Neville Longbottom

[koinonia02 at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 22987

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Cheryl Dimof" <cheryl_dimof at y...> wrote:
> Also, why do you think Snape is so mean to Neville?  Is it just 
because he's
> a mean guy and Neville is afraid of him and does things incorrectly 
in his
> class?  Or is there something else going on there?

Indigo wrote in message 22961:

>My guess is that Snape has long figured [as has Dumbledore] that 
>Voldemort will find a way to come back, and that when that happens, 
>weak sisters need not apply.  So Neville either needs to find his 
>backbone, put it up straight, and grow some courage, or he's going 
>to fall in the next rise of Voldemort because everyone else will be 
>too busy protecting Harry and themselves to look after him.

>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.

Rebecca J. Bohner wrote in message 22979:

>Snape has no patience for cowardice or incompetence at the best of 
>times.  But I don't think that's just arrogance and prejudice; I 
>believe it's because he knows that when Voldemort returns the weak 
>will not survive, and Neville had better toughen up or he's not 
>going to make it.

I agree that one of the reasons Snape treats Neville as he does is 
that Neville will not survive if he doesn't toughen up and get some 
backbone.  I believe it's safe to say that Snape knows what it takes 
to survive.  I get the impression that life has been rather hard on 
Professor Snape and he isn't about to lighten up on anyone. I can see 
where it's possible that Snape wasn't allowed to make mistakes or 
show any signs of being a coward.  

Rebecca J. Bohner wrote:

>I believe that Snape actually respected and admired the courage and 
>resolve of Neville's parents, and he is disgusted with Neville 
>because he sees him as unworthy of the Longbottom name.

I do believe that is very possible.  My first thought after reading 
GoF was that one of the Longbottoms were responsible for bringing 
Snape in and that Snape was still really ticked at them for that. 
Then I came to the above conclusion and I don't think I have seen too 
many people state that theory. 

meboriqua wrote in message 22974:

>As a teacher, he is in no position to "toughen up" a student; he is 
>there to educated them academically.

>.....who continues to find Snape fascinating.

I disagree.  This is not your typical school.  They are at Hogwarts 
to learn a variety of things.  How many schools teach DADA?  It's a 
different world.  You better learn how to be tough.  Voldy is out 
there and Snape is going to teach them how to deal with that whether 
they like it or not.

Yes, Snape is fascinating :)

Koinonia