Reason Dumbledore trusted Snape

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 171738

va32h:

> So looking at JKR's known style of clue-dropping, 
> if Irma Pince = Eileen Prince, the logical expectation 
> is that we would have clues like - a character mentioning 
> how long Irma has worked at Hogwarts (i.e. exactly as 
> long as Snape has been spying for the Order), or that 
> Snape often visits (or specifically avoids) the library. 
> Or Eileen's description somehow evoking Irma (in fact, 
> Irma is described as having a hooked nose like Snape, 
> while we learn from Snape's memories is a trait he 
> inherited from some male in his family, and not his 
> mother). Or JKR referencing Snape's family in an interview.

houyhnhnm:

We learn that he has a memory of a dark-haired woman 
cowering before a hook-nosed man.  There's no description 
of the woman's phiz.  We don't even know who the people 
are.  That they are Snape's mother and father is a 
logical assumption, but it is far from proven.

I'm not betting my house on Irma Pince being Eileen 
Prince, but I do think there are a few more possible 
clues than the anagram.  (Of course, the trouble with 
Rowling is that there is no knowing what is a clue, 
what is a red herring, and what is just a bit of 
inattentivenesss on her part until after the mystery 
is solved.)  There is the fact that the Snape boggart 
turned into an old woman with a vulture on her hat 
coupled with the vulture imagery associated with Madam 
Pince.  There is the parallel description of Snape's 
face and Madam Pince's face each illuminated by a 
lantern/lamp. There is the similarity of their 
personalities.  There is the fact that Madam Pince 
is the only one veiled at DD's funeral (suggesting 
that she has a particular reason for grief she must 
hide from others--That's if it doesn't turn out to 
be Snape himself behind the veil <g>) Most of all 
there are the books in Snape's house.  That's what 
really sold me on the theory.  I'm not willing to 
go so far as to stake my reputation on it, but I 
certainly wouldn't be surprised if Madam Pince turns 
out to be Snape's mother.

BTW, has anyone else noticed the similarity between 
the descriptions of the two people in Snape's memory 
and the description of Viktor Krum's parents?
***
Viktor Krum was over in a corner, conversing with 
his dark-haired mother and father in rapid Bulgarian.  
He had inherited his father's hooked nose. (GoF, 
Scholastic, p. 615)