Snape's patronus

I think it is one of the most beautiful and perfect moments in the book.
the fact that it is for lily, the fact that he is there to help harry

it kinda makes me want to swoon.

yes it is =) oh i knew it^^ snape was never a person for bad
deep inside he was a good boy....

I really have trouble with that.
I still don't think that he is a good boy. I just think he has learned some of his lessons.
But after all, even though he has safed Harry's life more than once, he never liked him. He never came over his hate for James.
He never treated Harry, or one of his friends fair.
Until the end he is doing all for Lilli, and not for Harry, I am not even sure if he does it because he thinks it is the right thing.
And exactly this patronus thing tells us all about this.
"After all these years" (can't look for the exact phrase-does not have the book with me)

I do not care if JKR attempted to have Snape redeeemed in the readers' eyes. I think he is a huge pimple of Merlin's left...

Snape may have loved Lily, but he sure hated Harry.

I believe I meant a pimple ON Merlin's left...

LOL

I have to disagree. I see where you are coming from, which is a Harry-centered perspective, which is completely understandable, but there is a lot more than that.

Potions class, in the first place. Severus Snape was never cut out to be a teacher, that was part of his role as a protected spy. It was a comfortable position, granted, but it was something that should and would have never been mixed with a personality like Severus' in the first place. Secondly, he had a reputation to maintain. If Dumbledore knew Voldemort was going to come back, than he knew he would need his spy, as well. I find that it would probably be easier to be accepted back into the fold as a Death Eater after working so long for Dumbledore if you have been insulting and biased for the Slytherins, than if you had treated your Master's mortal enemy nicely. Thirdly, Severus held a gigantic grudge against Harry and James. But it was also about the fact that he had to see the name and face of his childhood tormentor in Harry, had to see the eyes of the person he had loved- and probably he considered having killed- on that face, to remind him of his biggest mistakes and what was taken from him. (Not to mention, if you still hate Snape, after Harry has forgiven him, than you hold a heck of a grudge, as well.) And part of him probably blames Harry, just a little, as well as himself and Dumbledore, for all the DE meetings and the things he's had to do to keep his cover. Because he can't blame, Lily, of course, but he can look at the person he's done it all for, and hate him a little more for that fact.

No, Severus Snape is far from being a perfect person. He had many flaws, had many shortcomings. He was still a Slytherin, and he would never be the things Gryffindors held dear. But he worked his whole life for some kind of redemption, died for some kind of redemption. And love. I think for someone who grew up with so much hate in his life, to be able to love someone so strongly, for an entire lifetime,- that deserves respect. If you can't repsect him for holding a position that many, many others would have crumpled in, or for his expertise in Potions, or for his loyalty to Dumbledore, than, at least, repsect him for that.

I agree with teddylupin. Snape was never a nice person, but he died fighting Voldemort, and I respect his loyalty to Dumbledore.
And, even though the love he felt for Lily was a little selfish, the fact that he could love puts him one up on Voldemort.

Thank you for the Slytherin point of view! No, was just joking.
Maybe I was not able to make it clear with my poor english, but there is no question about no respect for Snape what he has done in the end,
but what I just wanted to say is that he is not "the good boy" now.
Wow I mean that's great. Why do we always think there has to be black and white, good and bad.
One of the main themes in Deathly Hallows is about that.
Think of Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
And Harry, using the Imperius Curse, really meaning it!
What is good and what is bad?
It is clear on each end, but there is a very broad field in between.