You've been warned.
I’ve just finished rereading the last book...and i must admit...a tear almost fell after i read the last line: "the scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. all was well" while reading these final words...i cant help adoring J.K Rowling for coming up with this kind of novel. a novel that definitely touched every reader like me...a well plotted story that amazed me as I read every single word of it. indeed, this is one of the novels i'll always remember in my lifetime.
One of the many chapters that I loved the most is the part when Severus Snape had told Harry of the reason behind his past actions. Why he had always hated James...why he had always loathed Harry...why he had killed Dumbledore...
Apparently, Snape never killed Dumbledore...and James wasn't always the Mr. Nice Guy...and the truth why Dumbledore gave his full trust with Snape.
James Potter, husband of Lily potter and father of Harry, as i said earlier, isn't always the Mr. nice guy. during their time at Hogwarts. He was one of the bullies who always picked on Snape. He was that arrogant, attention seeking, trouble-making Gryffindor student who fancied Lily Potter who was then a close friend of Severus Snape. James and his friends, namely Lupin, Peter and Sirius, were the popular students who never missed a detention with teachers for breaking castle rules, sneaking during curfew…pretty much like what Harry does in his own time. They always picked on Snape, calling him Snivellus and made fun of him in front of a big crowd of students. That is why Snape always loathed James…and…being teacher of James’s son, he took revenge on James by giving Harry hard time on potions.
As for Snape killing Dumbledore with the killing curse…uhm…that ain’t true…Dumbledore already knew that he is going to die…for accidentally having himself cursed in the attempt of destroying a horcrux…apparently, the horcrux, which was the ring of the Gaunts, contained a curse that would have killed Dumbledore instantly if not because of Snape. Because of Snape, Dumbledore was given more time to live and gave him the chance to relay upon Harry the things he needed to know to bring about the doom of Voldemort.
Is Snape on the good side or on the bad side?
He is in the good side.
But how come he always hated Harry?
Remember how James used to treat Severus? It’s but natural for him to take revenge on his son. But trust me…Snape never wanted anything but Harry’s safety. In fact, he sees Lily in Harry's eyes. Lily's green eyes.
How come Dumbledore gave his full trust on Severus? What did he do to gain Dumbledore’s trust?
Here’s the story…
On the night when Harry’s parents were killed, Snape was the one who told voldemort of the prophecy about him and Harry. and Peter Pettigrew, the secret keeper of the Fidelius Charm on the Potter's place in Godric Hollow, told voldemort the Potter's whereabouts. That is how Voldemort knew where they were. That’s why Lily and James are killed. But that was then…back when Snape was still a death eater. Back then, Snape doesn’t know what he was doing. He hated James so much that’s why he joined the Dark Lord. But secretly, Snape always loved Lily. He had fallen in love with her back when they were still kids, before they even stepped foot into Hogwarts.
Lily Evans was Snape’s first and only love. Before Voldemort set to kill the Potters, Snape begged for Voldemort not to kill Lily potter…but Voldemort won’t listen. He can’t think of any other ways to protect the Potters. So he told his heinous crime to Dumbledore. He asked Dumbledore to protect Lily and his family. He begged for Dumbledore to hide the Potters. He told Dumbledore he would do anything just to spare his only love’s life. So Dumbledore did everything…but too late. The Potters trusted the wrong friend---Pettigrew. Lily, along with James was murdered. Snape felt his greatest remorse. Then Dumbledore told him, if he really loved Lily, he would help in protecting Lily’s son, Harry. Snape agreed. He devoted his whole life protecting Harry. Though Harry may not know, Snape was a spy to Voldemort. He gave the Order of the
Before Dumbledore died, he left Harry a mission. That mission is to find the seven horcruxes. Horcruxes are the extraordinary things that were of great value to Voldemort. These are things that Voldemort treasured. And enclosed in these treasures, is a part of Voldemort’s soul. See, Voldemort ripped his soul into seven parts by committing crimes and murder. He ripped his soul into seven and put each soul into seven things that Voldemort treasured. He called these horcruxes. With seven souls put into different bodies, Voldemort is invincible. Even if he dies, he stays alive because of the horcruxes. As long as the horcruxes are still alive and untouched, Voldemort will never reach his doom. This was Voldemort’s secret. None of his death eaters knew this. He thought nobody knew his secret…but he thought wrong.
