What Really Motivates Snape?

[Cindy]

No: HPFGUIDX 133969

I've been reading most of the posts about Snape but I may have 
missed some so bear with me.

When Snape calls Lily a mudblood in OOTP, I think a lot of water had 
already gone under the bridge by then between them (thin line 
between love and hate).  In HBP, Slughorn spoke of Lily and her 
outstanding work in Potions.  Of course, Snape was outstanding in 
potions.  This may have given them a chance to connect because it 
appears that Gryffindor and Slytherin take potions classes together, 
but that's not canon, just speculation.

Slughorn also says of Lily...

pg 70 HPB (AE)"Vivacious you know. Charming girl. I used to tell her 
she ought to have been in my house. Very cheeky answers I used to 
get back too."  

This indicates that perhaps Lily was able to transcend some of the 
hostility between the two houses.  And perhaps she reached out to 
Snape at one time, since they were clearly in competition with one 
another.  Could she have even gotten to know him a lot better and 
found out his mother's maiden name?  A "cheeky" girl would 
definitely come up with calling Snape a "half-blood" prince.  

I think it is reasonable that Tom Riddle had the book before Snape.  
They were both poor, probably on scholarships and most likely 
received a Hogwarts issued Advanced Potions book--in this case 
perhaps the same one.  Snape may even have shared with Lily some of 
the secrets the book had to offer, making her excel in the 
classroom, similar to what Harry did. Some of the notes could be 
Riddle's, some Snape's, or both.

When we think about Snape's loyalties, why must we limit him to 
Dumbledore or Voldemort? Speculating on a relationship, which didn't 
have to be romantic at all on Lily's part, she may have been the 
only person to ever reach out to Snape and make him feel anything 
after dealing with an abusive father. 

Why didn't Lily have to die? Voldemort was willing to make an 
exception this time? He didn't care for her, he called her a foolish 
girl. But why let her live at all? Was it for his favorite Death 
Eater Snape's sake? The one who brought Voldemort the prophecy and 
according to Dumbledore, anguished to the core that it turned out to 
be the Potters? Was Voldemort rewarding him--Peter Pettigrew would 
definitely have known about their relationship if there was one and 
told Voldemort who talked to Snape...yada yada. 

Is this why Harry isn't told why Dumbledore trusts Snape?  It is all 
tied up in Snape's devotion to Lily, which would tear Harry apart? 

After Lily and James were murdered, what then?  Does Snape have some 
knowledge (and I believe that he would just as RAB figured things 
out)that Voldemort work with horcruxes?  When Snape laid eyes on 
Harry, and saw Lily's green eyes staring back, could he speculate 
something unbelievable happened during the AK reverse and it may be 
possible to bring her back somehow? It would explain why he has 
always spared Harry whenever he could. 

I believe Dumbledore was valuable to Snape--way beyond what he told 
Bella in HBP.  I don't believe that Snape considered DD his master.  
I do believe, however, that Snape hates Voldemort with all of his 
being, because he killed Lily, and any chance he would ever have 
with her.  Is this fun or what??