Post-HBP Snape: good or evil?

[Professor McGonagall]

Don't forget to post why and give reasons.

I personally think he's good.

The unbreakable vow definately affected his actions but the fact is he took it to protect a child, to protect Draco from the horrors of being a killer. The vow made it either him or Dumbledore (if we are assuming Draco's mission was to kill Dumbledore, i leant my copy out so I don't have it to check), and we cannot expect Snape to produce such a showy Gryffindor kind of courage; to give his own life for Dumbledore, he is a subtle Slytherin after all.

His position in Voldemort's circle is important, perhaps more than Dumbledore's leadership and fighting (after all Dumbledore knows that only Harry can kill Voldemort).

I think Dumbledore knew about the vow and it was why he a Snape were fighting, perhaps Dumbledore made Severus promise to go through with killing him, it could explain the pleading/ begging tone in Dumbledore's voice on the astronomy tower (however the tone can easily argue the opposite).

I think Snape also feels his lack of Gryffindor style courage when he kept screaming for Harry not to call him a coward as he ran with Draco. Perhaps none of this would've happening if the teachers hadn't sent for him and he had been ignorant of the plan being in action ( a reasonable loophole in the vow maybe?)

I know there were more things that made me think he was good but I can't remember at the moment...feel free to add your own thoughts!

[pixie]

I believe he is evil til the end because he had all those Dark spells in his old potion book and if he was faithful to Dumbledore he wouldnt have agreed to kill him if draco failed he simply could have promised Narcissa that he would protect him from Voldemort

[Hermione Granger]

I do not think Snape is evil.

I think dumbledore told Snape to make the vow to do the deed draco was assigned to do if draco couldn't (to kill dumbledore) because dumbledore knows he must sacrifice himself for some reason.

Then hagrid said he had seen Snape and dumbledore arguing and Snape had said he wouldn't do "it" and dumbledore said he had agreed to do it and that was that. I think they were talking about killing dumbledore.

Then when dumbledore was pleading he said "severus...please." Now why would he plead with Snape? because he is telling Snape to kill him. he wouldn't plead with him to spare him because he wouldn't care. Dumbledore said "to the well organized mind death is but the next great adventure" so he wouldn't mind Snape killing him.

Also thats why dumbledore decided to drink that potion in the cave. He knew whatever it did he would have to die anyway.

and THAT is my theory on Snape killing Dumbledore

[brett]

Snape is evil. He has always been evil and will remain evil until Harry kills him out of revenge. And while telling Snape he would have to kill him is something Dumbledore might do it makes no sense What is there to gain from Dumbledore's death?

[Hermione Granger]

Professor McGonagall said there always seemed to be something iron clad that made dumbledore believe snape is good. I think there are things we don't know yet about snape and Dumbledore and we will find them out in the 7th book.

His position in Voldemort's circle is important, perhaps more than Dumbledore's leadership and fighting (after all Dumbledore knows that only Harry can kill Voldemort).

[Mya O'Riley]

I think he's evil, because following Voldemort all this time, why would he leave to go to the 'good side'?

[rose]

I think he could go either way because I think if he wanted Harry/Dumbeldore dead, he just would've dunnit

[Jarlaxle]

Snape is pure evil first he handed Harrys parents to Voldemort and secondly he killed his mentor no matter what Snape can never go back.

[Harry Potter]

At first I thought he was absolutely evil, and I didn't see how he could possibly do those things if he wasn't. Now, though, I'm having second thoughts...

[Steven Phelps]

He is pure evil, that's why he created those spells like the one that cuts open peoples chests (like Malfoy's). And all he had to do was say that he'd protect Malfoy, then he could stay good and wouldn't have to of killed dumbledore.

[Astarte LeStrange]

I said either way. I think he'll choose whichever side wins!

[Lydia]

Mya has good point, why would Snape turn to the good side, I still think he's good but it's a good question. Perhaps as he heard only part of the prophesy his belief that the Dark Lord would triumph was shaken. In that regard any actions before that revelation could be evil but his current evilness not as marked.

That and there's probably a lot more to his character that Joe doesn't let on...if he was a purely evil character he wouldn't be so interesting to write.

In regards to Brett's question what is gained from Dumbledore's death? Well first and formost is the traditional slaying of the mentor giving Harry a greater incentive to become stronger etc., very common fictional devise. Elsewise the deatheaters and Voldemort may get privatey, then again I personally think Dumbledore had been getting old, was going to die in the series eventually.