What exactly did Snape do in OOTP?

[snow15145]

No: HPFGUIDX 129290

KJ:

While this theory is the most popular, I don't feel comfortable
with it. The biggest danger for a double agent is the number of 
people who know
about it. The fact that he was a spy was brought out in public, 
presumably at
his own trial, and again at the trial of the other DE. There would 
have been
people there who were Voldemort supporters who would have passed this 
info on to
the surviving and free DE, Lucius Malfoy being one.

>snipped good examples<


We know that Dumbledore set Snape a task, but we don't know what
that is. We know that Snape told Harry that his job was to know what 
Voldemort
was saying to his Deatheaters, but he did it with a "look of 
satisfaction" and
his eyes "glinting." I believe that this is an indication that there 
is
something being hidden with regard to this statement. There seem to 
be many
ways of spying or gaining access to places in the WW than in the 
Muggle world.

Snow:

Loved this part! This is exactly the part that I picked up on. There 
are so many possibilities of how Snape spied on Voldemort but for me 
the quote that you cited tells me that Snape spied on Voldemort in a 
completely obscure manner. 
Snape may have spied on him through impersonating another or Snape 
could be an animagus or a half-breed that is part vampire or (my 
favorite) he could have spied on Voldemort through Legilemency every 
time he looked into Harry's eyes, all the time appearing to beret 
Harry for some fabricated misfit performance of Harry's just so he 
could stare at Harry and see how much further Voldemort had 
penetrated into Harry's mind. There are so many possibilities but I 
am with you, I don't think that Snape is playing one side against the 
other; he is not a double agent. 

I still like my gut feeling that the life debt to James was repaid by 
Snape because Snape informed Dumbledore of the circumstances leading 
up to Godric's Hollow
BUT
Snape felt that he hadn't really been 
credited because James had died even though his attempt at valor was 
made. 
Snape was ever so exited when he caught Sirius (and Lupin, a plus) in 
the Shrieking Shack with the trio but even after all his efforts

Snape did not earn the honor that he may have felt he needed to 
ensure the payment of the life debt he owed to James.  

I really think this is why Snape changed sides, because of the life 
debt, and I think that this is the reason why Dumbledore feels he can 
count on Snape; Snape doesn't feel he has repaid his debt, yet. I can 
almost hear Dumbledore snicker when he speaks of Snape's 
disappointment in not receiving the Order of Merlin. 

KJ:

Sorry for the long post.

Snow:

Have you seen the old Elkins posts? Don't be sorry for a long post, 
once upon a time it was frowned upon if your post was not of adequate 
length, it was the opposite apology, sorry for the short post. :-) 

Great post!

Snow