Why don't we ask why Snape wants Harry and Neville to hate him?

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 150556

We keep asking why Snape hates Harry and Neville so much,
but what if that's the wrong question? What if Snape wants
Harry and Neville to hate *him*? 

Why? Well, of course it helps with his cover. Look how hard it
is for us to believe that Snape has their best interests in mind
when Harry and Neville have every reason to loathe him.

But there's another reason. Neville and Harry are the prophecy
boys, and as far as Snape knows, he's the reason they don't 
have parents. He's not allowed to tell them. But if this is, as
Dumbledore says, the greatest regret of his life, how could
he bear to have them look up to him or admire him in any way?

I wonder if Snape finally found out that the Lestranges knew nothing of
the prophecy when they  attacked the Longbottoms, and that's
why he's no longer picking on Neville in HBP?

Pippin