[StevieG]

[ QUOTE ]
One of the things I was disapointed about was the lack of snape interaction
...
also, i did not like the wat which snape died. so unherioc and not befitting. and harry just happened to be there to get the memories.

[/ QUOTE ]

The Prince's Tale was an excellent chapter, though, and confirmed exactly what we already guessed (Snape had been doing it all along out of dedication to Lily and remorse for her death) while adding new wrinkles (they knew each other from before Hogwarts, Petunia was more bitter and jealous than fearful of magic).

His death was heroic. He did not try to save himself. He knew from Dumbledore that Voldemort had to kill Potter, and confronted with Voldemort's concern that he could not do it with the wand as such, he sacrificed himself. The perfect double agent, right to the end.

And his last act was to give Harry the information he needed, as well as a personal confession.

As for Harry being there, JKR could have used just had Snape pull the memory and bottle it, and then Harry finds it. But why not just have Harry there? It worked better for the narrative, too, which followed Harry's perspective fully after the first chapter.

[ QUOTE ]
i was under the impression the heir of griffindor could summon it but how can both harry and neville be the heir?

[/ QUOTE ]

The phrase Dumbledore used in Chamber of Secrets was "only a true Gryffindor" meaning member of the house, not blood descendant.