This has probably got to be the longest running thread in VTM history.

Thread four, in only a few weeks!

Anyways, this is where you can discuss whether Snape betrayed Dumbledore and the Order, or Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

The old thread can be viewed here.

The last post in that thread was made by HP_Drummer:

QUOTE (vulturemort @ Jul 28 2005, 06:44 PM)
I read earlier in the post that someone questioned why Dumbledore didn't tell any other members of the Order that Snape was going to kill him. First of all, I don't think they would have gone along with it, but I think the real reason is that he didn't want the secret to get out. If only Snape knows where his loyalty lies, there is no way for anyone else to reveal his secret. He is going to be deep undercover. I don't think that his true self will be revealed until the very last moment, and JKR will have us in suspense right to the end.

I think that Snape is going to surprise everyone, mostly Voldemort and Harry, when the time is just right. Voldemort will make himself vulnerable because he trusts Snape and Harry will think that Snape is evil and all is lost. At that moment, Snape will turn on Voldemort and the tide is gonna turn in Harry's favor. Just my rambling thoughts on the subject.


I agree with this theory as well... Snape is truly on the good side but will not reveal himself until the end when everyone's heart begins to pounds at the thought of evil Snape coming and, like you said 'all is lost'... but not really because Snape then turns on Voldy....
Or I also think voldy tortures/ almost kills Harry and Snape comes in (Harry thinks he is a goner) but Snape dies for Harry ... the utimate sacrifice.

I know... kind of stretched, but I still think Snape is on the good side!


Carry on!

What if Snape and all the death eaters are betraying Voldemort? so Snape is good and so are the other death eaters, i know that is crazy but you never know, so this would mean that Snape is good and never really betrayed anyone.

No, all Death Eaters can't betray Voldemort, remember Bellatrix? she could be Voldemort's wife, she behaves like she was in love with him. Oh, yes, she can't love in a normal way, but still...Many of Death Eaters are simply evil, like she or this werewolf, but I never thought Snape could be that evil. Even when he did Sectumsempra to James, it was light.

He might have been asked by Voldemort to kill someone and he did or didn't, hmmm... But he's not a serial killer like many of the Death Eaters, that's for sure.

I'm only wondering WHY Voldemort trusts him. What kind of information he passes to him. Maybe some true informations, but not exactly. He speaks as if he was a politician everything and nothing (This conversation between him, Narcissa and Bella).

He lied saying that he wanted Potter to be expelled of Hogwarts. He had an excellent possibility with Malfoy's sectumsempra. He only gave him a detention, allowing to read what his father and others did. he was of course mean to Harry as always in all the book, but I feel something's changed. I'm sure he knew Harry had his book, he might have gone with him to the dormitory to take his book, but he didn't. I don't know, but maybe by allowing Harry to read about what his father and others did when they were at Hogwarts, he wanted to show him who was really out of rules, that they broke the school law many times? Mc Gonagall told that
Snape could have expelled Harry but he didn't.

And Harry deep down inside knows that this book behaved as if it was his friend

this is what i think about snape.....this is the main theorie that i believe


maybe dumbledore had told snape to kill him, to make voldemort trust him completely, and that that was what snape and dumbledore had been arguing about. We know dumbledore didn't tell anyone about malfoy's part in the plan, because he wanted to save him. Snape's killing dd effectively saves malfoy, keeps snape close to voldemort, saves harry (who dd stuns to keep out of the way), and lets harry become a full adult, with no one to hide behind.

1 question, if DD and Snape really planned it, why DD went to the cave knowing it may be dangerous and that he may not come back to fullfill their plans? Any ideas?

Snape doesn't have to be trusted by the order if he would be able to pass some useful information to Harry and the order without knowledge who did it.

I believe that somebody was told about it or that somebody knows the features of phoenixes well

I've been watching HP 2 movie lately and one thing came to my mind again in this book Hagrid was the one who was suspected to betray Dumbledore and open the chamber of secrets. Then they knew he didn't and DD trusted him. Rowling said there's much from the book 2 in the book 6. What if Snape was badly accused, being DD's servant.

