[HPforGrownups] Re: Snape's Insignificant Question During Occlumency

[Sue Porter]

No: HPFGUIDX 77129




>From: "Diana" <doomfloatie at yahoo.com>
>Reply-To: HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com
>To: HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [HPforGrownups] Re: Snape's Insignificant Question During 
>Occlumency
>Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2003 08:31:15 -0000
>
>>This was my first thought after having finished the book. I wonder exactly 
>>why
>Snape always dotes on Draco and prizes him so highly, when it's obvious
>Draco serves more of a parallel to James Potter than Harry ever has. There
>are, of course, huge differences between James and Draco, but the
>cockiness, the adoring fans from his house, the bullying and picking on
>people when they're doing harmless things -- all the traits of 
>Pensieve!James
>that came as such a shock to Harry can be found in Draco. Is Snape really
>completely blind? I imagine so, he's carrying a heavy vendetta against 
>Harry
>for his father's offenses, and we already know Snape is happy enough to 
>turn
>a blind eye in the general direction of Slytherin house. But is it possible
>Snape has other motives for praising/prizing Draco? Besides the obvious
>(getting in Lucius's good graces, for one), does Snape have some
>psychological aspect, some feeling in his subconscious blinding him towards
>Draco's malicious actions? Perhaps Snape could realize the parallels
>between Draco and James and realize how easy it is to encourage a cocky
>teenage boy, and to aggravate the cockiness to new heights.
>
>*snerk* I, for one, would love a future chapter in which Draco sits, 
>horrified, as
>someone recounts all the similarities between James Potter and himself.
>
>

Dipping a little into fanfiction here (only slightly though, as ever since 
we discovered that Snape is trusted by DD, I have actually thought this) I 
believe Snape has an ulterior motive for 'doting' on Draco and turning a 
blind eye to most Slytherin bad behaviour. IMHO he is 'softening up' the 
Slytherins. By making the Griffindors work harder for any slight compliment 
or even an absence of criticism, he is making them tougher, learn more and 
be prepared for when things dont always go their way. Case in point - 
Neville. (I have always believed he had a much bigger role in the series 
than what we had seen of him). In OoTP, he is fighting back.
I dont remember any mention in canon about the treatment Snape hands out to 
other houses, so I have no proof that it isnt just an anti-Griffindor 
attitude. However, by making things easy for the Slytherins, they get lazy 
and complacent. The attitude is that they will get good grades by not doing 
anything much at all. Hence we usually see Slytherins coming off second best 
in most instances.
There has to be some compelling reason why DD trusts Snape so much. He has 
asserted this often enough, but I just cant see DD allowing such blatant 
favoritism if there were not a benefit to his beloved Griffindors.
Has this thought already been posted? Sorry in advance if it has.
Sue

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