Harry in NEWT Potions Class? (Was: Is Snape confident?)

[Blair]

No: HPFGUIDX 87668

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at y...> wrote:
> No? Why not? :o) I am not going to be offended if you'll attack my 
> argument, only if you decide to attack me personally. :o)

I was kicked off a list for less.

> I think fairness should go both sides. Snape is one of my 
favourites 
> in the books, but he is also the character, which I sadistically 
> enjoy picking up on. :o)
> 
> Be fair, doesn't Snape refusal to teach Harry's occlumency sounds a 
> little bit suspicious to you?
> As I said earlier although I understand why Harry went into 
pensieve, 
> I also think that he was very wrong to do so.

I'm taking the chapter as what it says.  Severus stopped teaching 
Harry Occulmency because Harry looked in the Pensieve.  Given 
Severus' temperment, that doesn't sound out of character, does it?  I 
didn't think there was anything else to it besides his embarassment 
of his past being shown.  Severus probably thinks Harry is going to 
tell people.  Also given his habit to confuse Harry with James, 
Severus would think that Harry would be amused by it.

> So, Snape is a member of the Order, supposedly an honest and 
trusted 
> one. He knows what kind of risks they may run into with Harry's 
mind 
> open to Voldemort influence and he still can't get over his old 
> hurts. Despite supposedly being a superb occlumence, he could not 
> control his emotions. They got the best of him. don't you think 
that 
> it may be foreshadowing of his future?

I don't think it's fair to ask someone to just "get over" something.  
Different people hold grudges for different lengths of time.  I 
thought that when Severus was first teaching Harry Occulmency and he 
yelled about weak people not being able to control their emotions, he 
was speaking from personal experience.  "Emotion, agitation or 
disturbance of the mind...Vehement or excited mental state.  It is 
also a powerful and irrational master."  No one can control their 
emotions.

> You know, I disagree with the previous poster's choice of words 
> rather strongly, but if you ask for fairness, I'd like to see some 
> fairness from Snape apologists too. :o)

Fairness how?

> For example, I was staring at my computer with disbelief, when I 
read 
> somebody's post (I think it was Pip, if not, I apologise) that 
Snape 
> was less at fault for Sirius' death than Harry was.
> If you tell me that you agree with this statement, I would say that 
> you are not being fair either.

I think most of the blame for Sirius' death lies with Dumbledore.  I 
see where Harry's fault lies.  But where does Severus'?  I'm not 
being a jerk, I just don't entirely understand how it's his fault.  
When Harry told him that the Death Eaters had Sirius, Severus went 
off and alerted the Order, told them where to go, and *asked Sirius 
to stay behind* (well, I'm sure he didn't ask.  I'm sure it was 
something nasty, but still).  What exactly did Severus do?

> Was Snape in danger of failing of the broom instead of Harry? He 
was 
> doing his job.

I actually find it hard to believe that no one else noticed that 
either of them was muttering.  I honestly still don't see how this is 
his job.
 
> Of course I don't think that you are stupid and it is your right to 
> think so, but I do think that it is another excuse to justify 
> Severus' abuse of Harry and Neville.

Severus really shouldn't abused Harry and Neville like he does.  But 
someone has to stick up for him!  You're much more likely to find a 
billion people who hate Severus Snape than you are to find a bunch of 
people who hate Hagrid (I really really really really hate him!!!!).  
But there are people like Severus in the world outside Hogwarts.  I 
can comprehend why he harasses Harry like he does, but I'm still 
completely in the dark about why he does it to Neville as well.

My defense of Severus is mostly a case of overlooking a person's 
flaws.  The majority of this list does it about their favorite 
characters.  I mean, Remus just sat by while James and Sirius 
harasses Severus.  It's not the general consensus of the list that he 
is a horrible human being.  Hermione called Firenze a horse.  She's 
not obviously a wretched woman.  It's not accepted that Sirius is a 
bad guy because he confuses James with Harry.  And Malfoy...well, 
that's a bad example.  Forget I mentioned him.  :-D

Oryomai