What about this thought. Snape made the unbreakable vow and I assume he would die if he broke it. Knowing he was a dead man anyway since he would have to break it to be true to the OOP, perhaps he and Dumbledore have switched by taking polyjuice (or some other fashion we know not of yet) which has now allowed Dumbledore to be near Voldemort at all times and Snape is dead (or hiding). Of course Dumbledore could have tricked everyone with the killing curse and Snape not dead.

This may make sense in the long run and a way to have Dumbledore around at the end. Snape would have shown his loyalty if he is indeed dead, and everything would again revolve around Harry having indirect help from Dumbledore in the end. Snape seemed awfully powerful deflecting Harry's spells which is what raises my suspensions...

Of course Snape announcing he was the HBP does shoot holes through this whole idea, but it's just my thought. I believe Snape will in the end have been a friend the the Order all along.

in AGREE.I completely think that Snape's gonna surprise eveeryone in the end. I think he's working for the order but i think things are gonna get really complicated especially because harry thinks that Snape's one of Voldemorts guys. I cant wait for the seventh book. I must admit tho', the sixth book was a bit different especailly because of all the "lovey dovey" relationships going on, but I guess that's just JKR's way of showing the importance of love and how it is the weapon that Harry'll use to finish Voledemort.

I don't believe in Snape-DD switch- somehow it doesn't suit me I think Snape was unappreciated by many people (readers and HP characters) and I'm so glad that Rowling wrote more about him. Snape's a guy who was always standing near DD, in each book, but this book shows that relationships between the headmaster and him were very strong.

I believe Snape's so skilled that we haven't imagined earlier

In book 2, when Harry and Ron were travelling by car to Hogwarts, Snape wanted them to be expelled. Voldemort was weak then and he had no contact with him. He hated Harry and wanted to get rid of him. In book 6 Snape doesn't want it .

One of the things that struck me from this book that seemed a little inconsistent with the other books was how powerful Snape was. Even when he was a kid, he was inventing spells and was better than Hermionie at Potions. So far, we don't know of anyone at Hogwarts who is inventing their own spells and having any degree of success doing so. Not to mention, Snape is excellent at Occlumency, which seems as though it takes a strong and powerful mind to master. Add that with his mastery of non-verbal spells, and Snape is looking EXTREMELY powerful. Keeping all this in mind, I rather like the idea of Snape betraying everyone for his own purposes. For some reason, though, that I can't really explain, I don't think this is the case. I just think that it would go with the whole theme of the books so far for Snape to still be loyal to the Order and for everyone to think he is not.

On the other hand, JKR has pretty impressive plot twisting skills. I mean, lets be honest, who actually saw the twist in GOF where Moody was really Barty Crouch? That was pretty impressive if you ask me. So I guess I won't be entirely suprised if Snape turns out to be doing something completely off the wall.

GinnyLover

Lol, your theories are really interesting but i think your missing a big point in the books..

JK Rowling is showing us humanity, love, hate, temptation and power lust, she is showing us what evil in the world is like. Strip away the magical powers and voldermort could be Hitler - hating jews instead of pure bloods etc.

This is the third time ive posted this lol but i truly believe that dumbledore made a mistake (he commented earlier in the book about his mistakes having bigger consequences).

Theres a tendency ive noticed among readers (and indeed in Harry) to think of DD as a all-knowing god because he always has the answers, and is so powerful but the problem is DD is just a man, he's human and capable of making mistakes which is what he did with snape.

We've never heard DD plead with someone, and if Snape really was killing him on his own orders would he have pleaded so desperatley? (It didnt sound like a show to me...) I think JKR was showing us that even the most wisest of our mentors is human, capable of dying and making mistakes...

