[HPforGrownups] OOP: It is Snape's fault!!!!

[Pen Robinson]

No: HPFGUIDX 67020


On Tuesday, Jul 1, 2003, at 22:13 Europe/London, Maria Ribera wrote:

> There are over a hundred digest emails on my inbox, and i am not going
> to rush through them... that way i would miss the discussions and then
> repeat them over and over. However, there is something i need to get
> out of my chest and so far i haven't seen anyone discuss yet, so if the
> message title appeals to you please scroll down to the end of the
> spoiler space.
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> Enough.
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> OK, so far i have been reading the different sides defending both Harry
> and Snape. I agree with those that say that Harry was not very polite
> nor respectful looking into Snape's memories, and i also agree with
> those who say that Snape should be the adult of the two and behave
> accordingly, resuming the Occlumancy lessons with Harry.
>
> But my point is: Snape should never have removed his memories in front
> of Harry! Please! If you have something you want to hide, why hide it
> in front of other people and let them see where you are hiding it!
> Sorry for the abuse of the exclamation marks, but i find it a bit silly
> for an adult not to know that a teenager's curiosity will be stronger
> than his or her good conscience. It would have been more logical if
> Snape had put his memories into the pensieve before 6 o'clock, before
> Harry arrives in his office, then put the pensieve away and then
> welcome Harry for his class, and the same at the end, wait for Harry to
> leave before getting those memories back. So yes, Harry did something
> very wrong, but i think in a way Snape provoked him.
>
> That's my point. Any thoughts?
>

You're perfectly right,

BUT

...since the book is written from Harry's perspective, if Snape had 
done the logical thing here we would never have known that he removed 
any thoughts, and I for one find the fact rather intriguing!

I think it's important that we know Snape did this - as well as, of 
course, it being interesting and probably important information that we 
(as well as Harry) receive from the illicit peek into Snape's memories. 
   If Snape had behaved as you suggest, neither we nor Harry would have 
obtained the information about Snape's and James' adolescent behaviour, 
and Snape would not have had a reason to go ballistic and refuse to 
teach Harry any more.

Sometimes the logic of writing a book conflicts with the logic within 
the book, and in this instance, the writer's logic has come first.

I spose we'll have to fall back on the well-known fact that wizards are 
not good at logic.

Pen