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

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 87767

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Silverthorne Dragon" 
<silverthorne.dragon at v...> wrote:
> The point is, Both charcters have faults...and honestly, they both 
contribute to the situation between them. 

Sorry, me again, but it is too convenient to say that both characters 
contributed to the terrible miscommunication between them. I 
absolutely refuse to place equal blame for it on the shoulders of the 
adult and a child. 


Tell me what exactly Harry did to Snape at their first lesson for him 
attacking the boy so unfairly?


Harry could still very easily fall into Darkness, especially if he 
allows resentment for his situation and the role he is 'destined' to 
play to continue to grow. Snape DOES need to quit chewing so much and 
learn to present what he's trying to present in a different manner 
(Although, even if he were to politely explain his reasons for what 
he does, would Harry really listen...or blow him off?). Both are 
equally in danger, bnoth are being asked to go beyond far beyond what 
either of them had dreamed for themselves. Both will need strength of 
character to survive this intact.

Oh, I respect and love Snape for him trying to fight for redemption, 
but at the same time I absolutely despise him for what he does to 
Harry. No, actually I trust Rowling words - she mentioned somewhere 
that harry will not join the darkness.
 
> The difference is that Harry's 'packaging', so to speak, is 
prettier (far far closer to what most people have experienced in 
thier lives)...and has better marketing (we know almost everything 
going on with him, his thoughts, his emotions, his history, his 
reasoning, etc...an advantage we don;t have with Snape--what we see 
of Snape is through Harry's eyes, and has Harry's values and 
interpretations placed upon it all..).
> 

We don't know what is in Snape's head and I would LOVE to know that, 
but no matter how much mystery we will uncover about him, it does not 
change the fact that Harry is the innocent, Snape ont he other hand 
already been on the Dark side and he supposed to know better.
 
> And that's fine--I can understand where you are coming from. Not to 
put too fine a point on it...but unless you've experinced mental 
abuse, it's hard to recognize it when it really does happen, and 
people tend to confuse it for other things, that although unpleasant 
to experience, do not leave a permanent mark on the psyche (Note that 
Harrys actions and thoughts about himself are never altered when 
Snape has gotten after him. It is in fact disregarded as Snape just 
being a git again. Most of the children in fact tend to harbor that 
attitude about Snape--much the same as most adults that have suffered 
his tongue probably treat it. "Oh, there he is again, being a 
snark...we don't really need to pay him any mind...."). 
> 
> Mental abuse is also far more subtle than people realize. It will 
rarely make you angry--but it will certainly eat away at your self 
worth. The verbal fireworks you see between Harry and Snape rarely 
happen in a 'real' abusive situation--it's usually far more quiet and 
pervasive to the abusee. Which is why it's so hard to catch a 'real' 
case in action....until it's too late and the damage has already been 
done to the child. You aren't challanged in your beleifs in an 
abusive situation (Which gives you the chance to fight back, much as 
Harry does when Snape takes a swipe at his actions)--you are 
catagorically broken down and reduced to nothing over time and 
constant reminders of how worthless you really are. Again, the 
distinction is hard to see--unless you've lived through it. And I 
honestly hope that you haven't. It's a horrid, dark, evil place to be-
-and a situation I would not wish on my worst enemy. If you live 
through it, it takes years to crawl back into some semblence of 
sanity and self-worth...you have to learn to trust people 
again...and, no matter your nature, you have to learn somehow not to 
repeat your abusers' mistakes on someone else. It takes time, 
support, love...and it is never easy to understand from an outside 
POV. ABout the only good thing is does is teach one inner strength, 
and give you the knowledge of the difference between a snarky person 
and a truly abusive one.
> 
> **Really going to quit now, before we start up again....lol....**
> 
> And....**offers handshake and/or hug** NO offence meant, or taken. 
I hope we can still get aloing, even though some of our opinions are 
diametrically opposed...
> 
> Anne
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


Oh, no offence is taken of course, but please don't say that unless 
person lived through abuse , she/he can't recognise it for what it is.
I worked with the victims of abuse, I studied it a lot and to me 
there are no degrees of abuse - the person is either abusive or not 
and Snape in my book certainly is. I hope he will find some peace at 
the end, but so far he is pathetic, almost irreparably damaged human 
being and I feel bad for him, but I can't respect him as a teacher of 
the younglings, although he gets some respect as a spy. I am very far 
though from calling him a hero. Not yet. Maybe when he dies for 
Harry, I will. ;)


Alla