How Snape is like Harry

[Cindy C.]

No: HPFGUIDX 28919

Amy wrote:

>One of Snape's 
> defining characteristics is undoubtedly a strict adherence to 
rules, 
> he also has an independent vigilante tendency that is positively 
> Harrylike.  He doesn't contravene Dumbledore's wishes or break 
rules, 
> but he does operate independently.  

<snip nice summary of Snape's snooping>

One might even speculate 
> that one reason Snape resents Harry is that Harry's recklessness 
> reminds him of a quality he suppresses and dislikes in himself.
> 

I think I like the theory, Amy.

One quick nit:  there is one instance in which Snape specifically 
disregarded Dumbledore's wishes, and since it involves Lupin, I have 
my back up about it.  When Snape glimpsed Lupin in the Shrieking 
Shack years ago, Dumbledore asked him to keep it confidential.  Now 
that Lupin is back to teach, Snape clearly knows that Dumbledore has 
kept it quiet that Lupin is a werewolf.  Yet he deliberately has them 
study werewolves, even hinting that they wouldn't know a werewolf if 
they saw one.  Then, when that doesn't work, he just blabs it 
straight out.

I'd say that this amounts to disobeying Dumbledore's wishes, and 
Snape is lucky he doesn't get tossed out on his ear for it.  (OK, 
that would never happen, but I can dream, can't I?)

As for why Snape hates Harry, it may have something to do with how 
similar they are, true.  Although what follows doesn't compare to the 
kind of analysis the L.O.L.L.I.P.O.P.S crew does, there might be 
another reason Snape doesn't like Harry, even though they are similar 
in their snooping tendencies:  Harry gets recognition for what he 
achieves when he snoops, but Snape does not.

Snape got no credit for keeping Harry on his broomstick.  He got no 
credit for capturing Black, even though Black's escape was not 
Snape's fault.  He got no recognition for whatever he did in GoF.  

Harry, on the other hand, is treated like the conquering hero.  He 
obtains the stone in PS/SS, and he gets enough points to capture the 
House cup.  He saves Ginny in CoS, and receives adulation from his 
peers.  He catches the snitch in PoA, and they throw a party.  Harry 
gets all manner of press attention in GoF, not to mention the praise 
from Dumbledore in front of the whole school.  From the first minute 
Snape met Harry, he felt the need to belittle Harry for his 
celebrity, and nothing has changed about that over 4 books. 

Anyway, there's a non-shipper's explanation of why Snape detests 
Harry, even though that's not what I intended to talk about in this 
post.  

Cindy