[HPforGrownups] Worst of Snape

[Shannon]

No: HPFGUIDX 32788

At 10:41 PM 1/4/2002 -0000, Pippin wrote:
>   Isn't it odd that everyone is willing to forgive Sirius for his 
>excesses, even a physical attack on a student, but Snape's 
>sneer at Hermione is nominated for the worst thing he ever did?

Not really. Sirius is trying to avenge his best friend and protect Harry.
Now, he might not have chose the best ways to do those things and made some
rather bad choices, but his intentions were good and he never meant to harm
anyone other than Peter.  On the other hand, Snape had *absolutely* no
reason to say such a thing to Hermione.  Anyone who's lived as long as
Snape as would be able to spot Hermione's insecurity from the get-go a mile
away.  Heck, most 12 year old girls are insecure about something even
without Hermione's circumstances, and their appearance is starting to be a
big thing at that age. 12 year old girls who have iffy self confidence to
start with can be devastated by such a petty, nasty thing. And then for
that thing to be deliberately said by a teacher, who is supposed to be
someone you can trust even when they are kind of nasty and mean...well.  If
he's so weak under pressure that he has to take it out on the self esteem
of a little girl then Dumbledore better be finding someone else to do
whatever it was he sent Snape off to do, else the wizard world is in deep
doo doo.  

Shannon