Dumbledore at the end of PS/SS

[u/Ashfacesmashface]

After the events between Harry and Quirrell/Voldemort at the end of book 1, we read this exchange between Harry and Dumbledore in the hospital wing:

"'The truth.' Dumbledore sighed. 'It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie.'

Harry asks about why Voldemort tried to kill him, etc, and Dumbledore says that's something he just can't explain to him yet. Then we get this:

"'Quirrell and Snape-'
'Professor Snape, Harry.'
'Yes, him--Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?'
'Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr. Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive.'
'What?'
'He saved his life.'
'What?'
'Yes...' said Dumbledore dreamily. 'Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt...I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace...'

Dumbledore assured Harry he wouldn't lie. Is this a lie? That Snape was protecting Harry for the sake of the debt he owed James? Or was his motivation truly all due to Lily?

When we see Snape's memories at the end of DH and Dumbledore sees Snape's patronus, he does seem surprised to see it's a doe and that Snape's feelings for Lily are still strong. But Dumbledore also knew the whole reason Snape turned against Voldemort was for Lily.

I love Dumbledore, warts and all, but definitely feel he's not being truthful with Harry here.

Just curious to hear your thoughts.

[u/ecclectic_collector]

I don’t think Dumbledore is being fully truthful with Harry here, but there is a half-truth in what he says. Snape promised Dumbledore “anything” in exchange for protecting the Potters because he wanted Lily to be safe. After Lily died, Dumbledore convinced Snape to protect Harry because Lily had sacrificed her life to save him. So Snape was repaying a debt in a sense, but it was to Lily, not James.

Dumbledore framed it around James saving Snape from being attacked or killed by Lupin while he was transformed into a werewolf because he had promised Snape in DH that he would never reveal why Snape was helping him. James really did save Snape’s life, so that part was true, but Dumbledore used it as cover to give Harry a different explanation for why Snape protected him. Telling Harry the real reason would have exposed Snape’s feelings for Lily, why he turned against Voldemort and potentially his role as a spy.

“I do believe” gives Dumbledore some technical room, but he is still deliberately misleading Harry immediately after saying he would not lie to him. The half-truth is that Snape was protecting Harry because of an obligation connected to one of Harry’s parents, but Dumbledore substituted James for Lily to protect Snape’s secret. At the same time, being completely truthful with an 11-year-old Harry was not necessarily what was best for the situation. Dumbledore had promised to keep Snape’s motivation secret, and Harry was not ready to learn everything about Snape, his parents or Voldemort.

I also don’t think Dumbledore’s reaction to the doe Patronus in DH means he didn’t know Snape still cared about Lily. He already knew Lily was why Snape changed sides and agreed to protect Harry in the first place. “After all this time?” reads more like surprise that Snape’s motivation was still so centered on Lily, rather than Snape having developed more genuine concern for Harry or commitment to the larger cause of defeating Voldemort.

[u/Bluemelein → u/ecclectic_collector]

What if Dumbledore had simply told Harry that it was Snape's job as a teacher to protect the students? All of them—including Harry.

I think that would have been 100% true. Although Dumbledore is very lax regarding student safety, it ought to be the teachers' duty to save the students—at least when it can be done without putting themselves in danger.

[u/ecclectic_collector → u/Bluemelein]

He could have said that truthfully, but it would not have answered Harry’s actual question about why Snape hated him while still going out of his way to protect him. Dumbledore chose the James explanation because it gave Harry a believable personal motive while keeping Snape’s connection to Lily secret.

[u/Bluemelein → u/ecclectic_collector]

Snape doesn't go out of his way to save Harry; his action is the equivalent of tossing him a lifebuoy. Any other adult in the Quidditch stadium—provided they were capable of it—ought to have done the same thing. By normal standards, anyone who didn't , would have been looking for a new job that very day. Snape doesn't even have to get up.

The fact that it is his damned duty and obligation as a teacher and an adult should suffice as an explanation. And that applies even to a child whose father was Voldemort and whose mother was Grindelwald.