Thank you LadyPandora. You are absolutely right and though I am aware of what she is showing us, I must admit I shoved all of that aside and had Dumbledore pegged at being there in the end. I think you hit a homerun with your statement and we'd better expect more trials and tribulations ahead which will not be what we want to see. Thanks for reminding me of the true meaning of the books and getting me back on track.

Having said that, I believe we will be in for quite a ride in book seven, and I am no longer going to speculate what could be what as it is only known to one person at this time.......

LadyPandora,

But are you forgetting Dd didnt exactly beg as much as you make it sound LadyPandora, all he said was Severus, no...... nothing more so it isnt like he was saying something like Severus, please dont do it i beg you i trusted you .
yes your intitled to your opinion I was just sharing mine, and i kno i have aid this and said this and so have others i dont believ Dd is dead and i still think Snape is working with Dd

Thank you

your right kno that i think about it i believe your right i dont exactly have copy but i remeber that Dd said Severus..please thank you for pointing that out

iluvsunkist Whats confusing me the most is why DD trusted snape? I thought of something weird. What if DD made an unbreakable vow with Snape. What if DD told snape that he should always be on their side and he should do whatever DD asks him to do. I wonder if DD did tell Snape to kill him. If he did that would be hard for Snape because if he didnt listen to DD he could have died or whatever happens if u break the unbreakable vow. I still think that Snape could be on the Order's side but what if they dont belive that he is?

that is a possiblility and i know everyone is probably annoyed with me by now but i dont think Dd is dead and i believe that Snape and Dd planned the whole scene i think Snape is still with the order and has remained faithful to the order and his "double-agenting" is only to help the order not give info to Voldy, even if Snape were evil,(which i dont believe) surely even Snape wouldnt want Voldy to come to power as he plans because that might mean death to Snape.

And yes, in my opinion Snape was asked to "kill" Dd but i am not going to go onto that topic again as i have stated it in numerous posts but thank ou for your insite

yes i may be wrong im only 14 but that is my own opinion

Viktor i find it interesting you wouldnt think dd would beg for his life, dd has never seemed too proud to humble himself in this way and if he knew what was at stake with his death (the fall of Hogworts) im inclined to think that he would.

Sorry if i didnt make myself clear about snape killing DD on his word, but i honestly think that dumbledore made a mistake in trusting snape so his pleading was in fact a plea for his life, the moment he realised his mistake rather than a plea for snape to kill him to safe malfoy....

H3Rmion /Viktor the excat words were severus... please... and harrys description of it being "a sound more frightening than anything he'd heard that evening" made me really believe that DD was begging.... (also as you sounded quite offended in your post i apologise for being forceful in my opinion, you are very much entitled to think snape is still good...)

LadyP xx

thank you i wasnt offended:) i was just making sure i didnt offend you because you also have a very good point, but dumbledore was already in pain as we saw in the cave and he began to weaken a little more once he was talking to Malfoy so the sound more frightening than anything Harry had heard that evening might be because Dumbledore was already in pain and you are asloe entitled to think Snape did it on his own and followed through with Malfoys orders.

But saying that makes me think, Snape made an unbreakable vow to Narcissa saying he would finish Malfoys job(not exact words i know) and if Snape were to use a nonverbal spell to make it look as though Dd were dead would it be possible Snape could fool the unbreakable vow? Or maybe Snape made an unbreakable vow to Dd first in which case maybe canceling out his one to Narcissa if it were to go against whatever he and Dd might have said in an unbreakable vow? This is very interesting and i cant wait untill book 7 but there are so many twists and turns and i know i didnt state everytthing i had intended on addressing but i think that about covers it at the moment. Thank you for you opinion LadyP it gives some insite.

No problem! And youve certainly give me pause for thought. An unbreakable vow cancelling out? hmm... im always sceptical

Cant wait till all this is solved...

(*silent plea to JKR* please dont let it take another 2 years!!)

exactly , two years is a long time now im off topic of this topic lol but you obviously know a lot and i am glad for your thought also than you

i think that Snape did but didn't betray DD. Snape must have known about Draco's plan to attack the school. i know in the book that it says Draco was thought ocluemency by Bellatrix, but do we really think that if Harry couldn't stop Snape that Draco could. Especially sense we know that was mentally weak because he was crying and telling Moaning Myrtle everything in the bathroom.

