Assassin!Snape for HA

[Phyllis]

I also like the idea of focusing the Assassin!Snape essay on Snape 
knocking off Dumbledore rather than Karkaroff.  I did a post back in 
November on JKR possibly naming Snape after the Roman emperor Severus 
who betrayed his opponent Albinus (turns into "Albus" if you take out 
the "in") and how this might be a clue pointing to Snape betraying 
Dumbledore (#47141).  Feel free to use this idea if it fits!

Cindy wrote:

> The final scenes of GoF hint strongly that Snape may spy on 
> Voldemort at Dumbledore's request.  There remains, however, the 
> perplexing question of exactly how Snape could manage this, 
> especially after Dumbledore revealed in the Pensieve that Snape 
> turned spy for Dumbledore.  

Now me:

I have been perplexed by this, also, although a recent interchange 
with Steve (bboy_mn) on the main list led me to think of an answer - 
the "trial" where Dumbledore makes the public pronouncement that 
Snape turned spy for the good guys was probably not a public trial 
since it really wasn't a trial so much as a hearing where Karkaroff 
was to present the names of the DEs in exchange for his freedom.  
Presumably the Ministry of Magic wouldn't want the public present 
when such names were voiced, and in fact there's no mention of Rita 
Skeeter being present (as there is at Bagman's trial).  The only part 
I still struggle with is that there were at least 200 witches and 
wizards at Karkaroff's "trial," which presumably would make it 
difficult to keep quiet whatever information was disclosed.  But the 
fact that Sirius  - one of the "old crowd" - didn't know that Snape 
was once a DE leads me to believe it's not public knowledge.

Cindy again:

> "And here we have six missing Death Eaters . . . three dead in my 
> service. One, too cowardly to return . . . he will pay. One, who I 
> believe has left me forever . . . he will be killed, of 
> course. . . . and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and 
> who has already reentered my service.'
> 
> If Karkaroff is the DE who will be killed, who will do Voldemort's 
> dirty work and dispatch Karkaroff?  

Me again:

While it's definitely open to interpretation, I've always thought of 
the one who is "too cowardly to return" as Karkaroff and the "one who 
I believe has left me forever" as Snape.  Snape just doesn't fit the 
description of a coward, IMHO.

~Phyllis