Understanding Snape

[Neri]

No: HPFGUIDX 153695


> 
> Betsy Hp:
> Except Snape went into the forest first.  He checked to make sure 
> Sirius was actually okay, and then he waited for Harry to return. 
> When Harry didn't come back, Snape went into the forest to look for 
> him.  It's only after Snape realizes that Harry may have well found 
> a way to the Ministry that he informs the Order.
> 

Neri:
This piece of fanon seems to have acquired canon status by now. I've
seen it stated several times as fact by different list members, and
I'm a bit tired of correcting it. Still, the canon is quite clear at
this point:

******************************************************************
OotP, Ch. 37, p.830 (Scholastic):

    "Kreacher told me last night," said Dumbledore. "You see, when you
gave Professor Snape that cryptic warning, he realized that you had
had a vision of Sirius trapped in the bowels of the Department of
Mysteries. He, like you, attempted to contact Sirius at once. I should
explain that members of the Order of the Phoenix have more reliable
methods of communicating than the fire in Dolores Umbridge's office.
Professor Snape found that Sirius was alive and safe in Grimmauld Place.
    "When, however, you did not return from your trip into the Forest
with Dolores Umbridge, Professor Snape grew worried that you still
believed Sirius to be a captive of Lord Voldemort's. He alerted
certain Order members at once."
    Dumbledore heaved a great sigh and continued, "Alastor Moody,
Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Remus Lupin were at
Headquarters when he made contact. All agreed to go to your aid at
once. Professor Snape requested that Sirius remain behind, as he
needed somebody to remain at Headquarters to tell me what had
happened, for I was due there at any moment. In the meantime he,
Professor Snape, intended to search the Forest for you.
****************************************************************

This clearly establishes that Snape "intended to search" the forest
only *after* he contacted the Order the second time and they went to
the Ministry. Three pages later (p. 833) Dumbledore also tells us
about Snape: "It was he who deduced where you had gone when you did
not return from the Forest." This means that if Snape had searched the
forest at all, it was already after he himself deduced that Harry was
no longer there. It strikes me like making a big deal of running to
lock the stable door after the horses had already been stolen.


> Betsy Hp:
> So Snape must have realized that he was taking action *against* 
> Voldemort at that point.
> 

Neri:
"Must" seems to be too strong a word here, but it certainly appears
so. I quite agree that the ESE!Snape theory has a problem explaining
his actions that night, as much problem as the DDM!Snape theory has in
explaining these same actions, in fact. Which strongly suggests to me
that he's neither.

Neri