The Nature of Snape's Spy Work

[Miles]

No: HPFGUIDX 143493

quick_silver71 wrote:
> How does Snape spy?
> Quick_Silver's idea: Snape's mission has never been about getting
> information from Voldemort or his followers. (snip) Snape's
> main mission was to rescue/advise fellow DE's that wanted to leave
> Voldemort's camp.
snip
> First: Lupin and Hagrid both function as spies among two enemy
> groups, the werewolves and the giants

Miles: 
First: thank you for your theory. It think it is well founded as far
as it concerns what Snape is *not*. And I think that the idea of putting
Snape into a row with Hagrid and Lupin, all with the same pattern of action,
is quite good. I would not find a real counter-argument - maybe only, that
Hagrid and Lupin went to the giants/werewolves, whereas Snape ist not among
Deatheaters any time. But this does not touch the core of your idea.

My idea of Snape's task is different - and it is in the line of the end of
HBP:
Snape is to be Harry's helper near Voldemort, the one to help him dealing
with Nagini before he has to face Voldemort in the end. And we can be quite
sure, that Harry will need help in the end, not only from his friends.
This assumption would explain, why DDs would see Snape's life as more
valuable than his own.

But maybe it's not necessary to talk of your and my idea as either - or.
Both do not contradict each other. Maybe we could meet in the middle - you
describe one of Snape's main tasks in the years until the beginning of
Harry's 6th year at Hogwarts, whereas his role changes when it became clear
to Dumbledore, that one of them would have to die.

Miles