Another sign of Hagrid's improvement as a teacher

[marinafrants]

No: HPFGUIDX 41300

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Suzanne Chiles" <suzchiles at p...> wrote:

> I must disagree with you about Lupin's boggart lesson. After Snape's
> inexcusable treatment  of Neville during Lupin's class, I believe
that Lupin
> acted in the very best interest of his student. Not only did Lupin
help
> build up Neville's confidence level, he gave Neville a tool he could
use
> when next ridiculed by Snape.  Good for Lupin, I say.

Oh, absolutely.  Snape brought it on himself, Neville needed it and
deserved it, and it worked beautifully.  I think the boggart lesson
was great, and I can't wait till they make an Unnameable Celluloid
Thing out of PoA so we can all see Alan Rickman stomp around in drag.

But I can't help but note that Neville was the *only* student to whom
Lupin gave exact instruction on how to make his boggart look
ridiculous.  To everyone else he just said "okay, think of ways to
make your boggart funny," and left them to come up with their own
images.  I'm quite sure that if Neville had been left to his own
devices, he never would've thought of dressing Snape up like his
Gran.  He would've come up with something childish and slapsticky, the
way adolescent boys usually do.  The Snape-boggart would've ended up
tripping over a cauldron and falling face first into a banana cream
pie or something along those lines.  It would've been just as funny to
the students, but not nearly as wickedly amusing to the other
teachers.  No, Lupin was handed the perfect excuse, and he played it
perfectly.  I bet Snape is *still* getting snarky comments in the
staff room from time to time. :-)

Not that I blame Lupin one bit, mind you.  If anything, I admire his
ingenuity. :-)

Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com