why did snape return to the good side

[Neo]

Why wouldn't Snape know?; he was in the higher ranks, he must know every DE.

[Holly Golightly]

And Hermoine and McGonagall too Mistress Siana! I could never really consider either of those two going to the dark side either!

As for why Snape wouldn't know... I really dont' think that Voldie was that trusting of a guy that he would have told all of his DE's everything. Actually, I don't think that he would have told any of them absolutely everything. He just seems like that devious kind of guy... even the type of person who would play his followers off eachother to rate their loyalty to him!

So yes, I would think that there is stuff that Snape doesn't know!

Also, what if Voldie has also thought about the possibility of some of his DE's either changing sides or being spys? Another reason I don't think that any of them would know absolutely everything! After all, how can you tell the other side about things you don't know???

[Mistress Siana]

And Hermoine and McGonagall too Mistress Siana! I could never really consider either of those two going to the dark side either!

No? What do you know about McGonagall? Hardly anything...
And Hermione...have you ever noticed all the character traits she's in common with Tom Riddle? Unusual ambition, both at least partly mudbloods with the strong need to prove themselves, nearly every teacher's favourite student (except for Snape in H's and DD in Riddle's case), rumours say H's going to be prefect and even head girl, both amazingly talented...and by the way she reacts on Draco calling her mudblood , you can see what becomes of her respect for rules when she gets really angry or afraid. Just imagine how stubborn she can be if only she believes she's doing the right thing.

But I agree on McGonagall

[Neo]

The thing about Hermiones sounds interesting, but I'm not qute sure, she doesn't want to harm anyone that doesn't deserves it, right?

And didn't say that Snape knew everything, it jsut seems that the higher ranks of the DE knew the other ones, so Snape most know the others, lile Karkaroff, Lucius, Crabbe, etc

[Holly Golightly]

On the Hermoine thing, with ref to the Mudblood call.. I thinkt hat Tom and Hermoine's reactions woudl be very different... she seemed to get very upset, whereas I think that Tom would just go rank.

Also, he wanted revenge against his muggle father for abandoning his mother and himself for being part of the magical world, and Hermoine doesn't seem to be like that...

[Scellanis]

yes, the difference between hermione and voldemort is the voldemort has revenge and pain in his early life to motivate him and feed the bad side of his character

harry and neville also have this revenge thing

look at what yoda in star wars is always saying about anakin....how pain and suffering leads to hate which leads to the dark side.....

[Holly Golightly]

I would say more that they have the paina nd suffering early on...

After all, Harry had the chance to take revenge on Sirus when he thought htat he was gulity inthe Shreeking Shack, but didnt'...

How you put it (intentionally or not) sounds so finite and certain Sonkem... like they can't change how they will turn out just because bad things happened in their early lives... And I don't agree with that!

[Neo]

It seems Snape also has suffered in his life (probable early age, since he studied the dark arts); and now he is "good"; so people can change, no?

[Holly Golightly]

Maybe he didnt' suffer...>? Personally, I can't ahve seentaht happening...

I think that it's more likely that his parents were baddies too and they taught him the Dark Arts stuff...

[Neo]

But for example it seems Draco doesn't know a lot of curses, and specially not in SS.

[Holly Golightly]

Okies, so we know that Lucious didn't reach Draco any, but that doesn't porve anything...

And how would a trauma early in life teach Snape curses and hexes?

[Neo]

It could push him into reading books of dark magic,

[Holly Golightly]

Inthe first book though, when Harry was looking at the Curses book so that he could curse Dudley, *as I joke I think*, Hagrid said that he woudlnt' be able to perform those yet... he needed teaching...

So, if Snape just picked up the book, presumably he would still need someone to teach him how to do the magic...

[Neo]

Well, Sanpe should have known basic things (and Harry didn't) becausthe of living with wizards

[Mistress Siana]

The way Hermione always tries to be the best is, at least in my opinion, a kind of compensation for her muggle heritage, as the struggle for power was for riddle. And the revenge thing also goes for her, namely revenge on those who try to embarress her by calling her mudblood. I do think she might believe their deserve it, and like riddle, she can be really consumed by an idea she has...
What I keep saying is that becoming bad doesn't necessarily mean joining Voldemort! I think that even JKR tries to stop us from seeing black and white...just look at Snape and the 'bad heritage but good at heart'-theory. Doesn't fit into blck and white standards either