Mr. Snape, not Saint Snape

[Cindy]

No: HPFGUIDX 135629

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "tbernhard2000" 
<lunalovegood at s...> wrote:
> 
> No wonder Mr. Snape seems more fully and completely himself when
> parrying with Cissy and Bella at Spinners End. No air of unspoken
> distrust here. Nope. Here everything is out in the open. What a 
relief
> to be in a space where Mr. Snape doesn't have to hide his past, or
> downplay it, or act in such a way that it is never brought into
> question. Playtime is over, folks. He talks pretty clearly about 
his
> work at Hogwarts. Was never this clear at Hogwarts about his role 
in
> the DE, that's for sure. 
> 

Now me: 

The first time I read Spinners End, I had the distinct impression 
that "Mr." Snape didn't really know the plan to have Draco kill 
Dumbledore and he was manipulating Narcissa into giving him the 
information after using a boatload of projection onto Bellatrix (in 
RL, projection is a favorite of paranoids, hmmm).  Narcissa gives a 
large part of it away when she tells him she has no one else to turn 
to, Lucius being in jail. Snape is smart enough to know that it must 
concern Draco.  

pg. 33 AE HBP

"You know about the plan?" said Bellatrix, her fleeting expression 
of satisfaction replaced by a look of outrage...
"Certainly," said Snape,"but what do you require, Narcissa? If you 
are imagining that I can persuade the Dark Lord to change his mind, 
I am afraid there is no hope, none at all."

Never in the entire chapter does Snape or the two sisters say what 
the plan is, indeed, I think most readers have felt it was to kill 
Harry.  On page 34, Snape leads Narcissa towards this conclusion:

"Then I am right! He has chosen Draco for revenge!"

Was Snape able to take the Unbreakable Vow and break it because he 
really didn't know what the entire plan was--sort of like having his 
fingers crossed behind his back? Or is it proof that Dumbledore is 
truly dead because otherwise Snape would be the one who died for 
failure to fulfill the Unbreakable Vow? 

pg. 36

"And, should it prove necessary, if it seems that Draco will 
fail..." whispered Narcissa (Snape's hand twitched within hers, but 
he did not draw away), "will you carry out the deed that the Dark 
Lord has ordered Draco to perform..."

"I will," said Snape. 

Since Snape is still alive, he either killed Dumbledore, or he faked 
his way through the Unbreakable Vow. I think it has to be either one 
or the other, but I have been wrong before! 

Thoughts?