Dumbledore's mistakes -Occlumency

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 74524

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Richelle Votaw" <rvotaw at i...>
wrote:
> ... I keep noticing mistakes Dumbledore has made.  ...
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> 2) Not telling Harry specifically why he wanted him to study
Occlumency.  Big mistake.  Snape's "because Dumbledore said so"
reasoning isn't enough for Harry, ...
>
> ...edited...
> 
> Richelle

bboy_mn:

Actually, Snape did tell Harry exactly why he should study Occlumency,
but Harry's emotions and intense dislike for Snape distracted him and
it never really sunk in.

---OoP Am Ed HB Pg 533---
(Snape is speaking)
"The important point is that the Dark Lord is now aware that you are
gaining access to his thoughts and feelings. He has also deduced that
the process is likely to work in reverse; that is to say, he has
realized that he might be able to access your thoughts and feelings in
return--"

"And he might try and make me do things?" asked Harry ...

"He might," said Snape, sounding cold and unconcerned. "Which brings
us back to Occlumency."
---end quote---

You see, Harry actually said it himself, but the animosity between the
 two of them is so intense that it really doesn't sink in. The only
thing Harry notices is that Snape is cold and unconcerned, like he
could care less if Voldemort gained access to Harry's thoughts or made
him do things. This doesn't give Harry much confidence that Snape is
truly trying to help him. 

While Snape may be very qualified and adept at Occlumency, having him
teach Harry is like putting to mad dogs in a cage and asking them to
play nice. It just isn't going to work.

On one hand, Harry does give sign that he can do this, and there may
be some advantage to learning under high stress circumstances. That
would certainly give you the ability to resist mental intrusion at the
 hands of Voldemort or the DE's, but it doesn't strike me as the
fastest or most effective way to do it. 

Harry is not going to be in a high stress environment before he goes
to bed every night. So, teaching Harry in a less emotionally charge
atmosphere would have probably allowed him to become functional
faster. That would have solved the immediate problem. Then they could
have practiced from there until Harry got good enough to resist under
stress.

So, while Snape's methods might have been very effective in the long
run, they really didn't have time for a 'long run' approach.

On the other hand, other than Dumbledore, who, while accessible, is
very busy with other things; Voldemort, the Order, Umbridge, the
school, the Ministry, etc.... I think on top of not wanting Voldemort
to see how close Harry was to Dumbledore, Dumbledore a very full plate.

So who does that leave other than Snape? Who could have, would have,
and should have taught Harry instead? Snape is at school, he is
readily accessible, he and Harry can interact without causing
suspicion, and Snape is good at Occlumency.

The only other person I can think of is Moody, but we really don't
know how good he is at Occlumency. He must have some functional
ability to have been a sucessful Auror for so many years, but we know
Snape is capable of regularly fooling Voldemort and the DE's, so he
must be really good.

Conclusion: I agree that putting Snape and Harry together was asking
for trouble, but what were the alternatives?

Just a thought.

bboy_mn