can find out to whom they belong. It didn't seem he took the vow from being guilted into it out of sense of duty, exactly. Though, Narsisca tried. I'll need to re read the beginning of the book to formulate a more cohernet opinion to post to this question. Good question though!

I actually always felt that Snape was more of a father-figure to Snape. Me and my mom (who reads the series as well and is a proud slytherin) debated the idea of Draco being Snape and Narcissus's son. Even if not that far, I think Snape has a great amount of loyalty to Draco. His disloyalty to Dumbledore did surprise me however.

I really don't think that Draco is Snape and Narcissas son because Narcissa is pretty dedicated to her husband. Is there any way that Voldemort could be controling snape to make an unbreakable vow to make him have no choice but to come to his side? Or has snape gotten so good at controlling his thoughts that not even Voldermort can see what he is thinking?

It's highly unlikely that Snape is Draco's father. I mean, look at the hair color! Also, would Narcissa really get involved with a half-blood? I doubt it.

But that doesn't mean that Snape doesn't care about Draco. Snape doesn't seem to have any living family, as far as we know, and apparently his childhood was none too nice. So maybe he regards Draco as the son he's never had. But still, he could protect Draco without making the vow.

I don't think Voldemort would have had any way to force Snape into it. He thinks Snape is loyal anyway, so why would he bother?

The unbreakable vow was to help Draco no matter what his task was that was set up for him by Voldermort right? Snape agreed and I think probably told Dumbledore what he had done. Snape needed to do something to prove his loyalty to Voldemort so that he could still be a spy for the DA. So that is why he killed Dumbledore to protect Draco and so that he would be able to keep his vow. He might not have even had the power to resist killing him because of the vow that was made. But I think Dumbledore and Snape did talk about it before it happened.

Sorry for expaining it again I just saw it in a whole new light after I talked to my aunt tonight about this subject.

I think that Snape had gone to the bad side, personnally. Killing Dumbledore is a little far in my opinion to prove your worth to someone you supposedly hate. the only way I could see it is if Dumbledore admitted his own personal flaw of wanting to protect Harry too much, and allowed Snape to kill him so that Harry could be basically free to do what he needed to do.

That's where one can see where J.K.Rowlings may have used Arthurian legend with those two. Dumbledore=Merlin, Harry=Arthur. Arthur's fate could have not happen as long as Merlin was around, so Nimue, by fate's direction, encased him in a tree. Arthur could then face Mordred on the battlefield and his own fate. For all Harry lovers, let us hope that Harry does not face Arthur's fate with Voldemort. And I went so off-topic with that. :blush:

I don't think it's off topic. JKR is no doubt very familiar with Arthurian Legend, so that makes it relevant. Also, it's interesting! (Anyone wanting to catch up on it can find lots of good stuff on Wikipedia).

I tend to doubt that Snape is totally on the Dark side, for a couple of reasons:

First, I don't think JKR would be that obvious. In Book 1, she puts a lot of work into making us think that Snape is trying to steal the stone, but it turns out to be Quirrel. She uses Snape to distract us. She may be doing that again. She's very sly!

Second is the way they handle Snape in the movies. He's not nearly as nasty in the movies. He tries to protect the trio from the werewolf, for example, which isn't in the book.

I think the biggest challenge for JKR as a writer and storyteller would be to make us all hate Snape, then kill him off, and then turn the tables on us and make us sorry he's dead. And I wouldn't put it past her to actually pull off something that difficult.

This is just an idea, OK? Snape is scared of Narcissa Black. I know that she doesn't seem to have much control but she is a Dark Witch and they both have power because they all can talk to Voldemort. Voldemort is obviously very strong and Snape must be scared of him because of his double loyalties. I don't know but even after all this i still think Snape is good and I believe he is going to do some major things in book seven.

Not to sound rude but i think snape did it because he want to and i think he is evil because he did kill dumblore. :(

Snape=Evil. Snape=Scared of Dumbledore. Snape=Scared of Voldemort. Snape=Coward. Snape=Traitor. Snape is a two-timing traitor, who I think wouldn't have cared which one of the two he killed between Dumbledore and Voldemort. He wanted to be with which ever side was winning. He has no loyalty to either side, only himself, and he knew that if he didn't kill Dumbledore then he himself would die, and he couldn't have that happening. I don't think it would be predictable if Snape was proven to be evil. After all, with all of the suspicion that was cast on him, JKR made sure to ALWAYS explain it away and try to make us believe that he was actually on Dumbledore's side. I mena just listen to everyone posting here that he's on Dumbledore's side. That's exactly my point...

