一位想把荀罃打包带走的郑国商人
【HP】The Suicide Plan of Albus Dumbledore
阿不思·邓布利多，作为两任黑魔王（盖勒特·格林德沃与伏地魔）的著名抵抗者，其去世不亚于平地起风雷：凤凰社及英国魔法界失去了一大支柱；同时，食死徒的行事越发嚣张，以至于他们接管了被誉为“最后阵地”的霍格沃茨校园。但是，邓布利多的死亡既不是寿终正寝，或者是偶发的意外事故，而是他与下一任霍格沃茨校长——西弗勒斯·斯内普的计划之一。
一、Mortal Peril 生命危险
尽管批评者们可能认为“邓布利多是一个疯老头”，不过在1996年的神秘事务司战役中，与伏地魔单打独斗却仍势均力敌的邓布利多，为什么要策划自己的死亡？根本原因是：在同年暑假，邓布利多虽然成功摧毁了冈特戒指（伏地魔的魂器之一），但也遭受了附着于戒指上的死亡诅咒——尽管西弗勒斯·斯内普及时提供了救助，不过邓布利多的一只手“变黑、皱缩，像是被烧焦一般”。因此，邓布利多的生命无疑是进入了倒计时。
然而，敢于说“恐怕我是根本不会束手待毙的”（HP5C27）的邓布利多，怎么可能垂头丧气，安静等待死神的降临？
... “Well, really, this makes matters much more straightforward.”
Snape looked utterly perplexed.
Dumbledore smiled. “I refer to the plan Lord Voldemort is revolving around me. His plan to have the poor Malfoy boy murder me.”
… Scowling, Snape said, “The Dark Lord does not expect Draco to succeed. This is merely punishment for Lucius’s recent failures.Slow torture for Draco’s parents, while they watch him fail and pay the price.”
“In short, the boy has had a death sentence pronounced upon him as surely as I have,” said Dumbledore.
——《Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows》Chapter 33: The Prince’s Tale
恰巧，伏地魔派遣了德拉科·马尔福一个任务：刺杀邓布利多。然而，之所以这个任务与其说是对小马尔福的期许，不如说这是对老马尔福的惩罚，是因为小马尔福的成功率并不高。由于邓布利多是霍格沃茨校长，所以在校的小马尔福拥有就近行动的优势。可是，且不说邓布利多向来行踪不定、罕有露面，身为学子的小马尔福也极少有机会与前者直接接触。即使是间接接触，难道小马尔福就能保证邓布利多一定是受害者吗？因此，无论是伏地魔，或者是邓布利多，都需要另一位可以完成任务的刺客。
二、Another Assassin 另一位刺客
… “Now, I should have thought the natural successor to the job, once Draco fails, is yourself?”
There was a short pause. “That, Ithink, is the Dark Lord’s plan.”
“Lord Voldemort foresees a moment in the near future when he will not need a spy at Hogwarts?”
“He believes the school will soon be in his grasp, yes.”
“And if it does fall into his grasp,” said Dumbledore, almost, it seemed, as an aside, “I have your word that you will do all in your power to protect the students of Hogwarts?”
Snape gave a stiff nod.
——《Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows》Chapter 33: The Prince’s Tale
首先，在斯内普面前，小马尔福的就近优势是不值一提的。作为邓布利多的下属，斯内普绝对比小马尔福有更多机会。另外，不同于稚嫩的小马尔福，斯内普性格沉稳、资历丰富，谋划也更加周全。除此之外，在邓布利多卸任校长后，身居高位的斯内普可以“名正言顺地”接替其职务，成为伏地魔的霍格沃茨代理人。
可是，为什么邓布利多也要求斯内普接手小马尔福的任务？难道邓布利多仅仅是“想拯救小马尔福的灵魂”，抑或是“一位老人不愿意在死前受刑”（HP7C33），因此将这项艰巨的任务转交给一位心智成熟的中年人？
首先，除了邓布利多本人，最了解前者身体状况的人就是斯内普。尽管邓布利多受伤是显而易见的事实，但是只有这两人知晓具体情况。作为斯莱特林的院长，斯内普还可以密切关注前者的动态，从而随时调整整个计划的进程。其次，杀害邓布利多，无疑是一项丰功伟绩，也是一份毋庸置疑的“忠诚”证明。斯内普的“违逆”，却是又一次向伏地魔表明自己“不忘初心”，抹灭了所有人对他所处阵营的顾虑。另外，真正的斯内普是一位双面间谍——他不仅是食死徒，还是凤凰社的成员。邓布利多的死亡，可以变成斯内普的垫脚石，有利于这位卧底在暗中守护霍格沃茨，保存反伏地魔的有生力量。
虽然斯内普是最佳人选，但是他会执行这个死亡计划吗？即使是在邓布利多去世后，斯内普也将坚定不移地抵抗伏地魔吗？
三、The Doubtful Trust 存疑的信任
“DON’T!” bellowed Snape.“Gone . . . dead . . .”
