A Choice

[dh2_sockpuppet]

Title: A Choice
Characters and/or pairings: Severus Snape
Word count: 1,454
Rating: PG-13
Highlight for Warnings: *Canon character death*
Summary and/or prompt: Snape’s thoughts as he looks at Harry for the final time.

Comments

[tophoenix]

This is perfect for the way in which it deepens and gives sense to the scene both in the book and in the movie; you have developed a great vignette using both canon sources at the best, adding such purposes and thoughts from Snape.

Thank you, Mystery Author!

[rotaryphones]

Thank you for reading! I find Snape's motivations fascinating, especially after what we find out in book seven.

[kellychambliss]

I really like this -- very Severus, very plausible. The idea that he can no longer trust his own choices makes a lot of sense, as does your explanation for why he keeps asking for the DADA position. I like the way you deal with the issue of choice, and I particularly like that you don't really soften Severus's attitude toward Harry as a person; it's more that he softens toward the position that Harry occupies, and this makes sense for Snape, too. Other good elements: the cameo by the DE recruit is chilling. And the ending is just right.

And if he does, whether he can convince the victor that he’s been an ally all along, whomever the victor may be.
This is the Severus I find most believable -- not someone pining in unrealistic love of a woman long dead, an ideal who never really existed, but a man working for himself -- not even in a callous way, but in the only way that lets him survive.

Excellent job.

[rotaryphones]

Thank you! For all the explanations we're given in the last book, it seems like there are more complex factors going on behind Snape's decisions. As you said, pining for someone he'll never have doesn't strike me as his sole motivation in life. Guilt and survival, maybe. I'm glad my interpretation worked for you!

[islandsmoke]

Ah, beautiful. ♥!

[rotaryphones]

Thanks!

[squibstress]

Perfect Severus.

You've captured so well the absolute horror I imagine his life to be and the parallels between him and Harry, the two pawns of two powerful, terrible men.

Love the explanation of the "WTF" moment in the film that places Severus at the scene of the Potters' murders:

He also wants forgiveness, because he’s human and he’s weak, and he accidentally sheds a false memory, or more like a dark fantasy, of crying over Lily’s corpse. Harry reaches out and bottles his testimony like a potion.

Just terrific!

[rotaryphones]

the two pawns of two powerful, terrible men

Yes, that's it exactly. I find it suspect that Snape would cling to one megalomaniac, and then essentially switch allegiance to another. What a terrible way to live.

And there was definitely a bit of movie-canon correction going on here. "WTF" indeed. :) Thank you for reading!

[rayvyn2k]

Wonderful, lovely and so very sad.

[rotaryphones]

Thank you! Snape is such a tragic character, isn't he?