[HPforGrownups] OOP - Death Eaters: Still unanswered from GOF - slight spoilers

[Beth Currie]

No: HPFGUIDX 62843

>    From: "i_am_lord_voldemort00" <i_am_lord_voldemort00 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Death Eaters:  Still unanswered from GOF
> 
> Voldemort also mentions his most faithful servant who was at Hogwarts
> (Crouch Minor), one too cowardly to return, and one he has lost
forever.
> Who are these Death Eaters. (If Snape is one of those two Death Eaters
> and yet capable of spying on Voldemort for the Order of the Phoenix,
> there is a leak in Voldemorts circle.)
> 

The way that I read this, Karkaroff is the DE who is "lost forever"
because he betrayed the other DEs to save himself.  Snape is the one too
cowardly to return.  

My assumption has also been that DD's task for Snape at the end of GoF
was to return to LV and resume his role as spy.  Given LV's somewhat
unforgiving nature, it makes you wonder what Snape had to go through
when he returned - I imagine he would have been made to suffer the
Cruciatus curse as punishment for his "cowardice".

I've never been much of a Snape sympathiser, but his nasty attitude to
Sirius in OOP can be understood more if this is the case - Snape has
suffered incredible pain and is risking his life spying on LV every day
- no wonder he has a few digs at Sirius's lack of action, especially
given their long-standing mutual dislike.

My 2 knuts worth :-)

Beth