John Granger is intending a post in the near future on Snape’s place in Harry’s alchemical transformation, which should be great reading. He linked this site recently, and I did some browsing and found this description of the state of the soul at the end of the White Stage:
The whitening is a phase when we sense or have a prevision of the end of the work. It is a polar swing from out of the blackening – the appearance of seeds of the future development of the work. It is that stage of catharsis after some intense experience of being consumed in the crucible, when we glimpse the appearance, however fragmentary, of a new possibility – a flickering light in our souls which draws us towards its promise of change.
Sounds like a good description of Harry at end of Half-Blood Prince? Not completely who he should be yet, but new possibilities ahead: the realization that he is “Dumbledore’s man through and through.”
In fact, this entire article on Animal Symbolism in Alchemy is incredibly fascinating, if you can plug through it (it’s a little wordy, and it’s a type of specialized language we’re not quite used to, perhaps). Read it, thinking of all the symbols, colors, and animals present in the Harry Potter books.
After a catch-up PubCast (whenever I get to it), I’ll finally do one on alchemy.
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Entirely off topic, but I’ve just read a sobering essay at the Leaky Cauldron’s Scribbulus. It is a well written arguement reguarding Snape’s loyalties. I’m now doubting my belief that Snape is “good” in all interpretations of the word. The author of this essay explains how Snape is working against Voldemort but using “any means to achieve his ends” and therefore Harry’s foil because while Harry always chooses the virtuous path, Snape believes that evil can be used to defeat evil. This essay certainly presents a powerful arguement, and I can’t say I’d enjoy such a revelation, but it is a very convincing essay and I thought I should share it.
http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/#scribbulus:essay:382
I’m still crossing my fingers!
Thanks for linking. I’m looking forward to reading this in a few days. Just 15 more pages to write by Friday, and then I’ll be able to contribute here once again.
Shadowquill, dreading to hear the convincing argument against Good Snape, but irresistably drawn, I hopped over to the Leaky Cauldron. Picked up a few interesting theories during a quick scan (Dementors had strong effect on Dudley because he’s a Squib/latent wizard from the father’s side, not the mother’s as you might suspect). But found nothing in the essay you mentioned which we haven’t discussed here before. All the evidence is clearly laid out, but the conclusions are not compelling. There are other possible interpretations.
The conclusion, that Snape is against Voldemort but (almost) as amoral and hence willing to do anything to advance his own point, is one we’ve considered. As I recall, 28% of respondents to the poll accepted some variation of that.
I also disagree with the point that Snape can not help Harry because only good – not Snape’s brand of evil – can vanquish Voldemort. I think that although Harry will play a leading role, a lot of people – dead and alive – will come together to vanquish Voldemort. It would be a waste of some pretty intriguing characters if Harry were to go to it unaided.
Anyways, it’s all theories. Don’t take any theory too much to heart. Believe that JKR will give us an ending which will satisfy emotionally.
I know. I’d already been simultaneously doubting and truly believing that Snape is good, but I found the essay intriguing because it was a well-presented arguement. For some reason, despite all evidence pointing towards Snape being bad (and therefore he probably isn’t, at least not entirely), every arguement I’ve read that argues he’s bad has been pretty weak. It’s funny how that happens. And so, expecting the usual weak arguements against Snape being “good”, I was pleasantly surprised to find this arguement a relatively compelling one. Personal opinion, of course.
And, no, I’m certainly never abandoning my hope in Snape. It would be in Rowling’s best interest to satisfy our desire for a redeemed character, and to also resolve the issue with Snape. Redemption sells.
The real question in my mind is HOW Snape’s true innocence, not half-good half-bad innocence, will be presented. I still can’t figure it out. 
And, knowing that I won’t come to any 100% foolproof conclusion about Snape until the 7th book (and maybe never at all!), it’s self-maddening of me to continue to read articles published on this Snape debate. Nevertheless, it is very, very addicting. Rowling is a master at driving fans crazy, but I’m confident she’ll piece our brains back together after all of this madness.
JKR has been referred to, slightingly, as a mere story teller. She is that, although to me it’s a high compliment and not an insult at all. She also has a powerful imagination, to have come up with such a detailed, intriguing and internally consistent world. I adore her fondness for evocative names: Hagrid, Snape, Dumbledore, Umbridge and Flitwick are amongst my favorites but there are dozens more. But I think her most impressive gift is her ability to create vividly drawn characters. One test of this is to ask yourself: is it possible to predict how so and so would act in this particular situation? For the main characters, and for many of the minor ones, the answer is yes. Another test is how much thought and debate the characters evoke. Umbridge (who has run away with the character you love to hate sweepstakes) is one of the most loathsome fictional creatures I can remember, right up there with Simon Legree and Uriah Heep. But Severus Snape, he is JKR’s best work. He is the one who excites the greatest conjecture and debate and passion; some of us think he is the blackest and basest of villains; others of us think he is a misunderstood antihero; we write reams and reams about him, trying to convince ourselves and each other.
You know what, don’t be frustrated about Snape. Enjoy the uncertainty, the conjecture, and the anticipation. These are the golden days. Soon it will be over, and we will look back upon these days with longing because we still had one last Harry Potter book to look forward to.
I’m so glad we’re living this. I can’t imagine how different it will be for those of the future to read the series straight through. This is such a blessing!