What turned Snape (Was: JKR site update SPOILERS)

[Neri]

No: HPFGUIDX 158938

> > Neri:
> > Are you saying you don't think Snape owed a life debt to James at all?
> > Or that he did, but that this wasn't the reason he "turned"?
> > 
> 
> Hickengruendler:
> 
> The later.

Neri:
In this case Snape would have *two* motivations to "turn" – Lily and
his life debt to James. So even assuming we will find in Book 7 that
he was in love with Lily, how can we ever know for sure what was the
relative importance of each of these two motivations in his decision? 

LOLLIPOPS+Life Debt seems to be a good option for JKR if she wants to
leave us with an ambiguous Snape even *after* the end of the series.
It's possible, of course, that this is what she means to do. But if,
as she once promised, after Book 7 we will know everything we need to
know and won't have any need for prequels, then shouldn't she give
Snape a single motivation to "turn"?

> Hickengruendler:
> there would be no reason to make a secret out of it. I think Dumbledore 
> would have told Harry and JKR would have told us.

Neri:
The obvious reason to make a secret out of it is to leave us guessing
until Book 7. I'm sure JKR can find a compelling reason why Dumbledore
couldn't tell Harry. Maybe one of Snape's conditions was that his
reason will be left a secret between Dumbledore and himself. A
reasonable demand since Snape wasn't proud of it. Also, I'm sure
Snape's double-agent career would meet with a quick and sad end if
Voldemort ever learn about the life debt. This is another reason for
secrecy.

Neri