Snape's Worst Memory

[sophierom]

No: HPFGUIDX 87856

Meri:
> > > I am just reading the chapter in OotP when Harry looks into 
Snape's pensive, and I have just been wondering why Snape chose the 
memories he did to put into the pensive (mainly the one of his OWL 
and young James Potter tormenting him) and keep the ones (like the 
one of his father and mother yelling) that Harry could see.>

Oryomai:
> > I thought that it was Severus' way of sort of making common 
ground between the two of them -- crappy childhoods.  The only 
argument I can think of is that Severus didn't think Harry would be 
able to see them -- but then why would he have gotten rid of those 
memories in the first place?

Meri: 
> Also, Dumbledore would have informed Snape that Harry knows what a 
> Pensive is, and that his curiosity would certainly lead him to 
look in it if given th opportunity. All I can think is that Snape 
maybe wanted Harry to see that memory, no matter what his reaction 
after the fact. 

Sophierom:

I'm not sure that Snape wanted Harry to see the memory of the OWL 
day.  If Snape did want this, then his blowing up at Harry at the 
end of the chapter was all an act, an excuse to stop the lessons.  
This is certainly plausible, and it might be evidence to support 
Snape's continuing alliance with the DEs, but I'd like to think that 
this isn't the case.  

Instead, what if Dumbledore orchestrated the whole thing? What if 
Dumbledore told Snape to use his Pensive, but didn't tell him about 
Harry's previous knowledge of the pensive?("Severus, why don't you 
use my Pensive so that you can maintain your privacy?") Snape 
immediately thinks of his interactions with MWPP. Perhaps his 
horrible childhood memories are so deeply buried that he doesn't 
consciously think about removing them from his head.  Then, what if 
Snape left the Pensive on his desk without thinking about it, 
figuring that Harry was too inexperienced to know what it was, 
anyway.  But Dumbledore knew that if Harry saw the Pensive, he'd 
look into it when he got the chance, just as he did before in 
Dumbledore's own office. 

In this slightly implausible scenario, it would be Dumbledore, not 
Snape, who wanted Harry to experience the memory.  DD wanted Harry 
to understand why it was that Snape hated Harry so much.  Perhaps 
Dumbledore also wanted Harry to realize that no one (not even a dead 
father who was once a great Quidditch player, Head Boy, and all-
around hero) is perfect.  

To be sure, this would be a very roundabout way of trying to teach 
Harry some lessons. But given Dumbledore's teaching methods, it 
doesn't seem too out of character. Or does it? What do you think?

Best,
Sophierom