Lupin's "Resignation"

[danajsparks.livejournal.com]

In Chapter 22 of POA, Lupin tells Harry:

Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives. That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he – er – accidentally let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast.

So let me get this straght... The only reason that Lupin had to resign is because Snape told the students about his lycanthropy? It had nothing to do with the fact that he had failed to take his Wolfsbane potion and had endagered the lives of three students and a teacher... and the Minister of Magic, of all people, knew this had happened? Would Lupin seriously have been able to keep his job, despite what he'd done, if only Snape had kept his mouth shut?

And yes, it's very likely that Fudge knew what had transpired, for it appears that he was present when Snape gave his account of the evening's events. Harry overhears Snape saying:

Consider, Minister: against all school rules – after all the precautions put in place for [Harry's] protection – out of bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer....---POA21