Snape is not a bad guy, he's just.... misunderstood!
I'll tell you right upfront that Snape is my favorite character. I always had a thing for underdogs, and he truly is. He had a tough childhood.. was picked on.. and has a lot of "issues."
If you go back to HP and the OOTP, you'll remember when Snape was giving Harry Occlumency lessons, he removed some of his embarrassing memories that he didn't want Harry to know about. During one lesson, Malfoy interrupted and Snape left the room. Harry stuck his head in the Pensieve to find out that when Snape was a teen at Hogwarts, he was tormented by Harry's father and his gang of bullies. This explains why he loathes Harry.
I think this is significant because Snape was the innocent party here. I think the victim is going to turn out to be the victor-- in other words... he will save Harry in the end. I can't believe JKR would take someone who was oppressed and make them out to be the bad guy.
I also have more faith in the judgement of character of DD. I firmly believe he was pleading to Snape to kill him. We'll see why in book 7.
That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!
So stop pickin' on my man Snape!