We also know that Draco could feel Snape’s presenes in his mind because when they were along in that room Draco told Snape to stop reading his mind. Then Snape says i see that Bellatrix has been teaching you ocluemency. So Snape must have got into Draco's mind.

Then later on in the book it is said that Snape and DD get into an arguement. i'm let to believe that they were argueing about why Snape wouldn't tell DD about Draco's plan. I also think in that same arguement Snape told DD that he took an Unbreakable Vow with Narsicca. That is what probably made DD so angry with Snape. It is also possible later on in that conversation DD tells Snape that Snape should not break his Vow with Narsicca even if he was to kill DD himself. DD would have said that Snape was to important to the Order and that Harry could learn more about the Dark Lord and what his weaknesses are from Snape than he could form DD. So Snape would have then gotten angry and would have tried to get DD to change his mind, but of course DD knew it was the only that he could insure that Harry got proper training before he takes on the Dark Lord. What if DD made Snape take and Unbreakable Vow with him that if he (DD) were to die that Snape would do everything that he could without blowing his cover to help Harry defeat the Dark Lord? So when Harry and Snape were fighting Snape gave Harry so good advice about how to attack a strong Dark wizard ( Voldemort).

Now lets go back to when the Death Eaters attacked the school. We know that Snape was in his room in the doungeons. Was this Snape's atempt to try and avoid his Vow with Narsicca, because if he didn't know when there would be an attack Snape thought he could get out of the Vow. Then we know that professor Flitwick came down to the dugeons and told Snape what was going o Then Snape did not have a choice he had to go and fullfil both his Vows.So he Knocked out Flitwick because he knew that Hermione and Luna were outside his door. This shows that Snape really didn't want to do what he was about to do. In sparing Hermione and Luna i think that he was trying to show that he didn't not want to do what he was about to do ( kill DD). Lets face it if he had really turned he would have killed Flitwick, Luna, and Hermione.

So when he reached were DD and the Death Eaters were DD saw that Snape didn't want to kill him (DD) so he pleaded with Snape to complete both Vows. DD knew that if one of the other Death Eaters killed him before Snape did then both he (DD) and Snape would have died, because Snape would have broken his Vow with DD and Narsicca. So DD reminded Snape much in the same way he did with aunt Petunia when he said "remeber my last". So he said "Severus...Plaese." to remind Snape of what was at stake,because in that moment everything was at stake both thier futures, Harry's future, and the entire wizarding worlds future. So Snape did what he had to insure that must of those futures remained bright. Also DD knew that after Snape had killed him he would be the second most wanted wizard. So he couldn't stay at Spinners End and he would be spending more time around Voldemort. More time to plot against him, more time to find his weakness,and more time to find out what his Horcruxes are and where they are hidden.

[QUOTE]What about this thought. Snape made the unbreakable vow and I assume he would die if he broke it. Knowing he was a dead man anyway since he would have to break it to be true to the OOP, perhaps he and Dumbledore have switched by taking polyjuice (or some other fashion we know not of yet) which has now allowed Dumbledore to be near Voldemort at all times and Snape is dead (or hiding). Of course Dumbledore could have tricked everyone with the killing curse and Snape not dead

Sorry but this can't be true because to have switched, DD and Snape would have had to switch places before Harry left to get the Horocrux and Hermione and Ron were watching Snape on the map unless they somehow got around that.

hello people!

forgive me if this has been written before this is a very long thread!!

lily potter - we dont no too much about her but we know shes inportant and i think that she ties into this whole who is snape betraying theory. The fact that harry has lily's eyes, we know is important and this is why i think so.

