Snape - Deatheater?

[Werewolf]

Is Snape a Deatheater? At least I think he wasn’t one in Book 1, because Quirrel would have known. On the other hand, he has been suspected so many times and always turned out to be innocent. So now even if he does anything funny, everybody will just say: “Remember how we suspected him of steeling the Philosopher’s Stone?” & so on.
In Book 5, Harry suspected Snape of being a Deatheater. Snape left the Pensieve and Harry in the same room. Harry looked into the Pensieve in order to find out which memories Snape wanted to hide. And, of course, it was something ‘innocent’, but nasty enough to be hidden anyway. I think anyone, especially as unhappy person as Snape, would be angry if someone discovered such a secret: but isn’t it odd that Snape, who always does his duties no matter how unpleasant, who is always extremely self-possessed, suddenly forgets the Pensieve with an important memory and then is so incredibly angry, that refuses teaching Harry? It’s possible, but hard to believe!

[Aberforth]

Snape had been urgently called out, so he didn't really have time to recover his memories. Even if he did, Malfoy would see and think something weird was going on. The urgency of the moment took Snape away and although he doesn't like Harry, probably didn't think Harry would go looking for the pensieve. Harry knew how much trouble he would get into if disovered and only thought about looking when he saw the dancing lights.

I have trouble believing that Voldemort still trusts Snape enough for Snape to get close enough to spy on him, unless he is being set up. Voldemort knows Snape escaped Azkaban on Dumbledore's testimony and has even been confronted by him when LV was in Quirrell. LV would want Snape to spy on Dumbledore given his position in the school, so I expect something to come of this conflict of interest.

[Athena Appleton]

SO many threads on this already... *sigh*

Is Snape a Deatheater? At least I think he wasn’t one in Book 1, because Quirrel would have known.

What makes you say that? I mean, there's really no evidence that Quirrell was an actual death eater (I know, but hear me out.) He came across Voldemort on his travels to fight against Dark Forces. Then he "realized" what power was, and allowed Voldy to take over his body.

As far as the "Quirrell would have known" thing, if you're referring to the death mark on Snape's arm, umm... did you know in Book 1 to be looking for Death Eaters with a death mark?

On the other hand, he has been suspected so many times and always turned out to be innocent. So now even if he does anything funny, everybody will just say: “Remember how we suspected him of steeling the Philosopher’s Stone?” & so on.

Personally, I think Dumbledore is right... He used to be a Death Eater, changed sides before Voldy lost his power, and joined the good side... he's still not a nice fella, and I think he's not 100% "good", but he's no Death Eater, and he's no supporter of Voldemort anymore.

In Book 5, Harry suspected Snape of being a Deatheater.

Harry's suspected him in every book...

Snape left the Pensieve and Harry in the same room. Harry looked into the Pensieve in order to find out which memories Snape wanted to hide.

Harry looked in the Pensieve because he was curious about what was in it, not because he wanted to find out what memories Snape was trying to hide from him.

And, of course, it was something ‘innocent’, but nasty enough to be hidden anyway. I think anyone, especially as unhappy person as Snape, would be angry if someone discovered such a secret:

well, of course he was mad, he was mad enough to order Harry out of the room and never come back...

but isn’t it odd that Snape, who always does his duties no matter how unpleasant, who is always extremely self-possessed, suddenly forgets the Pensieve with an important memory and then is so incredibly angry, that refuses teaching Harry? It’s possible, but hard to believe!

Snape was interrupted... If you were an adult in charge of somewhere around 70-150 students (the Slytherins, I'm guestimating numbers here) and one of them turned up missing, it's highly likely you'd walk away immediately, possibly forgetting to put away something very important too.

[darkcloak]

The recent quote by JKR opens a few more insights into the Snape - DD relationship:

Ali: Why specifically does Dumbledore trust Snape?
JK Rowling replies -> Another excellent and non-answerable question. I shall merely say that Snape has given Dumbledore his story and Dumbledore believes it.

Taken from: http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/extras/JKRWorldBookDay2004.html

So Dumbledore believes Snape, he doesn't know for certain and certainly, with Snape's skill at occulmency, DD hasn't been able to find out that way.

Dumbledore has admitted his weaknesses before, that of thinking like an 'old man'. Perhaps in his desire to trust in the goodness of people, i.e. Snape, he has shown another one of his weaknesses?

Personally I don't think so, but whatever Snape's story is, it must be a very powerful one to convince DD on that alone. Maybe a 'powerful' force such as love comes into it somewhere, as many people on here have suggested.

[Athena Appleton]

This is one of those questions I'm only asking because I just don't feel like looking it up right now... are we POSITIVE (like, has it been confirmed by someone who knows, or speculated only?) that Snape's job in the Order is as spy to Voldemort? I know it makes the most sense, and it was my first assumption, too, but if it hasn't been absolutely confirmed, there is still a possibility it's something else.

My theories are starting to conflict, and now I'm all confused...

[Phinea Rogue]

This is one of those questions I'm only asking because I just don't feel like looking it up right now... are we POSITIVE (like, has it been confirmed by someone who knows, or speculated only?) that Snape's job in the Order is as spy to Voldemort? I know it makes the most sense, and it was my first assumption, too, but if it hasn't been absolutely confirmed, there is still a possibility it's something else.

