Will the Real Severus Snape please step forward?

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 167791

Goddlefrood:
> Here and now, I present a further expansion on the "Severus, 
> please" business. Basically Dumbeldore realised at the time 
> Snape appeared that Severus was, in Dumbledore's own mind,
> bewtraying Dumbeldore. Having this revelation his words were
> meant as quite simply a question to reconsider what Snape was
> about to do, vis kill Duymbledore. It was neither pleading nor
> was it asking to fulfill a promise in other words. I hioe that
> makes some sense :). It does to me.

Pippin:
I think I understand what you mean. But in terms of story 
development, how could this meaning be conveyed? Harry, 
the boy with no subtlety, is hardly likely to come up with 
any such nuanced interpretations on his own.

In fact, only one character now living knows what Dumbledore 
actually meant -- Severus Snape. But as matters stand, it 
wouldn't help to have Snape's interpretation because  we  
wouldn't know whether he was telling the truth or understood
Dumbledore well enough to interpret his wishes correctly. 

Coming from Snape, an explanation of Dumbledore's
plea will have no credibility unless and until it can be established
that Snape is DDM! --or the meaning is so obvious that 
it needs no explanation at all. Of course JKR could leave
it a mystery forever...

Pippin