Here's a Crazy thought...

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 94150

Mo wrote: 
<snip> And, how about this too...
> Snape was always a member of the order and he went
> undercover on DD's orders and purposely became a DE
> JUST so he could get on the inside.  Basically, he was
> the member who risked the most out of any of them.
> So, he was NEVER a REAL DE, but just posing as one all
> along, doing the most dirty work.. ???
>
Carol:
He has the Dark Mark burned into his arm, which means he was a real
Death Eater--and must have taken an oath to give a lifetime of service
 or death. DD says in the Pensieve scene, "He is now no more a Death
Eater than I am," apparently meaning that Snape has renounced the DEs
and everything they stand for, but the DEs themselves don't know this.
That's why (IMO) Snape has to stay at Hogwarts, so that he'll be
unable to participate in their activities for at least ten months of
the year--easier, of course, before LV was resurrected. Maintaining
credibility with the DEs and LV now that he's back will be much
harder, and so, I'm afraid, will avoiding some "dirty work."

Still, Snape was considered an important DE, important enough for
Karkaroff to mention him in the Pensieve scene, so maybe he didn't
have to stoop to Muggle baiting and Crucioing people who opposed LV
before he found refuge at Hogwarts. Maybe LV recognized and used his
potion-making talents rather than sending him out to torture people.
Karkaroff identified other DEs with specific curses or crimes, such as
murdering the McKinnons, torturing the Longbottoms, and forcing
countless people to do terrible things using the Imperius curse, but
for Snape he only said, "I assure you, Severus Snape is a Death
Eater." We have no idea what Snape did or what caused him to renounce
his loyalty and turn to Dumbledore. Maybe he witnessed the murder of
Regulus Black and knew then that he wanted no part in a gang of
murderers and sadists. I can't see him doing "dirty work" for the DEs
unless he was forced to, certainly not for the sake of appearances,
pretending to be a DE.

Carol, who realizes she's said enough on this subject!