Doesn't Voldemort know about Snape's loyalty?

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 107641

Charme said:
> > Oh, I don't know...what complicates this is Quirrell's statement
> >  about the "counter curse" Snape was "muttering" in answer to 
> > Harry's realization that Quirrell was hexing his broom during 
> > the Quidditch match.  I don't think Voldemort is naive enough to 
> > think that if Snape was still loyal to him, he'd be trying to 
> > save Harry Potter that day - Snape could have turned a blind eye 
> > or not muttered the correct counter spell.
 
 
Julie says:
> This is the main reason I have a hard time believing the "Snape as 
> a double agent" theory. Besides having ample opportunity to kill 
> Harry himself, Snape could have looked the other way several times 
> too, while someone else did the dirty work. If Voldemort's main 
> objective is to kill Harry, and Snape is a double agent, then 
> *why* hasn't Snape taken care of Harry already? What reason would 
> Snape have to keep playing the spy game, not to mention helping to 
> keep Harry alive to grow stronger and more skilled at Wizardry? 
 

SSSusan:
Hmmmm.  (I seem to be doing a lot of "Hmmmming" around here 
lately.)  Well, Julie, I think the answer to your question is 
*timing,* at least through GoF.  Until Voldy came back with a body 
of his own, he never called his DEs to him...some of them claimed to-
-and perhaps really did--believe he was dead.  Why would Snape kill 
Harry simply because he had been a double agent when Voldy was 
around the first time?  In SS/PS through the end of GoF, he'd have 
had NO instructions for what to do about Harry Potter--there'd have 
been no active "main objective" any more.

Charme, your question gives me more pause.  Snape could, indeed, 
have looked the other way, pretended he never realized Harry's life 
was in danger.  Why didn't he?  

Does Voldy know that DD is a legilimens? I suppose Snape could argue 
that he couldn't do anything directly to injure Potter or DD might 
know.  True, once Harry were out of the way, Voldy's rise to power 
would be more assured.  But presumably DD would still be a powerful 
enemy, Voldy STILL wouldn't know that the prophecy had said Harry 
was the *one* with the power to vanquish him, and he might still 
want Snape set up near DD.  If Voldy understands that DD is a 
legilimens, then he knows Snape's tasks have to be carefully limited.

That's just a stab in the dark...which is probably painfully 
obvious. :-)

Siriusly Snapey Susan