Snape was in love with lily - so many things point to this. Snape's worst memory for instance, involved him beeing cursed and humiliated (SP!!) by james, sirius ect, but why would this be his worst, they were always jinxing eachother as it says in the book. Well - it was infornt of lily for one thing and secondly he insulted her when she was sticking up for him - perhaps he feels a big mistake.?

also snape NEVER makes any bad comments about Harry's mother, we even no that LV did not intend to kill her when he went to the potters, why?? Since when did LV care who he killed to get what he wanted ......the list goes on. I think that snape Can see Lily in Harry's eyes, and although he cant help but hate him because of james, he cant do anything bad to him because of lily

SOOOOoooo.. i think this the answer for the reason that DD trusts Snape. DD doesnt fear death, and would die anyday for Harry, his feels that Harry needs to be saved above all. So he doesnt need to trust Snape with his own life, of most other, but with Harry's. Perhaps he knows that his love for Lily will prevent him for Hurting Harry in any way, and perhaps in the end helping to save his life?

so i think that Snape HAS betrayed DD, but in the end cannot betray Harry

What I thought was really curious, is that when Harry called Snape a coward, he became very angry.

Maybe he became angry with Harry because of what he was doing to help, even though he, Harry, did not know it. He could be plotting against Voldemort, which would be risking his own life, in order to help Harry defeat him, and this would be far from being cowardice.

I am not looking forward to waiting 2 more years for the next of the series to come out

hi there, i'm new here, my cousin got an interesting idea.... before he's finished the book. i thought it was genuis, so here i am posting it. If Dombledore knows the teaching position is cursed, that no one person has managed to hold it for more than a year, then why did he bother giving it to snape? doesn't he want snape around so he can keep an eye on him? or did he give snape the job in the hopes that if snape lost the job he could keep close tabs on Dumbledore. So why did he give it to snape? and are we ever going to find out know that Dubledore is dead!?

I think that Snape might really be bad. I mean J.K. Rowling already twisted the story so that he now appears to be evil. I highly doubt she would twist it so dramatically again. Rowling is not going to make Snape the hero of this story. I think there may still be information on Snape but the focus of the next book is not going to be on him, I think thats what this book was for. At least thats the way I feel, although I do acknowledge the support for the theory that he is really good.

J.K. Rowling said that in the third movie, the director forshadowed things that happened in six and seven pretty well. Well there is this scene where Snape actually put himselfs in harms way to protect Harry, Hermoine, and Ron. If this is a point of forshadow then i would say that Snape is good.

just some stuff i've come up with...

first of all, i think that dumbledore knew about the unbreakable vow snape had made because snape had told him. also their conversation that hagrid overheard probably had something to do with that.

Dumbledore said that he knew about Malfoy's plan. i was thinking that he wanted to die to save Malfoy, who would have been murdered by Voldemort if he hadn't suceeded. He seemed to realize that Malfoy really wasn't that bad, and the fact that Malfoy was about to lower his wand kind of emphazied that.

I'm not too sure what to make of Dumbledore pleading with Snape...he could have been pleading for Snape not to kill him or for Snape to kill him to save Malfoy (and Snape himself). After all, Dumbledore was always the guy talking about how powerful love is. (One of the characters made a comment about that at the end of the book..I think in the hospital wing).

Well that's it, just wanted to put that out there..

I believe it was planned that DD would go to the cave disaparating near Madam Rosmerta's place, because DD wasn't stupid and knew this poisoned mead must have come from her place. Then he went to the cave, when he drank something which caused or his worst memory, or pleading for death.

If it was his worst memory, it sounded as if somebody was torturing somebody (please make it stop... like Cruciatus curse or something). And this: "Kill me instead". Maybe it was somehow connected with Lily and James.

Then he asks Harry to fetch Severus and then I'm not sure if he meant Snape to cure him or to kill him, because DD's last words in the cave were "Kill me instead".

What if R. A. B. or Voldemort created a potion which makes somebody plead for death? It somehow suits me.

And then Snape kills DD because he swore to obey him, like Harry, I don't know...

