Snape's involvement in the murder of Sirius

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 169158

Magpie:
> So Snape could have been sitting at Hogwarts wishing Sirius were 
> dead as much as he wanted; Sirius didn't die as a result of it. 
> (Though personally, I tend to continue to think Quirrell's thoughts 
> on Snape apply to Sirius as well as Harry--he hated him, but he 
> never wanted him dead. Not an unusual distinction in HP canon.)
> 

I agree.  What, exactly, would Snape gain by Sirius's death?  Sirius
was stuck in 12 Grimauld Place.  Convenient for the occasional
taunting, but not in Snape's face enough to really annoy.  Short 
of death, Sirius was being amply punished for any sins by having
to live in such a dreadful place.  

It would be much more satisfying to know that was happening 
than to kill him off.  

An ESE!Snape would recall that the Ministry is busy wasting their
energies trying to find Sirius and ignoring V's return.  A 
DDM!Snape would know by OotP that the real culprit and spy 
was Wormtail and not Padfoot.  Whether he's ESE or DDM, Snape
already has one dead Marauder to hate.  As Dr. Phil would 
say, "How's that working for you?"  Not well.  Far better to hate
someone alive, who can occasionally acknowledge and return
that hatred, than to be stuck hating someone dead.

Montavilla47