Two Questions and a Request

[SnapesSlytherin at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 87838

While re-reading OoP, I came up with two questions (only one of which involves Snape!) and one request.

1. Why are the memories of Snape's that Harry sees set up the way they are?  To understand what I mean, we have to see the passage:
OoP, page 591-591 American Hardback Edition (yea baby!)
Snape staggered; his wand flew upward; away from Harry -- and suddenly Harry's mind was teeming with memories that were not his -- a hook-nosed man was shouting at a cowering woman, while a small dark-haired boy cried in a corner . . .. A greasy-haired teenager sat alone in a dark bedroom, pointing his wand at the ceiling, shooting down flies . . .. A girl was laughing as a scrawny boy tried to mount a bucking broomstick-
<<END PASSAGE>>

My question is this: Why are Severus' memories shown from a third person POV?  Why didn't Harry see from inside Severus' head?  Why are his memories viewed as if he was outside his body watching himself?  Any ideas?

2. What is the point of the Katie Bell episode?  Here it is:

OoP, page 377-378 American Hardback Edition
An ink pellet whizzed past them, striking Katie Bell squarely in the ear.  Hermione watched Katie leap to her feet and start throwing things at Peeves; it was a few moments befor Hermione spoke again and it sounded as though she was choosing her words very carefully.
"You don't think he has become ... sort of .... reckless...since he's been cooped up in Grimmauld Place?  You don't think he's...kind of...living through us?"
"What d'you mean 'living through us'?" Harry retorted.
"I mean...well, I think he'd love to be forming secret defense societies right under the nose of someone from the Ministry....I think he's really frustrated at how little he can do where he is...so I think he's keen to kind of...egg us on."
Ron looked utterly perplexed.
"Sirius is right," he said, "you *do* sound just like my mother."
Hermione bit her lower lip and did not answer.  The bell rang just as Peeves swooped down upon Katie and emptied an entire ink bottle over her head.
<<END PASSAGE>>
Notice that the conversation in between the Peeves v. Katie battle is important to the plot.  Why was Peeves v. Katie included at all?  Is it going to be important later, or is it just a funny episode?

And now my request: My English teacher gave me permission to attach a "Harry Potter Appendix" to all of my papers, since I couldn't restrain myself from talking about it in the papers themselves (my entire Inferno/The Prince essay was about HP!).  Our next paper is about moral ambiguity, and it *screams* to me to write a Severus Snape paper for her.  I was wondering if any of you have strong feelings about Severus (either for or against him) - and I know you do! - if you could e-mail me off-list and say why he is and how it's important to the story.  Thanks!

Oryomai