Neville/Snape Question

[nuriaobradors]

No: HPFGUIDX 38127

nups at y..., Porphyria <porphyria at m...> wrote:
> Naama wrote:
> The amount of energy put into defending Snape I find quite touching
> (if somewhat alarming),

I can only speak for me, so here's my theory: We know but a small 
part of Snape. Every inch we get to know of him in each book just 
turns him more mysterious. And mystery, as forbidden things, is 
always attractive. Do I like Snape? NO, but I do believe we still 
have a lot to see of him. 
Perhaps he spent his whole schooling in Hogwarts being disdained by 
his non-slytherin fellow students, and he takes it back with his own 
pupils now? It is no news that slytherins aren't really popular among 
any but themselves. 

Porphyria wrote:
> Forgive me if I'm misreading you here, but if you think that by 
> "focusing on one of his victims" somehow lays the blame on Harry, 
> Hermione, or Neville, then this is simply not the case. I think t's 

I think that rather than Snape focusing in one of his victims, it's 
rather JKR focusing on Snape's hatred for Harry & friends. Even 
though Snape's grudge for Harry is real, I don't think he teases 
Harry's friends more than other students. Or is anyone dying to know 
how he bullies Justin Flinch-Fletchley, Cho Chang or Colin Creevey, 
for instance?(well, maybe the Colin part would be fun...)

>b) Hermione infuriates him because he feels her interruptions 
>undermine his authority, 

he's probably afraid that she outwits him, too... I'm sure there's 
insecurity lurking behind that fiercy outside.

>c) Harry infuriates him because he feels resentful that Harry took 
>all the credit for defeating LV when Snape was busy risking his life 
>to do the same thing, plus he (mistakenly) thinks Harry is reckless, 
>arrogant, etc. 

James gets in the middle here, too, IMO. James was popular in school, 
Snape hated him sp. after the marauders' "joke", I'm suer he would've 
loved that James' son could not be up to his father, and instead he 
faces a Harry who's a hero since before he could talk! OTOH, I'm not 
sure Snape *believes* Harry's reckless and arrogant - Probably he 
just does it as a way to teach Harry (the tough way, Snape's way) 
that there will always be people out there who have the wrong idea 
about you. I know this doesn't sound very consistent, but it's really 
a sensation I've got.

> A unified theory? IIRC, Fred and George provide a useful enough one 
>of these: he hates everyone and he's seen everything. Doesn't this 
>go without saying? Snape is misanthropic by nature, I suspect he 
>came from a Dark Arts family who probably raised him (through fine 
>example) to have little regard for his fellow man. 

Or perhaps was raised in a way where no emotions were shown and no 
affection given to him (Draco's emotions are not directed precisely 
in the right way, but he's obviously received some odd "love", "care" 
and "support" demostrations from his parents). Thus, Snape doesn't 
know how to show sympathy to anyone. He's probably very insecure and 
if it wasn't for his pride, he well could be a Neville (Could we have 
a reason for his hatred towards Longbottom here? He reminds him what 
could have been of himself?)

> Snape's scarred and angry personality is one of the reasons that I 
> find it hard to believe that he actually is fond of Draco and that 
> his evident kindness to him is not due to some tactical reason to  
> keep Lucius happy, for example. 

Or, if he really knows who's worth and who isn't, inflating Draco's 
ego would be a good way to make that nasty kid REALLY miserable when 
someone finally rubs his face in the dirt (er, yes, I hate Draco, 
Don't like him at all. Snape's an angel compared to that #@%&*!)

cheers, 

Nuri

-I'm 27, from Argentina, just joined today!-