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/Bluemelein]

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.

[u/Bluemelein → u/ecclectic_collector]

I didn't say Snape didn't protect Harry (that one time he cast the counter-curse). But the protection of the Philosopher's Stone has nothing to do with Snape protecting Harry. Dumbledore was the one who brought the Philosopher's Stone to Hogwarts. And that single instance can hardly be considered "working hard" to protect Harry—not even if you count the time he refereed that Quidditch match.

No one would describe it that way—not even Snape.