TomBlack
I'm not sure (though it probably has) if this has been said before but is it not kinda obvious under the surface that Snape is not evil? Firstly, look at how Dumbledore has repeatedly stated that he wholly trusts that Snape is good and is working loyaly to the order. This must be given some weight in the argument.
Secondly, (and most importantly) most of the belief that Snape is evil has sprouted from the idea that he murdered Dumbledore. So cast your minds back so that we can look at this in detail. When Harry and Dumbledore first apparate back in hogsmead, Dumbledore stresses how little time he has to cure the poison he drank in the cave, so they hurry to the castle but are caught up at the top of the tower by Malfoy and later by other deatheaters (including Snape). It is is fair to say that this delay has meant that the poison has now done irreversible damage and it may be too late to save Dumbledores life. Dumbledore pleads with Snape just before he gets killed, and I do not believe that Dumbledore was the type of character that would plead for his own life and i think you will agree with me on this. So it could be the case that Dumbledore was pleading Snape to kill him, as he was going to die anyway and so that Snape could be fully trusted by voldemort and get deeper in the Deatheater circle (something very important as a spy).
So there you go, i fully believe it and will eat the sorting hat raw if it is wrong.....
Secondly, (and most importantly) most of the belief that Snape is evil has sprouted from the idea that he murdered Dumbledore. So cast your minds back so that we can look at this in detail. When Harry and Dumbledore first apparate back in hogsmead, Dumbledore stresses how little time he has to cure the poison he drank in the cave, so they hurry to the castle but are caught up at the top of the tower by Malfoy and later by other deatheaters (including Snape). It is is fair to say that this delay has meant that the poison has now done irreversible damage and it may be too late to save Dumbledores life. Dumbledore pleads with Snape just before he gets killed, and I do not believe that Dumbledore was the type of character that would plead for his own life and i think you will agree with me on this. So it could be the case that Dumbledore was pleading Snape to kill him, as he was going to die anyway and so that Snape could be fully trusted by voldemort and get deeper in the Deatheater circle (something very important as a spy).
So there you go, i fully believe it and will eat the sorting hat raw if it is wrong.....