Okay, seeing as I couldn't put ALL my views into one post, here is the bit that I think refers to this topic. Snape is not betraying Dumbledore, but Voldemort, aand I also think that Dumbledore knew he was going to die...

Dumbledore was not pleading for his life, but for Snape to take it. Despite whether or not Snape would kill him, Dumbledore was still probably going to die (or have some lasting damage) from all the potion he drank, which had probably done something terrible to his internal organs. The pleading might have been (MIGHT HAVE BEEN) only from doubt that Snape would go through with it, as Snape owed Dumbledore so much, and the murderous face, well, Snape (as we know) is a good actor. It is just that, to kill Dumbledore, Snape would therefore prove to Voldemort that he was truly on their side, which would squash all the doubts Voldemort, or the other DE's would have of him playing both sides, so he can continue to play double agent.

Dumbledore knows that Harry has to do this alone, and he has been Harry's greatest mentor, but there is only so far a mentor can take a pupil. You learn most from experience, and Dumbledore realized that. He had told Harry all the important facts (or most), had given him information to take down Voldemort, the school was left in capable hands and the Order already sucked so it doesn't really matter about that. Other than moral support, there was no real reason that Dumbledore needed to stay. All this is only adding to the fact that Dumbledore was growing steadily weaker (His blackened hand, when he was trying to open the first memory bottle, he found it incredible difficult etc.). Maybe Dumbledore may have known about the Unbreakable Vow of Snape's, and they too struck a deal that he must kill Dumbledore for the sake of Harry and continuing storyline. I hate to say it, but if Dumbledore had lived into the next book, he would have only been in the way of Harry being the true hero. But this is only a theory. Remember, I hate Snape, but it would all seem a bit cliché if he turned out to be the real bad guy, I mean, someone who had been "good" for so long suddenly turns bad, and even though Voldemort himself is an accomplished occulmens, Dumbledore can see right through him, yet he couldn't see right through Snape?

Theories mate, only theories.......

Actually, I forgot to say....I think the argument between Snape and Dumbledore was about a few things, but I think it had alot to do with Snape's undercover and Harry's lessons. I don't really know much, but something like that...

When I first read HP6, and I thought a bit about it, I realised that when DD visited Harry in the Dursleys' house shortly after the story with Narcissa, Bellatrix and Snape, he did a kind of his last will, like "remember my last, Petunia"

I believe he felt that he'd soon die, weakened by the ring, and if Snape wasn't to help, he might have died. He might know that further searching for Horcruxes may finish tragically for him, so he decided to make sacrifice when Draco decides to try to kill DD. We don't know if he really died forever, and if so, there are ways to tell clues to Harry.

Snape had to promise to kill him if there will be a need to, because Snape, Harry and others had more physical powers...

Maybe it was time for DD to die, and then as an animagus reborn from ashes (crazy thought, I know, but what if Godric Griffindor found a way to live forever, much simpler and better than Voldemort? What if Albus Dumbledore was a different name of reborn Griffindor?)

I'm crazy, don't worry

This is my first post and I apologise if any of this has been said before I have tried to read through the previous discussions but as the mod said there's A LOT of them.
First I think Snape is still loyal to Dumbledore and I have had a sneaking suspicion that he is related to him somehow. I think Dumbledore's reason for trusting him was rock solid not just that Snape went to DD and claimed remorse after Voldy's attack on the Potter's. Snape is a pretty powerful wizard, there could many possible reason's for this I guess but rlation to DD would be one.
I don't think Snape knows what Draco's supposed to do when he makes the unbreakable vow, he is pretending to go along with Bellatrix and Narcissa to get info and has probably been told by DD to go along with as much as he can to prove his loyalty to Voldemort. Perhaps his arguement with DD is right after he discovers what the task is and refuses to do and DD tells him he must. His reactions to being called a coward by Harry would make sense if he was feeling guilty for following DD's plan.

