HBP The memory in the cave... is Snape's.

[merpsiren]

No: HPFGUIDX 137926

I have really spent some time with the following theory and am ready
to see what everyone else thinks...

I have been thinking about motives for Snape to defy Voldemort and
truly join up with Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix.  I believe
the key  to this is mentioned on pg 549 of HBP.  

"You have no idea of the remorse Professor Snape felt when he realized
how Lord Voldemort had interpreted the prophecy, Harry.  I believe it
to be the greatest regret of his life and the reason that he returned
--"
  
Now, if you read this quote from Dumbledore with Harry's POV it
suggests that Snape regrets how the info of the prophecy affected the
Potters. However, I believe that Dumbledore really is speaking the 
truth of how the intrepretation of the prophecy affected Snape.  We
know that Snape overheard the prophecy and eventually passed the
information on to Voldemort.  However, there is a gap in time of 1.5
to 2 years between when the prophecy was made, and when the Potters
were murdered.  Why motive would Snape have to hold back on this
information?  I believe that Snape defied Voldemort
and did not immediatly tell him the information he had overheard
because Snape had a family of his own to protect.  ("Broaden your
mind...") My grand theory is that Snape was married and also had a son
(or his wife was expecting which coincided with the birth of Harry and
Neville) and that Snape saved the information from the prophecy in an
attempt to protect his own family from death.  Voldemort later finds
this information out from using legilimency against Snape and is
furious with Snape that he withheld it.  Voldemort then interprets the
prophecy to mean Snape's child will potentially be the one with the
power to destroy the Dark Lord.  The punishment for this betrayal was
death for Snape's wife and child.

Now, if you buy into my theory, and then read HBP pg. 571-572.  The
basin in the cave is filled with the green poison and is described as
looking like a pensieve.  I believe that the liquid that Dumbledore
drinks is very much like a pensieve memory, it is Snape's worst
memory.  The agonizing utterances from Dumbledore as he consumes this
horrible poison I believe to be the actual memory of Snape at the time
of his own family's murder. Read the passages with Snape as the
speaker pleading with Voldemort to spare "them" for a horrible mistake
that he (Snape) has made (not sharing the prophecy with Voldemort).  I
read the beginning (the first things Dumbledore utters after drinking
the poison) as Snape fighting off the legilimency from Voldemort as he
enters Snapes mind and retrieves the info afout the prophecy , "don't
like... want to stop... I don't want to... Let me go... make it stop,
make it stop."   Followed by Snape pleading that his family be spared,
"It's all my fault, all my fault... I know I did wrong, oh please make
it stop and I'll never, never again... Don't hurt them... it's my
fault, hurt me instead... Make it stop, make it stop, I want to die!"

Snape has lost everything.  I believe this is the reason Dumbledore
implicitly believes and trusts Snape. Snape wants vengence as much as
Harry does.    

I have probably left out half of what is swirling around in my mind,
but I really wanted to get this theory out there and see what others
think... so let me know!

Merprisen