That's what I've been thinking about lately too - what exactly is Snape doing for the Order? It's hard to believe that Voldemort would just let him come back so easily, not suspecting him. Voldemort has to be intelligent, otherwise he wouldn't be that dangerous and somehow I doubt he wouldn't find out Snape spying on him. On the other hand, Snape mentions something like it's his job to find out what LV is saying to his Death Eaters (in one Occlumency scene with Harry) and is it Sirius who said that Snape is risking his life while he sits safely at the headquarters? So I assume what he's doing must be dangerous, but what it is, I have no idea. What else than spying would be dangerous?

[Lupus]

Snape probably has very important role in the whole deal. I think that Snape secretly works for LV, while pretending to spy on LV for DD. He probably gave DD story of how mistaken he was when he thought that LV was the answer, of how he wasn't prepared to kill people and how he wants to come back and be a good guy again. This probably didn't happen voluntarily, i.e. Snape was probably caught by DD or somebody else doing something he shouldn't have, and was given option of going to Azkaban, or giving information about LV. Then DD offered to Snape to act as spy.
Now, this sounds very naive on one side, but what if LV, who is very good at reading people and manipulating them, knew that DD believed in people and believed that they're good, if given chance? Then LV would've predicted DDs response and wanted Snape to act as spy.
On the other side, it's also possible that DD got to Snape first and offered him to act like he came back to the good side, while Snape would feed LV information that he's spying on DD, when in fact he's spying on LV. This is more sound option for me. In OoP, DD said to Snape:"You know what you must do"(or something like it), telling him to get in contact with LV. By this, Snape would be "faitfull DE at Hogwarts". Also, the fact that Snape calls LV Dark Lord, and yells at Harry for calling him Voldemort, shows that Snape is very afraid of Voldy. DD probably taught him how to block his thoughts from Voldemort so that he can spy on him. Snape is mean to Harry (partially because of his dad) and Neville on purpose, to play his role, so that Draco can tell this to Malfoy, thus keeping Malfoy thinking that he's still DE.
There's more, but that's it for now.

[Athena Appleton]

firstly: welcome, lupus!

If you browse around a bit, you'll eventually get to know the regulars in here so well, you'll know all of our theories by heart... I'm one of the ones who believes that Snape is actually a "good" guy, he's just not nice, which really doesn't fit in with our ideas about "good guys"...

This theory that Snape really is on the bad side has nothing more than speculation as evidence, and the same with my theory that he's really a good guy... so we won't know until book 6.

[Lupus]

This theory that Snape really is on the bad side has nothing more than speculation as evidence, and the same with my theory that he's really a good guy... so we won't know until book 6.

Can't wait!

[Alice I]

This is one of those questions I'm only asking because I just don't feel like looking it up right now... are we POSITIVE (like, has it been confirmed by someone who knows, or speculated only?) that Snape's job in the Order is as spy to Voldemort? I know it makes the most sense, and it was my first assumption, too, but if it hasn't been absolutely confirmed, there is still a possibility it's something else.

I found it in GoF
When Harry is in DD's pensive and Karakoff give Snape's name DD stood up and said:
"Severus Snape was indeed a Death Eater. However, he rejoined our side before Lord Voldomort's downfall and turned spy for us, at great personal risk. He is no more a Death Eater than I am."

OK if they didn't know who was who yet why did DD announce this little fact. LV may now know about Snape

[Athena Appleton]

Thanks...

Okay, then, I have no idea... I would say that no Death Eaters would have been in the room, but Malfoy is friends with a lot of Ministry of Magic folks, so the government isn't DE-Free... I would say that that info wouldn't have become public knowledge, but Rita Skeeter was in the hearings... *shrug* things that make you go hmmm...

[Phinea Rogue]

I found it in GoF
When Harry is in DD's pensive and Karakoff give Snape's name DD stood up and said:
"Severus Snape was indeed a Death Eater. However, he rejoined our side before Lord Voldomort's downfall and turned spy for us, at great personal risk. He is no more a Death Eater than I am."

Yes, he was a Death Eater and a spy once, but what is he doing for the Order now? I don't mean which side he's on, but are we sure that the work he does for the order is spying? Is there any evidence of it in the books?

[Alice I]

I believe it is an inferred reference like what JKR said in an interview about Harry getting the Maurader's Map back. But who knows, JKR could pop out and really suprise us. She's done it before.

[Athena Appleton]

As far as what Snape does for the Order now, we know that he was once (and might still be) a spy, and that he knew immediately what his job would be (Dumbledore doesn't tell him what to do, he just says "you know what you must do, if you're ready... if you're prepared"), which does lend itself to the possibility that he is, once again, a spy... Not to mention, he does tell Harry that it's not up to him to know what the Dark Lord is doing, something about that being his job...

[Mistress Siana]

Hm...one thing about Occlumency: In book 4, Harry falls into DD's pensieve and finds out about Snape's past as a DE and a spy. Some time after DD has found him, he looks into the pensieve again and sees Snape talking, to DD I think. Now, we all know that eye-contact is important for legilimency, and while talking with DD, Snape was staring at the ceiling. Little thing-big meaning?