I think Snape has already significantly betrayed Voldemort. It was clear that Voldemort insisted that Malfoy be the one to kill Dumbledore. When Snape was the one who actually did the killing, he kept Malfoy from being a killer. And the whole deal with the Horcruxes is that you have to kill to split your soul to make a Horcrux. And wasn't there something about it being especially good if the victim was an important person? My out-there theory is that Voldemort wanted Malfoy to kill Dumbledore so that Malfoy's soul is split so that Voldemort can make Malfoy a horcrux and come to life in Malfoy's body. So Snape helped the good guys by thwarting Voldemort's plan, while at the same time keeping his word to Narcissa to protect her son.

that quote, i kno i wrote it is wrong. I corrected myself after someone spotted my error because i didnt have my book the real sentenance is:
"Severus......please"

and yea it is always a possibility

Another theory....You need to really want to hurt somebody to perform an Unforgivable curse....right??and reasonable anger will not do much harm....Then the fact that Snape was able to perform an unforgivable curse on DD shows something......that he must abhor DD...any clue people??
As much as I hate to believe that DD is dead(sob..sob...whoaaaaaaaa),I guess there is no chance of him turning out alive as some of you may suggest....proof??well...his potrait appears in the headmasters room..as the headmasters room in itself is strongly magical(It is able to block anybody who is not the real hogwarts principal...see OoTP...Umbridge is refused entry)it has to b proof enough.....

well beejay i understand what you are saying but if you look back through some of the other posts or even check out the death thread and look through my post i have stated my opinion and you might want to read them

Rowling played this one beautifully. I can see Snape in two lights.

My first impression was that Snape had been a double-agent searching his heart for his true loyalties all these years. I think he made the Unbreakable Vow without full knowledge of the assigned task (perhaps he, like me, thought that Draco's assignment was to kill Harry). After learning of Draco's assignment, he was torn. Eventually he decided to save his own life and betray Dumbledore and join Lord Voldemort fully. In this way, the look of hatred on Snape's face would be genuine. After murdering the most trusting person he ever met, Snape sufferred from remorse and was unable to injure Harry in their duel. Mind in turmoil, Snape returned to Lord Voldemort. This leaves Dumbledore's pleading in an odd light. If he trusted Severus for so long, why did he begin to doubt Snape at the last moment?

Another view is that Snape has been completely loyal to Dumbledore over the ages. Snape made the Unbreakable Vow without full knowledge of Draco's assignment and he was devastated when he learned that he may have to kill Dumbledore. When he talked to Dumbledore, Snape tried to make his plea to abandon helping Draco and sacrifice himself but Dumbledore wouldn't hear of it. Snape thereupon agreed to kill Dumbledore if he must. Therefore, Dumbledre was pleading for Snape to kill Dumbledore at his death. Snape's mercy with Harry is therefore logical if he still is in leage with the Order of the Pheonix.

Only Rowling can answer...

i think snape is bad, and he always was, like he said in chapter two. It was surprising in this book because in book 5 everyone thought he was good. DD thought so and I did too. snape helped DD in book 5 and the beginning of 6 but ended up killing him in the end. I was sad but i do not think snape is good anymore. he is evil and twisted, he will probably die in the last book but not dying out of goodness. Harry will probably kill him for revenge. snape has always been one of my favorite characters and i think that is why i love this book so much. Snape will be evil until the end, forever.

what if Voldemort started suspecting something, when Snape didn't tell the Death Eaters that the Order would come to the ministry?

Because in the book 6 was said that there are many Death Eaters who don't trust him... maybe after things which happened in the ministry. during trying to force Harry to give the prophecy.

And what if Dumbledore really felt weak and needed Snape to be his spy even more desperately? So he gave him the DADA job to show Voldemort that he trusted him, and they fooled Voldemort together?

I agree that Snape is evil, He helped Murder James & Lily as Well as that other person in book six who is mentioned, and I think he murdered Dumbledore out of hatred for him. These theories about how Dumbledore wanted him to kill him are just attempts to find good in a character who everyone thought good, the books are getting darker and a betrayal is something we haven't seen before the 6th book.