Reason Dumbledore trusted Snape

[va32h]

No: HPFGUIDX 171749

Pippin:
If there's anything in Snape's memories that shows social confidence,
I must have missed it. And it's social inferiority I'm talking about.
Lupin picks up on it, he says James was the person Snape wished he
could be. 

va32h:

You know I always thought that was Lupin projecting his own feelings. 
James was the person *Lupin* wanted to be. Remus is an insightful 
person, but since he only spoke to Severus when his friends were 
tormenting him, I don't know how he'd have acquired this insight into 
Snape's psyche.

Pippin:
 
If Snape could have said, "Oh, haha James, very funny" instead of
roaring ineffectual curses, he wouldn't have been so much fun to tease.
I understand why he didn't; it would have felt crushing. But that's my
point. If he had real self-confidence, he wouldn't have cared.
 
va32h:

But is the ability to be goaded equivalent to feeling inferior? Harry 
and Ron frequently allow themselves to be goaded into action by Malfoy 
et al - but I never imagined that either of them felt inferior. Quite 
the opposite, actually. 

I wouldn't disagree that Snape didn't always have self-confidence 
(outside a classroom) but I never got the feeling that he felt that he 
deserved the Marauders' abuse (which was the original premise I was 
arguing against). 

va32h