Who is Snape really?

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 135768

Sandym828 wrote:
Snape is a loner, most likely, who never really fit into any group.
He is a Slytherin, a house whose members seem to value pure-blood
lines (and frequently use the term mudblood to negatively denote half-
blood or muggle born wizards), and yet his notation on the potions
book naming himself "Half-blood Prince" (with Prince being his
mother's maiden name), seems to indicate some pride (?) in that
status. It makes me wonder--does he really feel like a part of the
Slytherins?

Next, he seems to never get along with anyone in both Hogwarts and
the Order of the Phoenix that well, and is distrusted except by
Dumbledore, who probably saved him from Azkaban by vouching for him
after the fall of LV. I also think that other DE distrust him as
well, and HBP seems to show this in his conversation with Malfoy's
mom. My point here is that he probably doesn't really feel a great
attachment to the DE either.

vmonte responds:
Nice post, I agree. I think that Snape feels contempt for both sides.

Sandym828 wrote:
So, in the end of HBP (SPOILER ALERT) I see him act quickly, and
ruthlessly to kill the weakened Dumbledore. An action which he
needed to do to preserve his own life due to the unbreakable vow--and
yet...when he certainly was able to do so, he did not kill, torture,
or kidnap Harry and take him back to LV.

vmonte:
Why would he kill Harry? He needs Harry to do his work for him. Snape
has been treating Dumbledore for the horcrux related injury the
entire school year. (I believe that Snape has known about the
horcruxes for quite some time, probably since Regulus's time). If
Snape is trying to get rid of both Harry and Voldemort it's a smarter
idea to let Harry go about the business of destroying the horcruxes
until his final confrontation with Voldemort.

Sandym828 wrote:
I just keep seeing a pattern of opposite behaviors. One minute you
are certain he is evil, and the next you are not so sure. Even in
Sorcerer's Stone--it was Snape protecting Harry at the Quidditch
match when Quirrell was attempting to knock him off of his broom.

I have read some posts which seem to favor the idea of Snape AK ing
Dumbledore as Dumbledore's idea. I disagree with this for a couple
of reasons. First, although I think it is out of character for
Dumbledore to plead for his life, Dumbledore knew that Harry would
witness that action helplessly, and he would want to protect Harry
from that horrible third loss of a loved one (and Harry truly did
love him, I have no doubt). Next, and most importantly, I believe
that Snape would act without a moments hesitation to do whatever he
felt necessary to achieve his ends. He had a motive for killing
Dumbledore--saving his own life.

vmonte:
Snape does appear to show a pattern of opposite behaviors. To me this
says that Snape is following his own agenda. And I agree with you
that Snape did not kill DD on DD's orders. JKR may not be writing
these books for children (as she claims) but I find it hard to
believe that the book company would allow the controversy associated
with assisted suicide into a children's' book. The idea that it's ok 
to tell children that it's ok to kill someone if you are going to 
help someone else just doesn't fly with me! (Because even if you 
believe that Dumbledore has done something noble by telling Snape to 
kill him (hasn't DD tried to keep Snape from teaching DADA for this 
exact reason), children are going to view the killing of this 
character in quite a different way.)  

Snape saved his own skin, plain and simple. Notice how he dragged
Draco back to Voldemort? You think this kid will be safer with 
Voldemort or with the Order? Draco was right. Snape does want all the 
glory.

By the way I cannot stand Draco, but he was always right about the
ships too. He teased Harry that Ginny was his new girl friend at the
bookstore in CoS, and he teased Ron and Hermione about getting their
new dream home (hogsmeade trip) in PoA. LOL!

Here are my ideas on Snape's real intentions:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/135477

Vivian