Snape: A third possibility?

[crisagi1]

No: HPFGUIDX 133790

We seem to forget that his task was to kill Dumbledore by any means 
necessary.  The method was totally up to him.  It was extremely 
clever of him to contrive the idea of the vanishing boxes, and fix 
it, with out the knowledge or help of Snape, or anyone else.

Snape just wanted to find out how he was going to do it.  So not to 
have to really pick a side until the end was clear with one winner 
left standing.

In my opinion, which means nothing, Snape has now painted himself 
into a corner.  He has picked his side.  Even if he had worked all 
this out with Dumbuldore before, even if he actually did this for 
altruistic reasons, (Not wanting Draco to become a killer, or Not 
wanting Dumbledore to suffer anymore - or to just end that battle 
and cut the losses for the Order.) no one will ever know.

He can't turn back now.  No one is going to wait for an 
explination.  Sirius was sent to Azkaban with out a trial and 
without question.  Snape will most likely be killed on the spot by 
whomever finds him first.  Even if he is caught by the Ministry 
before the Order, he'll be put in Azkaban, and I don't believe they 
would let him live.

crisagi
  
> 
> 
> Jen's response:
> But I think Snape might have known what Draco's task was - 
(forgive 
> me, I don't have my HBP with me so can't give citations or 
quotes) - 
> When Cissy asks him for the third request, to fulfill Draco's 
task, he 
> becomes still and looks at her intently.  Could he have been using 
> legilemency?  I also believe that Cissy might not have been able 
to 
> defend herself using occlumency, because, on the night of Slug's 
> Christmas party, Harry overhears Spape saying to Draco that 
apparently 
> his Aunt Bella (NOT his mother) was teaching him occlumency.  I 
think 
> he would have had to agree to the task whether he knew what it was 
or 
> not - but I think there was a good chance that he did know.