Is Snape's Life Debt Paid?

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 162966

One of the disturbing things about the Unbreakable Vow is that
it seems to come between Snape and his duty to Harry. How can
he pledge his life to defend Draco when it's supposedly already
pledged to defend Harry Potter. Isn't it a conflict of interest?

But what if Snape's life debt is already paid? 

Of course we don't know exactly what it takes to incur a life
debt, much less pay one off, but we may speculate that it
requires two things. First, the rescuer must go beyond the
call of duty, and second, he must take the danger on himself.

So James's rescue of Snape qualifies because James was not
a prefect and he himself was endangered by the werewolf. 
Harry's rescue of Peter qualifies because he had no duty to save
Peter and because Harry stood facing the wands.

Snape's counterjinx on the broomstick didn't count because
he was doing his duty as a teacher, and Harry's rescue of
Ginny didn't count because, although Harry's life was in danger,
he couldn't have been possessed. 

Note that death does not have to be certain for a
debt to be incurred -- it is  possible that the werewolf
wouldn't have killed Snape even if James had not intervened. 
Apparently it's enough that a mortal danger exists and
the rescuer knows it.

Now, what about Snape sending the Order to rescue Harry
at the MoM? IMO, he was going beyond his duty as a teacher 
since Harry was not at the school, and going beyond his
duty as an Order member if he disobeyed orders and broke
his cover. He was putting himself in identical danger
(assuming that Voldemort would want Snape dead if he
found out.)

It would be just like JKR to sneak this past us. It could
set up some interesting situations for the next book. For
one thing, Wormtail's debt will have the stage to itself.
For another, should Snape happen to save Harry *again*,
it will put Harry in debt to Snape and allow Harry (and
us) to experience what it means to owe your life to 
someone you hate, and give Harry some insight into
what Snape must have been feeling all those years.
---
"I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year
because he felt that would make him and your father
quits. Then he could go back to hating your father's
memory in peace..."

Harry tried to understand this, but it made his head
pound so he stopped. -- PS/SS ch 17.
--
It's been six years since Dumbledore said that, and
Harry still doesn't understand what he meant.

Pippin