The Great Snape Debates

Customers Coming to Borders and Waldenbooks to Reserve New Book Receive Free Stickers to Declare Their "Friend or Foe" Allegiance Beginning Feb. 3

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Now that author J.K. Rowling has announced the July 21 release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," Borders -- which has been taking reservations for the book in its superstores and Waldenbooks mall stores since Dec. 8 and is now also accepting online reservations -- today e-mailed more than 15 million customers asking the question "Is Professor Severus Snape a Friend or Foe to Harry Potter?" The quandary, sure to pit muggle against muggle and wizard against wizard, is the centerpiece of the exclusive "Great Snape Debate" that Borders and Waldenbooks will carry out in the coming months as fans eagerly await the book's release this summer.

The campaign, which includes a series of events, discussions and surprises, kicked off today and features an exclusive offer beginning Saturday, Feb. 3 when customers visiting their nearest Borders and Waldenbooks store may select from one of two Snape stickers as they reserve a copy of the seventh Harry Potter book. By choosing either the "Trust Snape" or "Snape is a Very Bad Man" sticker, customers will take sides on a burning question that has become more compelling with each book in the Harry Potter series. To make sure they are not left out of the fun, Borders and Waldenbooks customers who already reserved a copy of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" when the stores began taking in-store reservations in December, as well as those who reserve the book online, may pickup a sticker when visiting their local store.

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Hmm. I can't say I'm sure I could pick one of the two stickers.

I do believe Snape has killed Dumbledore (its taken me a year and a half to come to terms with his death) but I think he is a conflicted man and the killing was more likely a plan that went wrong rather than premeditated murder despite the Unbreakable Vow.

Therefore, I don't trust (or like) him, but I think he's caught between a rock and a hard place right now. I suppose my sticker would read "I Am Wary Of Snape".

I also think that Sirius is NOT dead and in Book 7 we will see him come back come back from that whispery arch place. Why? When Dumbledore died, there were signs to prove it (the breaking of the spell that bound Harry, the obviously dead body and funeral, the headmaster's portrait, the Phoenix song) but when Sirius died there was nothing - just disappearance, not even a ghost. Contrary to Nearly Headless Nick, I think Sirius may have chosen to become a ghost so that Harry wouldn't be alone - but was he even given the choice in true death?

I think Sirius is lost in some place, the way whatshisname was lost in that cupboard that Malfoy used to get the Death Eaters into Hogwarts, and will make his way back in Book 7.

Plus, considering RAB is most certainly his brother Regulus Black (ex Slytherin, ex Death Eater who abandoned Voldemort, took the Horcrux and was killed two days later) I think Sirius will have to come back to help put the final pieces of the puzzle together.

What do you think?