Pensieve question...

[meltowne]

No: HPFGUIDX 76720

bibphile" <bibphile at y...> wrote:
Karen <ktd7 at y...> wrote:
In Snape's penseive, Harry saw 
Snape following James & Co. He was concerned that Snape wouldn't 
stay where he could see his father, but Snape stayed near them. It 
appeared as though Snape was deliberately staying in viewing/hearing 
range of the group 

bibphile <bibphile at y...> :

I don't think Snape was within earshot of them...

He was within sight of them, but he was so absorbed in his exam 
paper that I don't even know if he was aware of their presence until 
they called out his "name." 

ME:
It certainly looked like he was absorbed in the exam, but it's 
possible he was pretending to be absorbed so they wouldn't notice 
him - of if they did, they wouldn't know he was spying.  This of 
course would imply that he may have known more about Lupin's status 
than he let on.

Karen:
If the penseive records memories from the user's perspective, can 
those memories be trusted as fact, or are they tainted by the 
user's own feelings? 

Bibphile:
I don't think it does.  If we were limited to what Snape couls see 
and hear, we wouldn't know James was doodling "L.E." on his paper. 
James was three aisle over from Snape. Snape certainly wasn't 
looking on his paper.

ME:
Our brains "see" much more than we pay attention to.  It is possible 
that James was visible doing this in Snape's peripheral vision.  His 
brain recorded it, even if it didn't register.  I view it much like 
photographic memory.  I knew someone in high school who truly had 
photographic memory following a head injury.  He had difficulty 
studying/memorizing, but if he made sure he read everything relevant, 
he could recall it an "reread" it from memory during his exams.

Karen:
If the penseive works like a video recorder, it would be a 
convenient way to find out from any person whether they are 
telling the truth about a given event without having to use a 
veritas potion.  If it is a video recorder, then why couldn't the 
MoM use it with Harry to find out if Voldemort really returned or 
not?

Bibphile:
They don't want the truth.  They want comfortable lies.

ME:
I absolutely agree.  Admitting the LV is back would require Fudge to 
actively do something about it (but he has no idea what to do).  By 
not admitting it to the WW in general, he doesn't have to listen to 
the Wizarding public compain that nothing is being done.  

I view the pensieve as recording what that person *could* perceive if 
they were paying attention to details.  It might be much like using 
only 1 sense rather 2 or 3 to experience something; much like a deep 
gash in your leg hurting more once you see the blood.