“Is this remorse, Severus?”
“I wish . . . I wish I were dead. . ..”
“And what use would that be to anyone?” said Dumbledore coldly. “If you loved Lily Evans, if you truly loved her, then your way forward is clear.”
Snape seemed to peer through a haze of pain, and Dumbledore’s words appeared to take a long time to reach him.
“What — what do you mean?”
“You know how and why she died. Make sure it was not in vain. Help me protect Lily’s son.”
“He does not need protection. The Dark Lord has gone —”
“The Dark Lord will return, and Harry Potter will be in terrible danger when he does.”
There was a long pause, and slowly Snape regained control of himself, mastered his own breathing. At last he said, “Very well. Very well. But never — nevertell, Dumbledore! This must be between us! Swear it! I cannot bear . . .especially Potter’s son . . . I want your word!”
“My word, Severus, that I shall never reveal the best of you?” Dumbledore sighed, looking down into Snape’s ferocious, anguished face. “If you insist . . .”
——《Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows》Chapter 33: The Prince’s Tale
虽然邓布利多与斯内普达成了第一次交易，但是莉莉之死意味着此次交易的失败。不过，它也将斯内普拽向了另一条路。笔者还以为，与其说斯内普是因为对莉莉的“爱”而倒戈，不如说他是因为莉莉的“牺牲”才更换阵营。毕竟，伏地魔也可以手下留情。
不过，当时的邓布利多不需要了解这些年轻人之间的纠葛。这位凤凰社社长仅仅是指明了方向：如果斯内普确实为自己的错误而感到悔恨，那么他唯一的补救措施就是保护莉莉之子——“大难不死的男孩”哈利·波特。于是，以哈利的安全为前提，邓布利多与斯内普开始了漫长的合作：邓布利多为斯内普作担保，后者不仅被免除了刑罚，而且得到了一份教职；作为回报，斯内普则接受了各种侦察、监视与刺探的任务，向前者报告伏地魔的动态。
1995年夏天，凤凰社重组，斯内普也成为了其中的新成员。尽管邓布利多看似重用斯内普，笔者却以为，直到1994年圣诞节，邓布利多才不再将斯内普仅仅当作一个线人。
… Snape looked sideways at Dumbledore’scrooked-nosed profile. “Karkaroff intends to flee ifthe Mark burns.”
“Does he?” said Dumbledore softly, as Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies came giggling in from the grounds. “And are you tempted to join him?”
“No,” said Snape, hisblack eyes on Fleur’s and Roger’s retreating figures. “Iam not such a coward.”
“No,” agreed Dumbledore. “You are a braver man by far than Igor Karkaroff. You know, I sometimes think we Sort too soon. . ..”
He walked away, leaving Snape looking stricken. . ..
——《Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows》Chapter 33: The Prince’s Tale
也许，芙蓉与罗杰的约会令斯内普回想起旧时的友谊，幡然醒悟的他在这一刻表达出个人想法的转变：他不再逃避曾经犯下的错误，而是承担起自己的责任，并且愿意在下一场战争中献出自己的力量。尽管如此，但是前文所述的两人“思想转变”都是笔者的推测。
邓布利多是否完全信任斯内普？这答案仍然是一个未知数。直到1996学年，斯内普才获到了“梦寐以求”的职务——黑魔法防御术的授课老师。
可是，由于魔法部的干涉，1995学年该课的指导者是多洛雷斯·乌姆里奇。显然，斯内普不可能与一个拥有绝对优势的外来者构成竞争关系。另外，1996学年的霍格沃茨还有一处人事变动：邓布利多重新聘请霍拉斯·斯拉格霍恩为魔药学教授，其目的也显而易见：尝试将魂器的知情者之一召入己方阵营。因此，即使邓布利多满足了斯内普的夙愿，这份“惊喜”更像是一份附赠礼物。
然而，在死亡诅咒的威胁下，邓布利多必须当机立断、快速部署，不仅要将“魂器”的相关信息告诉哈利，而且要重新安排各种“应急预案”，包括利用自己的死亡。他必须立刻说服斯内普，让他执行这个修改后的死亡计划。幸与不幸的是，当邓布利多提出死亡请求时，他刚刚被斯内普“奇迹般地”救了一命。
… After a moment or two, Dumbledore’s eyelids fluttered and opened.