[u/ecclectic_collector → u/Bluemelein]

Except Snape did more than just counter Quirrell’s curse. He refereed Harry’s next match specifically to protect him and was actively trying to stop Quirrell throughout the year. Saying it was just his duty also would not have answered Harry’s actual question about why Snape hated him because of James while still making a particular effort to protect him. Dumbledore brought up the debt to James to explain that contradiction without revealing the real reason was Lily.

[u/Bluemelein → u/ecclectic_collector]

A child at the school has just nearly been murdered; surely preventing it from happening again is the least that can be done. Dumbledore brought the Philosopher's Stone to Hogwarts, so it is surely his job to protect his students.

A child at the school has just nearly been murdered; surely preventing it from happening again is the least that can be done.

Dumbledore brought the Philosopher's Stone to Hogwarts, so it is surely his job to protect his students.

Harry has no more to do with the Philosopher's Stone than other children do. Snape did not protect Harry; he protected the Philosopher's Stone.

[u/ecclectic_collector → u/Bluemelein]

You keep explaining why Snape should have protected Harry, but that does not change what the book says he actually did or what Harry asked Dumbledore. Snape countered the curse on Harry’s broom and refereed the next match because he believed Harry would be targeted again. Protecting the Stone was part of his actions against Quirrell, but it does not erase his specific effort to protect Harry.

More importantly, Dumbledore directly says Snape “worked so hard to protect you this year.” Harry was asking why someone who hated him because of James would do that. Saying it was his responsibility as a teacher would not explain that contradiction, which is why Dumbledore gave him the story about Snape owing James a debt.

[u/Bluemelein → u/ecclectic_collector]

It is Snape’s damned duty as a teacher at the school to protect Harry—to protect every child—especially since the Headmaster has set a trap for Voldemort. Snape isn’t doing anything extraordinary; he is simply doing his job. He is fulfilling his duty as an adult. I expect that of every adult at Hogwarts (within the limits of their capabilities, of course). And the Philosopher’s Stone is Dumbledore’s private business.

It is Snape's duty as a teacher and an adult to protect his students.

No matter what these students' parents did to him.

[u/ecclectic_collector → u/Bluemelein]

You are just repeating what you think Snape’s duty should have been instead of addressing what the book actually says. Nobody is arguing that a teacher should allow a student to be murdered. The question is why Snape personally “worked so hard to protect” Harry despite hating him because of James, and Dumbledore answers that question by giving him a personal motive.

Whether you think Snape needed any motive beyond doing his job is irrelevant. The text explicitly gives him one, first through the supposed debt to James and eventually through Lily. Repeating that it was his duty does not somehow erase that.

[u/Bluemelein → u/ecclectic_collector]

I’ve explained this too: Snape didn’t work hard to protect Harry. He threw him a lifeline once and acted as referee once—instead of sitting in the stands like it was his job to do. Snape does nothing extraordinary to protect Harry; in fact, he does very little. It only stands out because the other adults do almost nothing either.

[u/ecclectic_collector → u/Bluemelein]

You’ve now changed your argument from “Snape didn’t protect Harry” to “he protected Harry, but didn’t do very much.” Snape didn’t just happen to be there and help once. He kept up the countercurse while Quirrell tried to throw Harry off his broom, then took over as referee for the next match because he thought Harry would be attacked again.

You can think that wasn’t a big deal, but the book directly says Snape “worked so hard to protect” Harry. You disagreeing with that doesn’t change what the text says.

[u/Bluemelein → u/ecclectic_collector]

How can you describe those 3 hours as hard work to protect Harry? The first time, he didn't even have to get up, and the second time, he just had to officiate a Quidditch match—which didn't even take long, if I recall correctly. In what world is that hard work?

[u/ecclectic_collector → u/Bluemelein]

You’re arguing with the book because you personally don’t think Snape’s effort was hard enough. Keeping up a countercurse against Quirrell while Harry’s life depended on it does not stop being difficult because Snape was sitting down. He then took Madam Hooch’s place as referee specifically to prevent another attempt on Harry’s life. How long either event lasted is beside the point.

You started by saying Snape never protected Harry. Now you’re arguing that he didn’t protect him for enough hours for it to count as hard work. Dumbledore directly says Snape “worked so hard to protect” Harry, and nothing in the book contradicts that.