Ok, I just finished re-reading the first book......
Question:
I, like MANY others, have just assumed that Snape is working as a spy for the Order amoung the Death Eaters. We, of course, don't REALLY know what it is that he is doing. HOWEVER, upon re-reading the first book. It occured to me that, if Snape is in fact doing this....would not Voldemort KNOW he was a spy? Reason: Snape confronted Quirrell about trying to get the stone. It MUST have come up between the two that Snape KNEW Quirrell wanted it for the Dark Lord. So....my point....what with the Dark Lord growing out the back of Quirrell's head, wouldn't he know that Snape's loyalties lie with Dumbledore?

A very excellent point Ariane. But my theory is that Snape is playing both sides, keeping his options open. He is after all a Slytherin and will do whatever he's going to benefit from (we're that shallow at times). I think that he's playing to Dumbledore saying that he's spying on Voldemort and palying to Voldemort saying that he's spying on Dumbledore. Voldemort might have taken the whole confrontation about the Stone as Snape just keeping up appearances at school.

I don't know. It's too early for this....
Blue

I don't know, maybe my Gryffindor morals are clouding my judgement, BUT I really, truely believe that Snape is a good guy. I think that he's totally screwed up, but I think that he's straightened up and is flying right. Besides, when has Dumbledore put THAT much trust in someone who didn't deserve it?

He is poking his abnormally large nose in places it doesn't belong for the Order. ^_^ He is also picking that abnormally large nose at meetings before dinner. He's a good guy and getting info that others can't cuz they don't know Legitamancy and Occlumency...Maybe this is why Dumbledore needed him as well...to train Harry.

Yes I agree with you^^ He is good a mind magic, but has he failed to Dumbledore?
All I am saying is it is too early to say where Snape lays his loyalties either with Dumbledore or Voldemort but I hope JKR will tell us why Dumbledore trusts him in the end ^_^ She will give more clues in the next 2 books and I hope we will figure out this question in the near future.

I agree that it's much too early to seriously guess what side Snape is on and apart from that most of us are probably a bit biased by the fact that we're sorry for him having a bad childhood (Wouldn't we all love to see him making things up with everyone and being a nice and happy person!) Has anyone a viable theory on what that rather close relationship between Snape and Lucius Malfoy might come from. To me it looks a bit as if Snape was either in Malfoy's debt for somethig or as if Malfoy knows quite some more things about him than we do.

I think he is a spy for the order.I mean remember when Harry said to snape "O yeah thats your job isnt it?".They were talking about Harry closing his mind to Voldermort, so that Harry didn't see any of Voldermorts plans.This was in book 5.Harry was asking Snape what Voldermort had planned, but Snape wouldn't tell him remember?

I totally think Snape is a good guy....

I do wonder what kept Dumbely from knowing Voldy was as Darce put it, *growing out the back of Quirells head*..I mean Dumbley is like.......all knowing, all seeing....how could he miss that? I mean THAT is something youd hope for someone with his skills to notice....ya know?

I have wondered if Snape is the Death Eater who has left forever . . ."he will be killed". If not, was he at the cemetery?

After reading chapter 2, I really don't think that Snape is working for the Order. Remember Dumbledore has been fooled before. Also, the chapter, Snape Victorious, doesn't sit well with me. He isn't going to last.

Well, we were right to question that aspect of the story, weren't we! Snape has always been a very important character. And still, all questions are not answered....

My big concern now isn't whether Snape is part of the Order or not, (because well, you've all read book six) but how much information Voldemort knows about the Order. Part of me (my loyalty to Snape is a hard habit to break) wonders if maybe there is still the slightest bit of hope that he could still be acting on orders of the Order that none of th eother members have been privvy to. It's just that right now (With my eyes still swollen and red) that's hard to believe.

After reading the sixth book...I believe that Dumbledore and Voldemort were giving a lot of the same orders to Snape. But what Snape told the Order or the D.E. is different.

My guess is that he is not with the Order and he is his own agent. He does what he has to so he stays alive.