Dumbledore had always known his secret. And before he died, he has already passed his knowledge to Harry who was tasked to continue what Dumbledore has started. Before he died, Dumbledore managed to destroy one horcrux which brought about his death. Harry, back when the chamber of secrets was opened, managed to kill one horcrux, which was Tom Riddle’s diary. And so, the story goes on. The Locket, the Lost Diadem, the Ring, and the Diary are already destroyed. Now he’s got to get rid of the snake and Voldemort and Harry, himself.
Yes, Harry has to die.
Voldemort accidentally put a part of his soul to Harry the night he murdered Harry’s parents. Because of Lily's love and sacrifice, the Killing curse that Voldemort cast on Harry backfired on Voldemort and Voldemort became less than living... but he wasn’t dead. The backfire of the spell cost a part of Voldemort’s soul to attach into the only living body present at that time, Harry. That is why he and Harry always had a weird connection. That is why Harry can talk to snakes, why Harry can penetrate into Voldemort’s mind and feel when he’s angry and when he’s happy, why he can see inside Voldemort’s head.
All the other horcruxes are destroyed; the only horcruxes left was Harry and Voldemort himself. Harry knew what to do. “the last enemy to defeat is death”. So Harry walked straight to Voldemort. Accepting the fact that after all his struggles to survive, he was meant to die. So he accepted his fate. He walked to Voldemort, he has his wand but he has no intentions of using it. He has no intentions to resist. Right before he surrendered himself, he was clutching the Resurrection Stone in his hand. This stone has the power to bring back the dead. And so, Lily, James, Sirius and Lupin appeared behind him, keeping his company as he embraces his death.
For the first time in his life, he felt happy to accept death. He had been living his life escaping and surviving death. Now he’s ready to embrace it. So he walked on, feeling the last touch of grass in his feet, lavishing the cold breeze sweeping through his numb skin. He’s ready. Then his eyes looked straight at Voldemort’s snakelike slits. The next thing he saw was a flash of green light. Then nothingness.
He found himself lying on the floor. Got up and saw himself face to face with Dumbledore. “am I dead?” he asked. Dumbledore said “you’re not but I am”
Dumbledore told him he was proud of him. For accepting death. For being the better man. He did the thing Voldemort has always feared. For accepting death, he conquered death. He mastered life’s plan. He is now the master of death. For he did not fear it coming. He accepted it, embraced it. For the first time in years, he got to know the real Voldemort. Dumbledore told Harry everything he wasn’t able to tell him. All the answers he needed was given to him by Dumbledore. He’s got no regrets. Now, he has to go back, he has to finish the battle he has stared. The battle with Voldemort only he could end.
Now he’s back, carried by Hagrid to the castle. Everybody though he was dead. But he’s alive, ready to fight. Ready to strike. The time has come. Voldemort was casting spells on everyone he could put it to. He cast it on students, on teachers, on everyone. But the spells never reached its target. He didn’t hit anyone. Then Harry spoke: “ you can’t touch them now. Because like what my mother did for me, I died for them. I did the thing you can never do. SACRIFICE.” Harry knows how to love. To gain and keep true friends. These are the things that set him apart from Voldemort. These are the things that made him the better man.
Voldemort shouted:
Harry said: Expeliarmus!
Voldemort’s wand flew out of his hand and caught by Harry. Tom Riddle hit the floor, unconscious…dead. Voldemort’s rebounding curse hit him squarely and he’s gone.