“why,” said Snape, without preamble, “why did you put on that ring? It carries a curse, surely you realizedthat. Why even touch it?”
Marvolo Gaunt’s ring lay on the desk before Dumbledore.It was cracked; the sword of Gryffindor lay beside it. Dumbledore grimaced. “I . . . was a fool. Sorely tempted . . .”
“Tempted bywhat?”
Dumbledore did not answer.
“It is a miracle you managed to returnhere!” Snape sounded furious. “That ring carried a curse ofextraordinary power, to contain it is all we can hope for; I have trapped thecurse in one hand for the time being —”
Dumbledore raised his blackened, useless hand, andexamined it with the expression of one being shown an interesting curio. “You have done very well, Severus. How long do you think I have?”
...
Dumbledore smiled. The news that he had less than a yearto live seemed a matter of little or no concern to him. “I am fortunate, extremely fortunate, that I have you, Severus.”
“If you had only summoned me a little earlier,I might have been able to do more, buy you more time!”said Snape furiously.
——《Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows》Chapter 33: The Prince’s Tale
诚然，斯内普是一只比巴尔干半岛更容易点燃的炸药桶，触发后也不容易熄灭，而且他与邓布利多对话时向来不假辞色。但是，这些直截了当又接连不断的质问，无疑能体现斯内普此次的大发雷霆。即使邓布利多是他的长辈兼上司，斯内普也不依不饶地继续追问。尽管稍后邓布利多罕见地表示了嘉许，斯内普仍旧是气呼呼的。
不过，这份难得显露的情感又迅速被理性讨论的潮水所掩盖。况且，邓布利多所谈及的，不只是诅咒的发作时间、敌营的刺杀计划，还有一份自杀请求。
Snape raised his eyebows and his tone was sardonic as heasked, “Are you intending to let him kill you?”
“Certainly not. You must kill me.”
There was a long silence, broken only by an odd clicking noise. Fawkes the phoenix wasgnawing a bit of cuttlebone. “Would you like me to do it now?” asked Snape, his voice heavy with irony. “Or would you like a few moments tocompose an epitaph?”
“Oh, not quite yet,”said Dumbledore, smiling. “I dare say the moment will present itself in due course. Given what has happened tonight,” he indicated his withered hand, “we can besure that it will happen within a year.”
“If you don’t mind dying,” said Snape roughly, “why not let Draco do it?”
“That boy’s soul is not yet so damaged,” said Dumbledore. “I would not have it ripped apart on my account.”
“And my soul, Dumbledore? Mine?”
