Hey guys and gals and everyone. This topic is in reference to the one created by Spoiled Brat. She was pretty confused, and made me want to ivestigate this matter further, and so, for pratically the umpteenth time, I scrolled through my copy of HP-HBP, and found nothing interesting so much, but some answers to our queries.
So, here is a short paragraph from the chapter 2 "Spinner's End" of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, pages 25-41.
In this chapter, Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy make their way to Snape's so-called house. Narcissa needs Snape's help to do a task which has been given to Draco Malfoy by Lord Voldemort, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Bellatrix inquires Snape about why he didn't return to the Dark Lord when he returned, and when he knew that Voldemort was back, and in power. He answered her.
'A hundred reasons!' she said loudly, striding out from behind the sofa to slam her glass on the table. 'Where to start! Where were you when the Dark Lord fell? Why did you never make any attempt to find him when he vanished? What have you been doing all these years that you've lived in Dumbledore's pocket? Why did you stop the Dark Lord procuring the Philosopher's Stone? Why did you not return at once when the Dark Lord was reborn? Where were you a few weeks ago when we battled to retrieve the prophecy for the Dark Lord? And why, Snape, is Harry Potter still alive, when you've had him at your mercy for five years?'
Bellatrix said nothing, but looked for the first time, a little discomfited. Snape did not press the point. He picked up his drink again, sipped it, and continued, 'You ask where I was when the Dark Lord fell. I was where he had ordered me to be, at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, because he wished me to spy upon Albus Dumbledore. You know, I presume, that it was on the Dark Lord's orders that I took up the post?
She nodded almost inperceptibly, then opened her mouth, but Snape forestalled her.
'You ask why I did not attempt to find him when he had vanished. For the same reason that Avery, Yaxley, The Carrows, Greyback, Lucius,' he inclined his head slightly to Narcissa, 'and many others did not attempt to find him. I believed him finished. I am not proud of it, I was wrong, but there it is...if he had not forgiven we, who lost faith at that time, he'd have very few followers left.'
This is what Snape answers Bellatrix, partly. He also says that he stayed at Hogwarts because he had a comfortable job which he preferred to a stint in Azkaban. He said that it was Dumbledore's protection that kept him out of jail. Thus, he was able to remain a spy on Dumbledore. He also says that the Dark Lord doesn't complain that he stayed.
THERE YOU GO! Snape cooked up a story, which explained why he had to remain Dumbledore's pet at Hogwarts. He cooked up the same story for Voldemort, who believed him and let him in his secret plans.
Similarly, he cooked up another cock-and-bull story, or maybe it was real, to feel remorse and regret that Lily and James Potter were dead. Dumbledore blindly trusted Snape, just as Voldemort trusted him. And, taking advantage of this trust, he became a double-agent, working for Dumbledore and pretending to be on Voldemort's side, or vice versa.
...Snape, in my opinion, has nothing to do with Dumbledore OR Voldemort. Maybe I'm wrong, but at the moment, I feel that it is personal revenge at James and Sirius is what Snape is doing to Harry. Snape tried to save Harry in the philosopher's stone. We never got to know what exactly he was muttering. Who knows, along with Hagrid and Hermione's constant efforts, maybe it WAS he who wanted to get rid of Harry altogether. Maybe he and Quirrel both were working together. Remember Quirrel was possessed by Voldemort, and Snape was a Death Eater. Both were connected to Voldemort, which explains that he could have really lied to Harry. Harry wasn't supposed to die on that night. He was just meant to give the soceror's stone to Quirrel i.e. Voldemort. Maybe Quirrel didn't want Harry to know at that time that Harry was a great part in this battle of Voldemort and Snape.
I think I have expressed my views well, and I'll be waiting for your response, especially your's spoiled brat. And any other further queries, please feel free to ask, I'll be glad to help you all. Another way is to throughly go through www.dumbledoreisnotdead.com, though this site my not be utterly right, it helps in consoling thoughts, and regailing the curiousness beneath the surface. Hope I helped you.
Hira.