McGonagall and Lupin's reaction to Harry's story (and Snape's DE past)

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 138543

Nora:

> Here's a line of questioning to take: do they 
> KNOW for sure what he's been doing for the Order?  
> We know that Snape reports and brings things in, 
> but given what we now know of Dumbledore's working 
> style, I doubt other Order members were deeply in 
> on what Snape is doing.

houyhnhnm:

At the beginning of OotP, Snape is at the meeting that is held right 
after Harry gets to Grimmauld Place.  Dumbledore is not there.  Over 
the next few days, Snape is in and out several times (though he never 
stays for supper).  Dumbledore is only mentioned as being there once.  
The meetings seem to focus on Voldemort's designs on the prophecy 
(parchment covered with what looked like the plan of a building)--
information that must surely have come from Snape.  This suggests to me 
that Snape is reporting to the Order as a whole--that his information 
is not being funneled through Dumbledore.

As for why they seem so ready to believe he is a traitor, I would say 
shock.  Remember, one of the worst things about Voldemort's first reign 
of terror was the fact that no one could trust anyone anymore.  Now the 
people who lived through that experience have been living it all over 
again for a year. People have been disappeared.  Shops are boarded up.  
People are afraid their spouse may not really be their spouse, but a 
polyjuiced Death Eater. Little boys are imperioused to kill their 
grandparents. It is not surprising that they would believe the worst, 
when they haven't had time to think yet, only to react to an emergency.

It kind of reminds me of Harry's inability to see the thestrals on the 
journey back to Hogsmeade after having seen Cedric die.  It took all 
summer for the reality to sink in.