When did Snape's spying career begin/ Dumbledore

[nyarth_meow]

No: HPFGUIDX 36184

JKR had Dumbledore say in GoF:
"Severus Snape is now no more a Death Eater than I am."

Mercia said:
> 
> I am sure that it is only my horribly twisted and suspicious mind 
> that has occasionally wondered if that last sentence could possible 
> conceal an ironic double meaning. You know, the evil Dumbledore 
> thing which I mostly resist believing in.
> 

I say:  

It's not only your horribly twisted and suspicious mind.. The second 
time i read GoF that phrase literally jumped out the page at me.  An 
interesting choice of words if nothing else.  That, coupled with 
Dumbledore's triumphant glint thing nearly tipped me right over the 
edge into paranoia.  
Now I don't seriously think Dumbledore is a secret Death Eater, but 
it did lead me to wonder about his judgement sometimes.
After all, this is a man that gave a job to Quirrell, and to Gilderoy 
Lockhart.  He also *apparantly* failed to notice for three entire 
terms that one of his closest friends (Moody/Barty) was actually an 
imposter.   

-Nyarth