Snape's involvement in the murder of Sirius

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 169032

When I first read Snape's speech to Harry in POA about "[you'd] have 
died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken 
in Black,"  I understood it in the context of POA as Snape being the 
one mistaken in Black:  He didn't appear to believe the evidence 
of 'two thirteen year old wizards' as Dumbledore did and without 
Dumbledore's intervention, the Dementors were going to perform the 
kiss.  There's no canon for what may have happened between Dumbledore 
and Snape after the revelation that Sirius escaped, whether they 
talked again or how much Dumbledore revealed about the night in 
question, but what's evident from the hospital scene in GOF is that 
Snape doesn't trust Sirus (and the sentiment is mutual):

"Snape had not yelled or jumped backward, but the look on his face 
was one of mingled fury and horror.  'Him!' he snarled, staring at 
Sirius, whose face showed equal dislike.  'What is he doing 
here?'  'He is here at my invitation,' said Dumbledore, looking 
between them, 'as are you, Severus.  I trust you both.  It is time 
for you to lay aside your old differences and trust each other.'" 
(GOF, chap. 36, p. 712, Am. Ed.)

So canon is in place for Dumbledore trusting both Sirius and Snape 
when Dumbledore explains events outside Harry's awareness on the 
night of the DOM:  "You see, when you gave Professor Snape that 
cryptic warning, he realized that you had had a vision of Sirius 
trapped in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries.  He, like you, 
attempted to contact Sirius at once."  And a few paragraphs 
later: "Professor Snape requested that Sirius remain behind, as he 
needed somebody to remain at headquarters to tell me what had 
happened, for I was due there at any moment."  (Chap. 37, p. 830, Am. 
ed.)  

According to Dumbledore, Sirius didn't wish to remain behind and 
delegated the task of meeting Dumbledore to Kreacher.  Dumbledore 
never talked to Sirius directly but deduced from Snape's words, 
Kreacher's story and his own Legilimency what had happened on the 
night in question.  He concluded from the various bits of information 
that Kreacher told Narcissa about the relationship between Sirius and 
Harry, how Harry was the one Sirius cared most for in the world and 
that the 'one person whom you [Harry] would go to any lengths to 
rescue was Sirius Black.'  

I took this information at face value on many readings of OOTP but 
now the idea gives me pause.  From the way Kreacher is presented in 
canon he doesn't have the kind of insight into human relationships 
that Dumbledore is giving him credit for.  He's addled, out of touch 
with reality at times and obsessed with Mrs. Black and all she stood 
for.  He has eyes and ears only for her or 'legitimate' Blacks and 
his understanding of human relations is what people tell him, like 
Mrs. Black saying how much Sirius disappointed her for instance.  

Kreacher doesn't understand why a 'Mudblood' would talk to him, that 
it was Hermione's attempt at caring for him; to Kreacher it's simply 
repugnance based on his indoctrination from the Blacks about 
Muggleborns.  Sirius caring about a half-blood, if Kreacher even 
noticed, would be instantly dismissed as Sirius hurting Kreacher's 
mistress again rather than something he would ponder and consider in 
light of a relationship between Sirius and Harry.  I realize 
Dumbledore is reporting the story in his own words to convey what 
might be alternately heart-warming and guilt-producing for Harry, but 
there's still an element missing for me that Kreacher could come up 
this depth of relational information on his own.   

Fast forward now to HBP and the conflicting information from Snape 
about what he says he reported to LV about Black.  He tells Bella in 
front of Narcissa that "the Dark Lord is satisfied with the 
information I have passed him on the Order.  It led, as perhaps you 
have guessed, to the recent capture and murder of Emmeline Vance, and 
it certainly helped dispose of Sirius Black, though I give you full 
credit for finishing him off."  (HBP, 'Spinner's End, p. 35, UK ed.)  
I've read explanations on the list for this and there's still a big 
question mark in my mind for why he said that.  Snape is risking 
everything there; one moment of Narcissa saying 'wait...what?' and 
there's doubt shed on Snape's entire act at Spinner's End, his career 
as a spy (as a DE would see him), not to mention a threat to his life 
if Narcissa went back to LV.   Even though Narcissa is playing her 
own double game there, what would stop her from running to LV in 
desperation for Draco's life and saying she thinks Snape might not be 
who he says he is?  That would be a huge point in her favor and she 
might think that would be enough to get Draco off the hook if she 
turned in a traitor.  Plus, she'd likely be right to think it would 
turn LV from thinking about punishing Lucius to the bigger task of 
punishing Snape.  

To pull all this canon together, I'd say Narcissa didn't blink an eye 
because she already *knew* what information Snape had given to LV, 
that she'd heard it from Voldemort himself when he told her what to 
order Kreacher to do the night he planned to put a vision in Harry's 
head.  Dumbledore heard and saw correct information from Kreacher and 
via Legilimency, but I don't believe it was information Kreacher 
actually thought of himself; rather, it was information *told* to him 
by Narcissa.  Kreacher, in his undying loyalty to the Blacks and 
evidently confused state, would simply believe whatever Narcissa told 
him was true.  He would tell Dumbledore whatever he'd been ordered to 
tell him--or ordered to tell anyone who asked him--and Legilimency 
would pick up what Kreacher was reporting as true and correct.

Snape would be very capable of seeing the relationship between Sirius 
and Harry and not only that, he saw into Harry's mind during 
Legilimency lessons and the memory of the Dementors swooping across 
the lake came up *3* times.  Was he hoping to finally see some proof 
for what happened that night?  If only Snape could find out what 
drove the dementors back he might know how Sirius escaped.  They go 
pretty far into the memory on the third try until Harry casts his 
Protego and turns the tables.  

As for motive, well revenge IS sweet.  I'd say it's more than that 
though.  Since we have no canon either way about what Snape heard re: 
the night of the Shrieking Shack, there's every likelihood he still 
thought Sirius capable of murder and both a threat and a danger to 
the operation.  Having Dumbledore side with a Marauder again and 
trust Sirius' story over his own may have been the last straw for 
Snape and he decided to take matters into his own hands.  For 
instance, how exactly do Lucius & Bella know about the animagus 
disguise for Sirius?  Sirius imagines that Wormtail told Voldemort 
but there's no canon for Peter having any connection to the Malfoys.  
There IS canon for Snape having a relationship with them and now we 
know Narcissa and Bella have a somehwhat close relationship.  

Last, I'd say that HBP gives the impression Snape acts alone when he 
chooses to, meaning the UV.  Loyalty to Dumbledore doesn't mean he 
believes what Dumbledore believes or is going to act the way 
Dumbledore does.  I could see Snape considering the 'disposal' of 
Black to be an act for the greater good of the cause regardless of 
how Dumbledore might view it.

Jen