The Trial of Severus Snape (WAS Chess Game, Snape's spying career)

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 36296

Elkins wrote (about Dumbledore's Pensieve announcement of Snape's 
spying):

> Even so, though, surely Dumbledore's pronouncement could have 
placed 
> Snape at far greater risk from other (still at-large) Death 
Eaters?  

Not necessarily.  I suspect that Snape's spying activities were 
common knowledge by the time of Karkaroff's plea bargain.  Well, 
common knowledge to everyone who wasn't already in Azkaban, anyway.

You see, canon tells us that Dumbledore stands up in Karkaroff's plea 
bargain with no hesitation and says Snape is a spy.  No one reacts 
with surprise, except Karkaroff.  No gasps from the crowd, no 
startled expressions, nothing.  Dumbledore speaks "calmly."  Crouch 
is "disdainful."  Moody wears a look of "deep skepticism."  That's 
because Snape's spying career is yesterday's news in the wizarding 
world.  The only reason Dumbledore stands up for Snape is to re-
affirm his loyalty to Snape, so that no one will think he has changed 
his mind about Snape.

There's something missing here, though.  It's . . . it's . . . a wild 
and improbable backstory!  We need a backstory of how it came to be 
common knowledge that Snape is a spy, and it needs to be a really Big 
Bang.  Did Snape give interviews to Rita Skeeter?  Did Snape just 
trickle out the details of his spying to his friends over a pint, and 
it just kind of leaked out slowly?  Hardly.

I think Snape was put on trial, and Dumbledore vouched for Snape as 
part of that public proceeding.  Snape's trial would have been 
immediately after the Potters were killed.  At the persistent urging 
of Moody (and hopefully Lupin), MoM thought Snape was the traitor in 
Dumbledore's camp who betrayed the Potters.  Dumbledore was backed 
into a corner and had to testify that Sirius was the Potters' 
Secretkeeper, not Snape.  That was the only way to save Snape from 
living his worst nightmares in Azkaban (which I imagine must involve 
shampoo).  Dumbledore must explain Snape's spying career and -- this 
is the painful part -- give evidence against loyal-as-a-dog Sirius.  
Dumbledore might even have had to explain his little deal where Snape 
arranged the Ambush.  

::tosses FEATHERBOA over shoulder with flair, twirls rather 
superfluous cape::

Now, I'm a little concerned about my timeline, because Snape would 
have to be placed on trial quickly if the three Pensieve scenes are 
going to fit together.  Fortunately for me, trials in the wizarding 
world take about 10 minutes.  So I think we have time for Karkaroff's 
plea bargain shortly after Voldemort falls, right after Snape's trial.

The other worrisome detail is why Crouch would give Snape a trial and 
not give Sirius one. Actually, this bit kind of works.  Sirius went 
to Azkaban for killing Pettigrew and the muggles, not for betraying 
the Potters.  In PoA, Fudge says the worst Sirius did wasn't widely 
known.  So Snape got a trial only because they didn't have enough 
proof to lock him up without it.  

I also like this idea because it explains Dumbledore's decision to 
give evidence against Sirius.  I've always wondered why he did it.  
Dumbledore apparently gave this evidence without even speaking with 
Sirius to hear his side of the story.  That doesn't sound like 
Albus.  Why, then?  Because Dumbledore had to do something to save 
Snape, and because wizard trials happen in the blink of an eye, 
Dumbledore didn't have time to, uh, actually get his facts straight 
or anything.  

Oh, yeah.  I'm feeling a definite Bang coming on.

Cindy (smiling as she imagines Moody arresting Snape and dragging him 
kicking, screaming and weeping before the Department of Magical Law 
Enforcement)