*applauds*

You've touched on the key 'clues'.

A purely evil person would not care about being called a coward. He objected to it because what he did was the hardest thing he ever had to do -- far from cowardly.

"To the well organised mind, death is but the next greatest adventure." - a man who says that would not beg for his life.

Then there's the 'gaze'. Two legilimens do not gaze at each other without some form of communication going on behind the scenes.

And the argument. Hagrid said DD told Snape that he 'had to do it' (paraphrasing). DD telling Snape he had to do 'it'? Snape objecting, not wanting to?

About the influence, HBP showed us Snape is in the inner circle so LV trusts him greatly.

Then there's also the fact that DD's death means Snape can continue his work for the Order; Bella's suspicions are thwarted. And DD spent the whole of HBP preparing Harry for when he would be gone; he told Harry everything he'd ever need to know and then conveniently died after revealing all; coincidence, I think not.

Otts -- We know he was loved. Chances are he loved in return. What he did for Narcissa was compassion. You're right, she won't confirm his loyalties or whether he had a thing for Lily because either way it'd be spoilers.

... did what DD asked of him. The hate and revulsion was for what he was being forced to do. Need I remind you he did not know when the DE's were striking, he was in BED.

I speak with self-assurance because I'm 80% sure I'm right. She wouldn't leave clues there for nothing. Besides, I was right about a lot of what happened in HBP. :P

My theory -- DD and Snape made an Unbreakable Vow the night Snape returned to the 'good' side. A vow that he'd remain loyal to the Order and would protect Harry at all costs and obey DD no matter what was asked of him.

Here's another thought to mull over. If Snape was in Godric Hollow the night of James and Lily's deaths and he had requested her life be spared why would he do that? My answer is the very bond Dumbledore told Harry about. One witch or wizard owing the other if they save their lives.

When did Lily save Snape you ask? My thoery is she is the one who told James that Sirius intended to send Snape down the tunnel at the Whomping Willow. And while James phsyically pulled him from the danger of meeting Remus in his wevewolf form, Snape considered it was Lily who saved him by telling James. It was her who convince James to save Snape so Snapes debt was to her. So while he was willing to allow James and Harry to killed, he had convinced Voldemort to spare Lily.

I didn't really have a hangover...the first part does sound familiar to me, but the last to things, I never even thought about those!!! Of course, having read this, it's very likely it's gonna be in my head for at least a month...

A HANGOVER?? MEEEEEEEEE???
NO- NEVER!

Ok- fine i give up! Yes i have a hangover that i`ve had since midnite on July 15th, 2005! ^_^

WILL HARRY AND LUNA GET MARRIED??

WAT WILL HAPPEN WITH RON AND HERMIONE?? WILL THEY HAVE A DOUBLE WEDDING WITH BILL AND FLEUR??

MAY I PLEASE KILL SNAPE!!??

CAN I MARRY HARRY?? NOWW??

:monkey:

PS: sry im having such a horrid hangover... *dizzy* *dizzy* :blink:

Its really never going to stop untill hp7 comes out. Cant believe that well have to wait more than 2 years.

I think the theory is brilliant - i hav always believed that snape luvs lily - so it makes perfect sense!

Blegh, I never even got to have a HBP hangover :( I didn\'t get my copy til during the day...it was torturous to sit on MNC and watch as ppl flooded out as HBP hit each timezone...

I had a hangover for about 9 days !!!
Cool theirees !!!

i still have hangover :-X

Good theories. But we will never know till its released!!!

these are all good theories, and being a BIG fan of fanfiction, I love the fact that we can explore them to our hearts\' content. Seeing as how I have read a lot of fanfiction, I have thought about many of these theories at least for a short while, and while we won\'t know until the next book what the answers to some of our questions are, I don\'t think that she will answer all of the questions. A good writer leaves the reader to think about things on his or her own, and Ms. Rowling has shown herself to do just that, so I think that we will be left hanging on certain issues, but I am more than ok with that, as I can make up my own reason for certain events or phrasings in the books.