Reason Dumbledore trusted Snape

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 171700

  
> va32h:
> 
> Oh I don't think Voldemort ever really believed in pureblood 
> supremacy - that's just a convenient platform for his terror 
> campaign. 
> 
> I have a hard time imagining Snape defecting over the pureblood issue 
> since 1) Snape is a half-blood himself, and seemingly proud of it 
> (although he does keep it quiet)  and 2) Snape is too savvy not to 
> realize that Voldemort is just using the pureblood manifesto for his 
> own gain. 

Pippin:
He's too savvy *now*. How savvy was he when he joined the DE's? Not
so much, I should say.

But self-hatred is an insidious enemy, as fond of disguises as Snape
himself. You realize, don't you, that part of Snape's problem with
the Marauders was that part of him felt he *deserved* to be picked
on? He bought in to their characterization of him as inferior, or at least
he was afraid it was true and needed to prove to himself that it wasn't.

Being accepted by the DE's would prove to Snape that he was as 
good as any pureblood. But if the Dark Lord decided to go after
baby Harry as the greater threat despite the fact that Neville's
blood was purer, then Voldemort's validation of Snape would
become meaningless, and that, I should say, led Snape to 
re-examine everything he'd been taught to believe.
Does that make sense?

Pippin