Spinner's End Most Important Clues Chapter?

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 135697

Cindy:
I posted earlier that I thought either Snape did not fully understand 
the plan when he took the Unspeakable Vow [snip] Throughout the entire
Vow "ceremony", not once did Narcissa say "Dumbledore" or "Kill".
Narcissa was very specific about protecting Draco, but vague in the
specifics of the "deed".

houyhnhnm:

Two reasons I think Snape may not have known about the plan.

1. "But Snape had gotten to his feet and strode to the small window,
peered through the curtains at the deserted street, then closed them
again with a jerk.  He turned around to face Narcissa, frowning

"'It so happens that I know of the plan,' he said in a low voice."

Why did he go to the window.  To check for spys in a neighborhood
where "We must be the first of our kind ever to set foot" or to
arrange his face before rolling out a real whopper?

2.  "'But he won't succeed!' sobbed Narcissa. 'How can he, when the
Dark Lord himself --?'"

Nice place to cut it off.  The Dark Lord himself what?  Voldemort has
tried again and again to kill Harry and failed.  He has never gone
after Dumbledore (although he does fight him at the ministry).  If
Snape believes Harry is the target (and I still believe there is some
reason he can't harm Harry--either the life debt to James or a vow he
has made to Dumbledore), then he may think the vow to help Draco carry
out his task will not "take".

Cindy:
This doesn't sound like the vow "didn't take", so I don't feel there's
any point of believing (hoping!) in a "Dumbledore's death was faked"
storyline. So my conclusion now, sadly, is that Dumbledore is dead, 
the kind of dead that you don't come back from.

houyhnhnm:
I believe that Dumbledore is truly dead.  All the statements
Dumbledore has made about death prepare us (and Harry) to accept that.
 "To the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."
    (PS/SS)  "It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and
darkness, nothing more." (HBP)  I don't believe that he died at the
hands of a traitor, begging for his life, though, because if so, it
completely undermines the character of Dumbledore, negates everything
he has taught Harry (and us).

But Dumbledore also says, "You think the dead we loved ever truly
leave us?" (PoA) and his totem animal was the phoenix, after all.

Cindy: 
And then there is Wormtail.  Does anybody believe that Voldemort sent 
him there to "assist" Snape?  In doing what?  Snape relegated him to 
servant status and Wormtail was listening at the door.  I think he was 
put there by Voldemort to keep an eye on Snape. For what reason? That 
Voldemort doesn't trust Snape?

houyhnhnm:
I agree.  It makes no sense that Voldemort would "trust" Snape. 
Probably, Snape managed to create just enough doubt to keep himself
from being killed while Voldemort continues to check him out.  Snape
is an accomplished bully and Wormtail is a punk, so it would not be
all that difficult for him to create the impression for visitors that
Wormtail is his servant, when he has really been placed in Snape's
house to spy on him.

We know, that Voldemort, like all tyrants, keeps his followers
suspicious and jealous of one another and in the dark.  I have the
feeling that Snape knows how to work that to get information.