——《Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows》Chapter 33: The Prince’s Tale
听到请求后，斯内普一反先前的高声叫喊，在长久的沉默之后，以冷冰冰的反问回应。不过，经历伏地魔重生、重召食死徒与神秘事务司之战后，斯内普不可能不会“随时保持警惕”，随时投入战斗之中，为什么他不愿意接受这个新的任务——答应一位老人的死亡请求？他完全可以理解邓布利多意欲控制自身死亡的紧迫与必要性。
除此之外，自邓布利多苏醒起，为什么斯内普的情绪变化那么激烈？笔者以为，斯内普的痛苦，与其说是对救治成果功亏一篑的沮丧，或者是对自身灵魂受损的担忧，不如说是面对和平倒计时的绝望——何况，被弑杀的对象是他的人生导师，那个曾经给了他第二次机会的人。
四、The Fallen Tutor 倒下的导师
尽管斯内普将记忆交付于哈利，是为了完成邓布利多的指令——告诉哈利“大难不死的男孩”赴死的必要性，不过这些回忆可谓是斯内普的个人传记。名为斯内普的书有两个中心：前是莉莉，后是邓布利多。对于斯内普而言，莉莉像是一盏黑夜中的明灯，邓布利多则是那道雷雨中的闪电。
由于他的麻瓜父亲酗酒成性，所以斯内普即使有一位女巫母亲，也无法被照料周全。斯内普从小就颇受排斥，而莉莉是第一个向他表示善意的同龄人，并且愿意接纳他作为朋友。因此，斯内普竭尽全力地争取莉莉的注意，以赢得好友的关怀。但是，莉莉并不是没有主见的洋娃娃，更不是欺瞒自己的懦夫：她不满欺凌行为，也厌恶血统歧视。一旦斯内普的言行越过了她的底线，结局只有一个：“你选择了你的路，我选择了我的”。
邓布利多比愤然离去后的莉莉更加冷酷无情。尽管邓布利多是一位幽默的巫师，他却甚少向斯内普展示笑容，两人的谈话也与命令传达、情报汇总密切相关。当然，这是斯内普的选择，可是邓布利多为什么值得斯内普铭记呢？他有时候是疯疯癫癫的老顽童，有时候是极度偏心的长辈及上司，还不断提醒斯内普各种令人不快的事实。
不过，邓布利多是一位敢于承担责任的勇士。向格林德沃提出决斗的人是他，发起抵御伏地魔组织的人也是他。邓布利多一直坚守在霍格沃茨，尽力保护所有师生以及学校职员，海格、多比、莱姆斯·卢平、闪闪、西比尔·特里劳妮、费伦泽等都受过他的庇护。特别是伏地魔复活后的1995年，邓布利多在时任魔法部部长福吉面前揽下了邓布利多军“违法成立”的责任；也在神秘事务司一战中亲自下场，与伏地魔正面交战。
与此同时，邓布利多是一位反应敏捷、顾全大局的策划者，也是一位胆识过人、魄力十足的领导者。在知晓西里斯·布莱克实为无辜后，邓布利多也立即指示哈利与赫敏，用时间转换器帮助这位逃狱者再次脱困。在伏地魔复活后的短短几个小时内，他有条不絮地安排各种事项：揭穿小巴蒂·克劳奇长达一年的伪装，授意西里斯看望哈利，吩咐斯内普向伏地魔请命……邓布利多击昏福吉时，也将在场的傲罗们关进了笼子，包括凤凰社社员金斯莱。邓布利多还将以自己的生命为代价，巩固伏地魔对斯内普的信任。
最后，邓布利多还是一位一视同仁、心怀悲悯的长辈。他不忌讳海格“体格壮的大问题”、卢平“毛茸茸的小问题”，为后者植下打人柳，还向他们提供教职。即使是像斯内普与德拉科这些“坏小孩”，邓布利多实际上都没有放弃他们。
然而，邓布利多的行事风格并不是“知无不言、言无不尽”，更喜欢将“鸡蛋放在不同的篮子里”。斯内普又恰巧不是任劳任怨的下属，这些都导致了两人之间的信任危机。在邓布利多准备死亡计划的时候，需要独自面对伏地魔的斯内普不被允许了解所有的信息；而另一个“只有一塌糊涂的大脑封闭术”的未成年人蒙受青睐。
因此，当斯内普得知哈利将来必须要赴死后，他再一次向邓布利多发火了。这倒是不代表在斯内普的内心深处有哈利的一份位置。斯内普不满的并不是哈利肩负的重任——没有人能逃离战争，而是对被隐瞒、被选择的愤怒——某种意义上的物伤其类。尽管“救世主”哈利不可能在某个角落里龟缩，但是死于差距总比死于纰漏好，至少不必有一份懊悔，不是吗？
斯内普本人是大脑封闭术大师，而邓布利多肯定不遑多让。因此，邓布利多的信任究竟是受情势所迫，还是斯内普通过了考验？邓布利多到底是因为情报泄露危机而拒绝透露，还是因为斯内普可能会插手其他计划？如果赢得邓布利多如此看重的哈利·波特仍然必须牺牲，那么斯内普这么多年的忍辱负重仍然不能弥补他前半生犯下的大错。斯内普也困不住一只格兰芬多的狮子，正如邓布利多的保护咒在哈利成年后消隐无踪。斯内普更没有什么担保可以交易哈利的生命。
邓布利多不会再出现在山顶上。由于一次踏空，这只曾经向他人伸出过无数次的手，终于攀不住悬崖的边缘。斯内普不仅不能施予援手，还要眼睁睁地看着自己“如何亲手掰开那几根勉力支持的手指”的景象。
But somebody else had spoken Snape’s name, quite softly.
