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No, I can't say that there was *or that there was not* more that he could have done, because as you say we simply *don't get this information.* We don't see scenes of Snape thinking about his mission and deciding what to do or not do, we only see highly selected bits of action directly related to events that actually played out (placing the sword, conversations with Dumbles about the Harrycrux and planning his death.) There is no failure *or* lack of failure to ensure the message was passed on because only those actions of Snape's *directly related to how he DID pass on the info* are given. ANYTHING could have happened in between those scenes. For all we know Snape could have set up multiple failsafes involving owls, charmed letters, and what have you, but Snape had no reason to give Harry those memories because events didn't play out that way and time was short. (The man was dying, after all.) So he didn't include them and so we don't see them.
Perhaps he *did* do something more in JKR's head, but she did not show it to us because it is not *relevant* to what actually happened. Given her intense concentration on Harry this is not surprising, but also I don't personally think it's a plot hole/lack of logic because the information is simply irrelevant to understanding the actual events of the plot as it played out. It's useful only for characterization purposes, and JKR doesn't go out of her way to provide us extra info on Snape during these scenes. It's all about explaining why he does what he does in a way Harry can accept. So I disagree that one can state that all that Snape did was hope and pray. We simply *don't know* what he did or did not do beyond what we actually see. There is no concrete evidence one way or the other. That we don't see these other concrete things being shown is due to the fact that they ceased to matter during the scene in the Shack, our POV was restricted to what Harry could have known, and Snape would I imagine have thought info about such moot points quite unnecessary to pass on during his death agony.
(Also, again, you refer to "something more definite," but I'm still wondering what specifically you envision here. So far as I can see there was very little in the way of concrete, definite things he could have done, given all the variables outside his control and his unavoidable reliance on finding out what others were doing in time to do anything himself.)
As to Harry believing the message, again, what specifically would you have him do that we don't see? What particular actions? So far as events actually played out: he gave Harry direct memories of all relevant conversations with Dumbles (i.e. enough for Harry to understand where the info came from, what he had to do, where the doe came from as evidence of trustworthiness, and why Snape killed Dumbles), gave him several highly personal and painful memories explaining his relationship with Lily and his motivations for the course of his entire adult life, and urged the boy with virtually his last breath to take the memories. Beyond that he could not ensure anyway because he was *dying.*
So far as events could have played out differently: again, we don't see anything *one way or another* about what he did or did not do or plan to do upon meeting Harry because 1) Voldie interrupted, 2) time was extremely short (dying), and therefore 3) only the truly necessary information for Harry to do what he needed to do was passed on. Everything else stayed inside Snape's head, including all those possible memories of planning out future conversations, writing charmed letters, or what have you. It's not a plot hole because it's not necessary for understanding the actual events that did occur or for motivating Harry. It all became a moot issue the moment Nagini stuck her fangs in Snape's throat, time shortened to minutes, and Harry showed up. All those possible plans ceased to be relevant because they would not play out anyway, so Snape (and thus JKR) did not include them.
Perhaps he *did* do something more in JKR's head, but she did not show it to us because it is not *relevant* to what actually happened. Given her intense concentration on Harry this is not surprising, but also I don't personally think it's a plot hole/lack of logic because the information is simply irrelevant to understanding the actual events of the plot as it played out. It's useful only for characterization purposes, and JKR doesn't go out of her way to provide us extra info on Snape during these scenes. It's all about explaining why he does what he does in a way Harry can accept. So I disagree that one can state that all that Snape did was hope and pray. We simply *don't know* what he did or did not do beyond what we actually see. There is no concrete evidence one way or the other. That we don't see these other concrete things being shown is due to the fact that they ceased to matter during the scene in the Shack, our POV was restricted to what Harry could have known, and Snape would I imagine have thought info about such moot points quite unnecessary to pass on during his death agony.
(Also, again, you refer to "something more definite," but I'm still wondering what specifically you envision here. So far as I can see there was very little in the way of concrete, definite things he could have done, given all the variables outside his control and his unavoidable reliance on finding out what others were doing in time to do anything himself.)
As to Harry believing the message, again, what specifically would you have him do that we don't see? What particular actions? So far as events actually played out: he gave Harry direct memories of all relevant conversations with Dumbles (i.e. enough for Harry to understand where the info came from, what he had to do, where the doe came from as evidence of trustworthiness, and why Snape killed Dumbles), gave him several highly personal and painful memories explaining his relationship with Lily and his motivations for the course of his entire adult life, and urged the boy with virtually his last breath to take the memories. Beyond that he could not ensure anyway because he was *dying.*
So far as events could have played out differently: again, we don't see anything *one way or another* about what he did or did not do or plan to do upon meeting Harry because 1) Voldie interrupted, 2) time was extremely short (dying), and therefore 3) only the truly necessary information for Harry to do what he needed to do was passed on. Everything else stayed inside Snape's head, including all those possible memories of planning out future conversations, writing charmed letters, or what have you. It's not a plot hole because it's not necessary for understanding the actual events that did occur or for motivating Harry. It all became a moot issue the moment Nagini stuck her fangs in Snape's throat, time shortened to minutes, and Harry showed up. All those possible plans ceased to be relevant because they would not play out anyway, so Snape (and thus JKR) did not include them.