Snape psychology, a thought about Barty jr.

[Indigo]

No: HPFGUIDX 22968

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., pigwidgeon37 at y... wrote:
> Indigo wrote:
> <It seems many of the adults in Neville's life are trying to steel 
> <him for the worst yet to come in their own way. Snape's way just 
> <happens to be harsh. But given what he's been through, to him it 
may 
> <not seem all that harsh.
> 
> And why would he steel Harry, Ron and Hermione? 

We know he's got a personal grudge against Harry. And the other two 
are his best friends...unfortunately that results in guilt [and 
punishment] by association.

They really don't 
> need it. 

Ron has gotten knocked unconscious and had his leg broken in the 
course of hanging out with Harry.

Hermione has been petrified and been treated as a "scarlet woman" in 
the course of hanging out with Harry.  And she ended up in tears from 
that.

I would say they both could stand a slightly thicker skin and tougher 
constitution. 

I think I've got another theory of why Snape is so mean 
> especially to Neville, which ties in with what a lot of us have 
often 
> reckoned: Don't we hate in others everything that in reality hate 
in 
> ourselves? If Snape had really been bullied all the time as a child 
> and adolescent, and if he had been unable to stand up for himself, 
> wouldn't that make him loathe weak Neville (assuming as an apriori 
> that Snape, much as I like him and in spite of being very 
courageous 
> etc., is still emotionally very immature)? Anyway, that's no 
excuse, 
> just an explanation.
> 

Not necessarily. It would, however, make him a bad teacher for 
browbeating Neville if that is indeed the case.  
> 
> 
> DinaYS wrote:
> <As an aside, although i have issues about the movie (creating 
images 
> <that kids have created for themselves) I think Alan Rickman as 
Snape 
> <is great remember Robin Hood Prince of theives
> 
> I have enough confidence in Mr. Rickman's acting skills to feel 
> hopeful he won't play Snape like the Sheriff of Nottingham, who was 
> more kind of a Captain Hook- villain and very, very comical.
> 
> 
> 
> David wrote:
> <Dumbledore vouched for Snape at Karkaroff's trial, where plenty of 
> <wizards were present.
> 
> As Amy Z. has nominated me member of L.O.O.N., I feel free to pick 
> this nit: Dumbledore didn't vouch for Snape at the Karkaroff trial. 
> When Karkaroff gives Snape's name, Crouch objects that Snape has 
been 
> cleared by the judges some time ago, because he had Dumbledore 
> vouching for him, and Dumbledore just repeats that Snape had turned 
> spy at great personal risk.
> 
> 
> Monika(The Snape fan) wrote:
> <Besides, Snape seems to be a better companion in a time of crisis 
> <than, say, Professor Trelawney :)
> <Sure, both Flitwick and Sprout seem to be able to deal with any 
> <emergency, but Flitwick is a bit too old and - how to put it? - 
> <delicate (?), and I don't believe Sprout has any significant 
> <experience with Dark wizards. Anyway, Snape's just better.
> 
> Well, WE know that he's wonderful company with and without 
crisis :), 
> I just wondered why he had that obviously very special position 
> within the staff. Being old doesn't seem to be a valid argument 
> against a wizard (I mean, take Dumbledore!) and Flitwick was a 
> dueling champion, so I just wondered, why Snape and not for example 
> flitwick?
> 
> 
Could also be intimidation factor. Flitwick strikes me as "oh, look! 
he's so little and cute!" and Snape definitely does not inspire that 
reaction in me. He makes me think,  "This is someone not to cross."  
He's a good contrast to the kindly, twinkle-eyed Dumbledore and the 
harsh-but-really-kind-underneath McGonnagall. 

> Another thought that came to me: I have this nasty feeling that in 
> book 5 (or later) we could meet again with Barty jr, who has had 
his 
> soul sucked out but is still alive (at least, Lupin said that you 
> still live, because your heart and brain still work, you just don't 
> have a soul). And somehow I don't like the idea of soulless barty 
> rejoining Voldemort.

I believe canonically they consider being soulless worse than death 
because the body is alive but there's nothing to motivate it with.  
The mind is not capable of functioning without a soul. Perhaps I'm 
just extrapolating too much.

Indigo