OOP: It is Snape's fault!!!!

[Kelly]

No: HPFGUIDX 66719


Pickle Jimmy wrote:

> I read through the rest of this thread, and unless I missed it, foung
> one point lacking.
>
> What evidence do we have that Snape knew that Harry knew what a
> pensieve was or how it worked?
>
> If we are to assume (and I am not saying he didn't) that Snape either
> provoked Harry to look at his memory by showing Harry that he'd
> removed it and also where he'd put it; or that Snape was "stupid" to
> try and hide his memory by doing it in front of Harry; we have to
> also say Snape knew Harry knew what a pensieve was.
>
> If you walked into a room (having no pre-pensieve knowledge) and saw
> Snape put his wand to his temple and pull out silvery stuff and stick
> it in a bowl, you'd probably think that it had something to do with
> the fact that he had very greasy hair.
>
> If Snape was not aware of Harry's pre-pensieve knowledge/experience,
> why would he worry that Harry had seen him use it? Or think that
> Harry would know how to retrieve his memories from it? >>>>>


Tanya:

I think it is a fair enough point that Snape may not have thought that 
Harry had any idea what a pensieve is, or how it works. However I would 
like to point out that the first time he encountered a pensieve Harry 
had absolutely no idea what it was or how it worked - yet he had no 
trouble in using it, so it doesn't seem to be an especially difficult 
object to use.

However, if we presume that Snape had no knowledge about Harry's 
previous pensieve experience - wouldn't that make even less sense for 
him to leave it out? (My logic here is admittedly based largely on 
conjecture... but here goes):

If Snape presumes Harry has no idea what he is doing, then he would also 
presume that what he is doing looks extremely bizarre and mysterious to 
Harry. Given Harry's previous track record trying to figure out and 
tackle things by himself, especially in PS/SS and CoS, (and I don't see 
how Snape - as one of Dumbledore's most trusted and competent staff - 
could fail to know at least something of these events), added to Snapes 
already low opinion of Harry, doesn't it make sense that Snape would 
already think of Harry as, well, extremely nosy?

One could argue that perhaps he simply wasn't expecting an interruption, 
but considering the fact he already had a cover story ready, along with 
his general character - Snape strikes me as generally being cautious, as 
someone who would think out possible risks/scenarios ahead of time - it 
seems unlikely that he would not have considered the possibility of an 
interruption.

On the other hand, if he knows about Harry's previous experience with a 
pensieve wouldn't he assume that Harry would at the least be polite 
enough not to look into the pensieve? After all that sort of thing 
strikes me as what would probably be considered quite a breach of 
wizarding-ethic, perhaps Snape simply never suspected that even Harry 
Potter would ever do such a thing? Given his reaction afterwards I find 
it very, very difficult to believe Snape left the Pensieve out 
deliberately to lure Harry. (Though there is probably room to argue he 
did so subconsciously...)

Tanya.