Snape isn't evil

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 143920

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Rebecca Williams <becks3uk at y...>
wrote:
>
> Lucianam wrote:
> Only one Huge Thing stands in the way of Snape's warning the 
> Order proving he's good: why didn't Voldemort punish him heavily
> for ruining the Prophecy mission? 
>    
>   Becky says:
> ... - how do you know Voldemort even knew that Snape was the one
> who tipped off the order? It was never mentioned, not even 
> Bellatrix mentioned it when questioning Snape about everything 
> in HBP and it is very unlikley that the warning from Harry in 
> umbridge's office would ever have got back to Voldemort or have
> been deciphered by anyone else in that room. For all we know 
> Voldemort assumed the Order found out another way.
>

bboyminn:

First, we have to look at Snape's job from Voldemort's perspective.
Voldemort sent Snape to Dumbledore's camp to PRETEND to work for
Dumbledore. Snape's action are consistent with appearing to work for
Dumbledore, the exact job Voldemort assigned him.

Next, we have to wonder if Snape was able to discern that Harry
getting in trouble with Umbridge and dragged her off into the forest
on some hairbained scheme was actually part of Voldemort's plan
unfolding. And that assumes that Snape knew what Voldemort's plan was,
and further that this incedent was indeed that plan unfolding,
something of which we have no evidence.

Next, Snape has no reason to think that Harry had actually managed to
get to London when he is suppost to be lost in the forest with
Umbridge. Just on the off chance that Harry might have escaped
Umbridge, which would seem unlikely, and that he had managed to find
some means of tranportation, and that he had managed to find his way
to London, Snape ask the Order to go check it out.

All that said, I agree with Becky, that Snape most like acted in
Dumbledore's true best interests, and informed the Order /on the sly/.
In other words, no need to inform Voldemort that it was Snape who sent
the Order to rescue Harry.

In a sense, from Snape's perspective, we are assuming he knew things
that he didn't necessarily know, and that the details of his actions
are known by everyone, which they probably are not.

Just passing it along.

Steve/bboyminn