The "face-value" theory of PoA -- now with shiny acronym! (LONG)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 45415

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "bluesqueak" <pipdowns at e...> 
wrote:

> 
> Yes, indeedy, being knocked unconcious *was* insulting 
wasn't it?  After all he'd said to them, too - about feeding Black to 
the dementors, about feeding Lupin to the dementors, about 
feeding
drat,  there isn't anybody else left to feed to the 
dementors, lets start  insulting Harry, instead. And then Harry's 
dead parents.
> 
> Gosh, if you read Snape's lines at face value, you might almost 
> think Snape *wants* to make Harry lose his temper

> 
> Which is exactly what DISHWASHER argues. [grin].<<<

Oh, Snape wants somebody to lose his temper all right. But it's 
not Harry. It's easy to think that Snape wants Harry to lose his 
temper because, well, that's what Snape does. When in doubt, 
make Harry lose his temper. <g> But there's another 
explanation...

Pip goes on:
> 
> I will pass over in silence the Trio's remarkable duelling ability, 
> since in a face value reading it is completely obvious that three 
> thirteen year olds with very little practice in duelling can defeat 
> an adult wizard trained in duelling. (Snape's inability to move 
> quickly enough is probably an example of paralysis 
dramaticus, as Pippin would say). 

Well, no, I wouldn't <g> A face-value reading of the last chapter of 
CoS shows that the Trio practiced disarming each other along 
with Fred, George and Ginny, and that Harry had gotten quite 
good at it. If you think a thirteen year old can't have faster
reflexes than an adult, I suggest you spend some time at the 
nearest video arcade. <g> 

And I would remind you that Harry was trained 
in Expelliarmus by none other than Snape himself. Harry's also 
shown an ability to resist it. Draco couldn't take his wand at the 
dueling club. Snape knows that, and he doesn't know that Lupin 
was able to take the Trio's wands, which might explain why 
Snape didn't expelliarmus the trio himself the way Lupin did.

As for why Snape didn't bind Sirius, that's explained by Snape 
himself, "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."   If Sirius 
tries to escape, Snape will have an excuse to kill him. 

 That's why Snape threatens Sirius and Lupin with the 
Dementors, and refuses to take Sirius to the castle. He's trying to 
goad Sirius into attacking him, and then Harry, the stupid prat, 
puts himself in the line of fire, trying to protect Sirius from
Snape. 

No wonder Snape is furious. 

Once Sirius is unconscious of course, Snape's got no excuse to 
kill him personally, and takes him to the castle after all, 
consoling himself that at least Black will get kissed. 


Pippin