It be nice if that did happen but i honestly dont think the last book is going to have much suprises in it. Harry will probably kill voldie and snape will be a good guy and butterflies will appear and fly over beautiful rainbows *gags* it be awesome if snape turned out to really be a traitor and the DE's finally put that sniveling whiny brat in his place. oh well one can dream ^_^

Spoken like a true Slytherin, Remy! :P

But after all this suspense, Book 7 better have some big surprises in store for us, or I'm gonna cry!

I agree!!! I happen to like butterflies and rainbows by the way. :P

Yeah I like butterflies and rainbows too! I don't want any of my favorite main characters to die! I like suspense but I don't want to feel bad for a week! Snape can die, and Volemort needs to die! I would so cry if Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione or Hagrid die. If thought I really do think Hagrid has it comin....but thats another thread lol.

To get back to the point though peeps ;) ...

I think Snape makes the vow because he feels he has no choice in order to underline his loyalties to Voldemort.
When you re-read the chapter, he has no hesitation in agreeing to watch over and protect Draco, he is after all 'Lucius's old friend' according to Narcissa. (The Malfoy's are possibly the nearest thing Snape's got to a family judging by the unlived in feel of his home.) He only hesitates when it comes to agreeing to complete the task should Draco fail. In that moment of silence, when it seems he's been backed into a corner, I think he realises that by doing this he is declaring his loyalty to Voldemort and therefore putting to rest any doubts in the mind of Bellatrix and any other detractors.

From the later chapter where Dumbledore is at Malfoy's mercy I think it's very telling that DD states to Malfoy "it's my mercy and not yours that matters now". He clearly (to me anyway!) indicates that when he utters that "Severus...please", it is as a plea to save Malfoy's life and give his own in return. DD MUST have been told by Snape about the unbreakable vow otherwise why would he feel the need to sacrifice himself like that. Snape then has no choice but to kill DD in order to keep up his front with Voldemort and save Draco's life

This presents another problem for the OotP however. They have a spy in the other camp and no way of getting information from him, nor presumably would they want to contact him. You can assume from the fact that it's been said many times throughout the books that DD trusts Snape and he must have had his reasons, that DD hasn't shared these reasons with the Order. Snape is now truly on his own as the Order must surely believe that he has deserted them for Voldemort.

Ankaa you made alot of good points i agree with! After reading all of the books several times, actually i've read HBP the most. I really believe that Dumbledore knew what he was doing, he trusts Snape for a reason!! I truly believe that Snape let him know about the vow, and Dumbledore figured out the rest!! I believe that Harry is one of the most powerful wizards of his time, but as long as Dumbledore was around he would not reach his true potential. He doesn't have time go slow and learn by the numbers, the threat that Voldemort presents is real!!! Now that DD is gone and he hates Snape he will learn on his own what he needs to win!!!

You've made an interesting point about the third part of the vow, Ankaa: maybe Snape wasn't expecting Narcissa to ask for the third part, that he finish the task if Draco failed. When she did, he was trapped. He couldn't back out then.

I don' think Snape had any problem about the first part, though, vowing to protect Draco. I think he really cares about Draco. Possibly he thinks of Draco as the son that he never had. From what we know at present (which isn't everything, of course) the Malfoys appear to be the closest thing to family that Snape has, as you've pointed out.

And I agree that DD knew what he was doing, Tical. DD is the greatest wizard of his (our) time, and if he trusted Snape, he had a good reason. And in a little more than 1 month from now, we'll find out what it is!

Or maybe he just made the vow to cheese off Bellatrix??

Actualy thinking about it, he may have done it to make his point that he's still on Voldemort's side. AFter all, bellatrix obviously hates him and why would she go round singing his praises - unless she'd witnessed him make an unbreakable vow to essentially kill Dumbledore. That would place Snape firmly on their side and no question about his loyalty...

I have no clue why Snape would do that. It's just totally a random, stupid thing to do. What if he couldn't do it? He'd be dead! Though of course maybe he was hoping he'd die so he didn't have to kill Dumbledore in the end...