Snape the Iconoclast

[S Handel]

No: HPFGUIDX 78546

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "abigailnus" <abigailnus at y...> 
wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "melclaros" <melclaros at y...> 
wrote:
> 
> Snip great stuff about McGonagal's reaction to Harry and George 
> attacking Malfoy two against one, versus the obvious non-reaction 
to 
> James and Sirius' attack on Snape.  I completely agree, and I'd 
like to 
> add that we see how un-Gryffindor it is to gang up on someone later 
in 
> the book, when the four Aurors attack McGonagal at once, and Hagrid 
> is enraged and calls them cowards.
> 
> > The 2nd slap comes from Snape himself during the Occulmency 
lesson.
> > In what appears to be a hypocritical tirade about sulking and 
holding 
> > grudges, on closer reading becomes a WARNING to Harry.
> > 
> 
> <snip quote from book>
> 
> > 
> > A warning indeed. Severus has just given Harry a list of the 
> > weaknesses V. "looks for". One of them was his. He sees Harry 
sliding 
> > down that very same slippery slope.
> 
> It's interesting that you should mention the slippery slope, Mel, 
because 
> I've been wondering about another Occlumency lesson.
> 
> Chapter 26, Seen and Unforseen, p. 521 UK Hardcover.  Snape has 
just 
> seen Harry's dream of Rookwood, and has concluded that Harry hasn't 
> been practicing his Occlumency:
> 
> ------------
> 
> '"Perhaps," said Snape, his dark, cold eyes narrowing 
slightly, "perhaps 
> you actually enjoy having those visions and dreams, Potter.  Maybe 
they 
> make you feel special - important?"
> 
> "No, they don't," said Harry, his jaw set and his fingers clenched 
tightly 
> around the handle of his wand.
> 
> "That is just as well, Potter," said Snape coldly, "because you are 
neither 
> special nor important, and it is not up to you to find out what the 
Dark 
> Lord is saying to his Death Eaters."'
> 
> ------------
> 
> With his first observation, Snape hits the nail on the head.  Harry 
may not 
> exactly enjoy his dreams, but he does want to continue having 
them.  
> 
> Abigail
> 
> Who has been corrected about the origin of the theory named George -
 
> apparently it was Marina who named it, not Elkins.  My apologies to 
> both of them.

Sorry for the huge snip Abigail.  Your post was great 
but....sorry....when I read it it hit me smack on the head.  And I 
thought you had the same idea I had at first.  I think the reason 
Snape joined Voldemort was explained in his lecture to Harry about 
feeling important.  What if Voldemort did the same thing to Snape?  
What if he was able to get into Snapes head and lure him as he did 
Harry.  It would make Snape feel important that someone so powerful 
was using HIM.  I think that is why he was at least trying to help 
Harry learn Occlumency.  I think Snape was used by Voldemort and then 
to his chagrin, found out that he meant nothing to Voldemort.  He was 
just a pawn.  Did any of this make any sense?
Susan