However, we saw Albus offer a choice to one 16-year-old who was on the wrong path ourselves, and there is no reason to believe that it was the first time. If the DEs hadn't barged in, there is a good chance that Draco might have agreed to fake his death and go into hiding. But by the time the offer was made it was already too late. It may not have been too late in other instances. Regulus may not be dead. Although I doubt that he is fighting for the Light if he isn't. He is more likely to be keeping his head down and staying out of the way.
And clearly, if Snape was offered such a choice, he did not choose to hide. He chose to stay and fight instead. And we have no idea of when he might have been offered such a choice.
We have three points at which such a choice might reasonably have been made. There may actually be other, better ones, but we have no infortmation of other opportunities at this time. Rowling has held that iformation back. Just when the decision was made has some input on his motives.
First, and most recently, there was the period between Reggie's death and the night the Prophecy was given. I am convinced that Snape had made his change in aleigance by the time the Prophecy was given. But if he didn't go to Dumbledore before Reggie's death, then he must have signed on with the DDEs in truth originally. And the best motivation for that was to get back at the people who had made his school years a livng hell. There's a reason that James had to escape the attentions of the DEs three times between the time that he finished school and the Prophecy was made.
Second; and this is a difference that makes no difference, there is the time that Reggie had his little discovery and wanted out. Snape may have been involved in that, and he and Reggie may have gone to DUmbledore together. There isn't much evidence to support this one, but the fact that Reggie was the younger cousin of Malfoy's wife and Snape has long associations with the Malfoys makes it inadvisable to overlook the possibility.
Third; we know that Snape and Dumbledore had some sort of discussion in the aftermath of the wererwolf caper when Snape was 16. If the choice was offered him then, and the choice of future protection and support might have been a reasonable exchange for his silence on the matter that the Gryffindor Prefect was a werewolf, then he must have deliberately gone into the DEs as Albus's agent. This would make a big difference in his motivations.
And we will not know for certain until we have Book 7 in our hands. There is nothing in the current series as it stands ither to clearly establishe this posibility *or* to contradict it.
no subject
However, we saw Albus offer a choice to one 16-year-old who was on the wrong path ourselves, and there is no reason to believe that it was the first time. If the DEs hadn't barged in, there is a good chance that Draco might have agreed to fake his death and go into hiding. But by the time the offer was made it was already too late. It may not have been too late in other instances. Regulus may not be dead. Although I doubt that he is fighting for the Light if he isn't. He is more likely to be keeping his head down and staying out of the way.
And clearly, if Snape was offered such a choice, he did not choose to hide. He chose to stay and fight instead. And we have no idea of when he might have been offered such a choice.
We have three points at which such a choice might reasonably have been made. There may actually be other, better ones, but we have no infortmation of other opportunities at this time. Rowling has held that iformation back. Just when the decision was made has some input on his motives.
First, and most recently, there was the period between Reggie's death and the night the Prophecy was given. I am convinced that Snape had made his change in aleigance by the time the Prophecy was given. But if he didn't go to Dumbledore before Reggie's death, then he must have signed on with the DDEs in truth originally. And the best motivation for that was to get back at the people who had made his school years a livng hell. There's a reason that James had to escape the attentions of the DEs three times between the time that he finished school and the Prophecy was made.
Second; and this is a difference that makes no difference, there is the time that Reggie had his little discovery and wanted out. Snape may have been involved in that, and he and Reggie may have gone to DUmbledore together. There isn't much evidence to support this one, but the fact that Reggie was the younger cousin of Malfoy's wife and Snape has long associations with the Malfoys makes it inadvisable to overlook the possibility.
Third; we know that Snape and Dumbledore had some sort of discussion in the aftermath of the wererwolf caper when Snape was 16. If the choice was offered him then, and the choice of future protection and support might have been a reasonable exchange for his silence on the matter that the Gryffindor Prefect was a werewolf, then he must have deliberately gone into the DEs as Albus's agent. This would make a big difference in his motivations.
And we will not know for certain until we have Book 7 in our hands. There is nothing in the current series as it stands ither to clearly establishe this posibility *or* to contradict it.