What if Snape does not have to maintain any cover?

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 101545

Alla asked: 
> Now, if every Death Eater kid knows already that Snape is a 
traitor 
> and Snape does not have to keep appearances, would you still feel 
> that what Snape does to Neville and Harry is justifiable?


Potioncat:
Short answer:  no.

Longer answer:  I already don't think everything he does is 
justifiable.  It just seems that way in the heat of the posts.   I 
think a great deal of  what he does can be explained. 

I learned mid-SS that Snape wasn't going to be the bad guy and from 
that moment on, I started looking at him differently.  What's up 
with this absolutely  horrible good guy? And there have been 
episodes in the books where it appears he is simply out to harass 
Harry, that with a little digging, can be explained differently.

I mean, when your twins have colic all night it's hard to be 
pleasant at work! (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

I also don't think he's spying in the traditional sense, but I can't 
come up with a better explanation.

Potioncat who chose not to read any other posts on this thread 
before answering. (And will probably wish I had)