Snape and Dumbledore playing good cop, bad cop...

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 87819

I'm curious, some people think that Snape and Dumbledore are playing 
some kind of "good cop, bad cop" game with the children. What do you 
think?

Also,
I understand that although Snape is a real jerk, he is a tough and 
dedicated teacher. (I'm not saying that he is a fair teacher, just 
that he takes his job seriously and expects his students to achieve 
high marks.) Harry is one of those kids that has talent but doesn't 
really apply himself. (Hermione is always helping Ron and Harry with 
their lessons.) I know that there is nothing more frustrating for a 
teacher than to see a kid that has potential but no goals in life. 
Snape obviously thinks that Harry is a smart mouth punk who is always 
breaking school rules. (Of course, Snape's hatred of Harry stems 
partly from jealousy. Harry has natural talent--unlike Snape who had 
to work hard to get where he's at.) 

Also,
If Snape only hates Harry because he is a rule breaker like his 
father was, why doesn't Snape show the same kind of hatred towards 
Fred and George? How many hexes do you think Fred and George played 
while they were in school? And would you say that they are bad 
people? 

I wonder why Snape hates Hermione? She is a dedicated student, she 
pays attention in class, and achieves high marks. Is it because she 
is friends with Harry? Does Snape really hate "mudbloods" or is that 
also part of his act? If he is prejudiced, it probably kills Snape to 
see talent coming from a person like Hermione (a mudblood). 

Why does he torment Neville? Do you really think that he is just 
toughing him up for the real world? I don't think so. 

I think Snape's hatred of Harry boils down to jealousy. Snape has had 
to work hard to get to where he is, and Harry, who doesn't try at 
all, has more natural ability and talent. Even Hermione who is a 
dedicated student realizes (in book one) that there is more to being 
a great wizard than just cleverness. Snape probably also sees this 
limitation in himself, so Harry's natural ability probably burns him 
up!

Also,
I wonder why Snape isn't allowed to teach DADA classes? Why would 
this class bring out Snape's bad side and not his potions class which 
could also be used for evil. Is the DADA position really jinxed?, or 
is it something else? 
The only thing I can think of is that Snape must have lost control in 
the past and hurt some innocent person while doing DADA. (He was 
after all part of the DE.) Is this the real reason why James Potter 
picked on Snape in school? I remember that in the begining of OOTP 
Harry was also picking on Dudley. Was James picking on a bully like 
Dudley? 
Snape is verbally abusive to his students. Perhaps DADA in the hands 
of someone like Snape could become lethal to a student (or could be 
lethal to Snape if he makes the students angry--HAHA). Maybe DADA can 
only be done successfully by those who are emotionally balanced, 
those who also have love in them, which serves to keep DADA in check. 

I do not see much love in Snape's heart.

I'm not saying that any of the characters are perfect, they all have 
faults! Harry has a disregard for rules and shares many of his 
father's faults, but he is also kind and good hearted like his 
mother. 

Snape is one of my favorite wizards so I'm not trashing him. He is a 
complex and interesting character and I cannot wait to see how he 
will turn out.