Will the Real Severus Snape please step forward?

[Dana]

No: HPFGUIDX 167660

Magpie:
<snip> 
> Because Snape is central to the struggle. He's not taking a 
> backseat. He's agreeing to spy on the DEs at personal risk.

Dana:
I was wondering about his spying for the Order and the so-called 
great personal risk, he endures because of it. Then it occurred to 
me, what would have put Snape more at risk, returning to LV or not 
returning? 

I'd say not returning and sure there was a slight chance, LV would 
not buy Snape's excuses for not showing up when summoned, but not 
going at all was a sure death sentence. And of course like Snape 
claims himself, he had 16 year of information to offer, so the chance 
of him being killed on the spot, was pretty low. And as we have been 
elegantly told, you do not hand in your resignation; it is a lifetime 
of service or death. I think it truly was a bigger *personal* risk to 
not return.

And do we see Snape, do anything that truly risks his DE friends? I 
do not think so or least not this time around. And no, Snape sending 
the Order could not really be considered putting them at risk either, 
because if Lucius had done the job properly, they would have been 
gone already. 

Not sending the Order would also not have been an option because he 
would have lost his cover with DD. Sure I do not think LV was happy, 
Snape send them at all but I do not believe DD would have found it 
very believable if Snape had done nothing after hearing Harry tried 
to warn him besides it provided him with the perfect cover because 
now he COULD blame it all on Harry (No, Harry was not really at risk 
and he would indeed have lived to tell the tale, because it is not 
difficult to imagine LV had ordered his DEs to leave Harry to him, 
why would he otherwise go to the trouble of getting the prophecy, if 
Harry was dead, what would he need it for). 

It seems to me the personal risk is indeed very *personal* because it 
only includes keeping Snape safe. Not bringing his DE friends in 
danger, eliminates the risk of being considered a double crosser and 
the DEs are much less forgiving then the Order (it doesn't matter if 
Bella accuses him of this later because there is no proof Snape did 
anything against LV and therefore he is off limits), of course we see 
with Karkaroff how unforgiving LV really is.

Snape pretty much hates every Order Member so one less is just one 
less to hate. We do not see him go to any real trouble keeping anyone 
of them safe, at least not at any *personal* risk. He does not seem 
to provide them any information to keep them one step ahead of LV. At 
least we do not see any Order activity after he (supposedly) 
contacted Sirius. I do not believe Sirius would have set back and do 
nothing but I do not mind anyone calling me biased ;)

It seems to me that Snape's actions only include him keeping his 
cover spotless, either by actively doing nothing or by doing 
something that keeps him on both sides of the fence and when finally 
someone is actually able to motivate him into real action, it is 
against the Order.

JMHO

Dana