Harry in Snape's DADA?

[greatelderone]

No: HPFGUIDX 76013

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboy_mn at y...> wrote:
> bboy_mn:
> First, the OWL Potions exam. Harry found the written 
exam 'difficult'.
> In the practical exam, Harry thought is was not 'as dreadful as he 
had
> expected' but that would still imply dreadful, just not as dreadful,
> and that he was 'more relaxed'. Then in Harry's own words, "Harry
> corked his sample flask feeeling that he might not have achieved a
> good grade but that he had, with luck, avoided a fail."

> In most potions classes, we learn how badly Harry did by the color 
and
> general appearance of his potion. So Harry would have some idea
> whether the potion looked exactly as it should have looked. Based on
> his own words he doesn't seem that confident. 

Except we the readers this time don't have direct evidence(such as 
the color and description of the brewed potion) to see how well Harry 
did on the potions practical and instead are relying on Harry's 
feelings and perceptions which are notoriously pessimistic in regard 
to exams like in SS/PS where he was amazed that he passed all the 
exams with good marks and in PoA where he thought that he failed the 
potions exam and when he did pass he thought that Dumbledore had 
pulled some strings with Snape instead of thinking that he passed 
based on his own merits.
 
> Certainly, we all think he did better than he gives himself credit
> for. Harry thinks, with luck, he passed ('Acceptable'), we think he
> exceeded that, which would logically be 'Exceeded Expectation'. But 
to
> assume that a student, Harry, has gone from years of history as
> marginal and just bearly passing, all the way to 'Outstanding' is
> asking a little too much.

GEO: think you have to agree that Harry being marginal at Potions in 
Snape's class probably means that he is around E or A for the 
ministry levels considering that Harry is a gryffindor who are 
usually treated harshly by Snape and that he is also James's son and 
thus he is singled out by Snape for mockery.

> No doubt he has done well, but to think he
> has moved to top of the class, top grades is hoping for something 
that
> certainly isn't supported by the books.

GEO:
Why not? When Snape ignored him in Ootp he was able to brew the 
invigoration draught quite easily. If anything BookV has shown that 
he is actually fairly good at potions when Snape is isn't picking on 
him or in his presence.

And remember many of the "top" students in Snape's potions class 
didn't earn their positions, but got them because they were 
Slytherins and thus favored by Snape.