“Severus . . .”
The sound frightened Harry beyond anything he had experienced all evening. For the first time, Dumbledore was pleading.
Snape said nothing, but walked forward and pushed Malfoy roughly out of the way. The three Death Eaters fell back without a word. Eventhe werewolf seemed cowed.
Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face.
“Severus . . . please . . .”
Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly atDumbledore.
“Avada Kedavra!”
A jet of green light shot from the end of Snape’s wand and hit Dumbledore squarely in the chest. Harry’s scream of horror never left him; silent and unmoving, he was forced to watch as Dumbledore was blasted into the air. For a split second, he seemed to hang suspended beneath the shining skull, and then he fell slowly backward, like a great rag doll, over thebattlements and out of sight.
——《Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince》Chapter 27: The Lightning Struck Tower
斯内普不能回头。他仍需要戴着隐形面具，扮演双面间谍的角色。
附录、The Ownership of the Elder Wand 老魔杖的归属
鉴于串联第七部《哈利·波特》的双线索分别是魂器与老魔杖，邓布利多在制定计划时，应该考虑过老魔杖的归属。
“Why did you have to make it so difficult?”
Dumbledore’s smile was tremulous. “I am afraid I counted on Miss Granger to slow you up, Harry. I was afraid that your hot head might dominate your good heart. I was scared that, if presented outright with the facts about those tempting objects, you might seize the Hallows as I did, at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons. If you laid hands on them, I wanted you to possess them safely. You are the true master ofdeath, because the true master does not seek to run away from Death. He accepts that he must die, and understands that there are far, far worse things in the living world than dying.”
…
“If you planned your death with Snape, youmeant him to end up with the Elder Wand, didn’t you?”
“I admit that was my intention,” said Dumbledore, “but it did not work as Iintended, did it?”
“No,” said Harry. “That bit didn’t work out.”
——《Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows》Chapter 35: King’s Cross
虽然魔杖效忠学是一处知识的荒原，但如果没有变故，老魔杖的历史传奇要么被邓布利多终结；要么继续由斯内普、伏地魔以及哈利谱写。显然，最理想的情况是第一种，但是急于寻找“更强大魔杖”的伏地魔是不惮于撬开任何人的坟墓的。因此，老魔杖的下一任主人既可能是杀害邓布利多的斯内普，也有可能是夺取老魔杖的伏地魔。
尽管斯内普最多只能拥有老魔杖这一项死亡圣器，但是他勇于担责、敢于战斗的特质，或许能赢得老魔杖的持续忠心。倘若斯内普成为了老魔杖的主人，那么伏地魔使用老魔杖发射的索命咒，可能在两个人身上不起作用：假设老魔杖此时仍没有转变效忠对象，它不能伤害主人斯内普；还有哈利，这个体内有莉莉的保护咒，以及被伏地魔灵魂碎片附着的“大难不死的男孩”。虽然伏地魔可以借用别人的魔杖，或者发射几道索命咒，但是死亡圣器认可的主人未必只能有一位，而且伏地魔说不定也会遭受相应的影响……
尽管实际情况往往不会按纸面逻辑行走，不过有一点是可以肯定的：除了削弱伏地魔的力量，邓布利多一直在尽力减免大部分人的负担。邓布利多也许有以命偿命的想法，但是他的确消除了斯内普大部分的执行顾虑，也考虑过后者的人身安全。假如哈利有幸生还，莉莉的愿望将会彻底实现，那么斯内普的弥补还是颇有成效的。邓布利多提出过“更伟大的利益”，也历经沧桑世事。或许在邓布利多看来，实现目标永远排在第一位，过程就相对不那么重要了。
Notes: 2018.9.1完，正文过5K。我很愧疚于这都拖了半年……而且看起来邓校很黑（我声明顶多是刀子嘴豆腐心类型，不是切开黑）
另外，Lofter压英文单词空格的毛病还在啊orz
