Harry is an ungratful spoiled brat. Was: Snape is evil

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 67898

>Both are at fault.
 
It's awfully convenient, I've found, to say "both are at fault" when 
one wishes to avoid assigning blame to one party, even though one 
side might deserve it more.

Thankfully, I'm bold, arrogant and, some would say, stupid enough to 
try to assign blame.

> From the beginning of the first Potions class, Harry has never 
tried  to even be nice to Snape--in many cases, he has given Snape 
plenty of reasons to hate him.  Granted, while Snape made the 
first "move," Harry didn't act like a wonderful little person and 
accept it but not fight back... he just fought back.

Well, now we know what Harry should have done. He should have turned 
the other cheek. He should have been the mature one.

Except HE was the 11-year-old and Snape was the 30-something man in a 
position of authority. 

But, hey, let's expect Harry to have the patience of a saint.

Snape took off on Harry at the very first lesson. He singled out 
Harry for ridicule, commented on him not reading the book, when it 
was clear no one else but Hermione did, and then docked a point.

But Harry is supposed to be the mature one. He's supposed to turn the 
other cheek and he is considered to have equal blame when he doesn't.

I've long found the "Snape has saved Harry's hide" to be completely 
overrated and anyway, Harry has saved Snape's hide on one ocassion as 
well, when he fended off the dementors at the end of PoA. So, at the 
very least, I consider them even.

Here's the thing, and there is no getting around it.

Snape is supposed to be the adult. He's the teacher. He's the one in 
a position of responsibility and a position of power. Furthermore, 
he's the one who knows how important Harry is and how high the stakes 
are.

Are both "at fault"? I suppose if you fault Harry for not taking the 
attack and then washing the feet of his attacker, yes, then both are 
at fault.

But expecting a pre-pubescent boy to react perfectly is wrong, in my 
opinion.

So, where do I assign blame? At the feet of Snape. 

Simply put, he's the one with the issue with Harry, one that is 
entirely unfair, considering that he has to know Harry was too young 
when James died to have had any memory, let alone upbringing, from 
James.

And as the adult, he's the one that needs to damn well get over it.

So, no, I don't accept the "both at fault" cop-out.

Darrin