Who's at fault for Snape v. Harry?

[SnapesSlytherin at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 67968

In a message dated 7/6/03 7:34:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time, bard7696 at aol.com 
writes:
> 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.

"Both are at fault" is also a way of saying "I don't want to get anyone 
angry".

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

...No comment here!  It's too easy!  ;-)


> 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.

He *is* the Boy Who Lived after all.  Isn't he damn near a saint to most of 
the Wizarding World?

> 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.

Do you remember *why* Harry had to save Snape?  HRH stunned him.  Unlike when 
Snape used the countercurse.  Harry wasn't unconsious with no means of 
defending himself.  As Snape was.  I don't think it's really "saving their hide" if 
they don't even have a chance to save themselves.  Not like Snape was just 
gonna spontaneously wake up and stop the Dementors...

> 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.

Really?  Snape is supposed to be the adult but there are wounds that never 
heal.  I can't imagine being in Snape's position and having to look at someone 
who is the spitting image of my tormentor.  (Hm...spitting image is a strange 
phrase, isn't it?)

> 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.

Washing the feet of his attacker?  I'm just kinda confused...I don't get the 
phrase...I'm not being a jerk or anything.  I don't know what it means, so I 
can't really comment on it.

> 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.

Until we know all the details of The Prank, we can't know what the 
psychological damage of it was.  There's no way of knowing repurcussions of things we 
don't know about.  For all we know, Snape was in shock or something for weeks.  
On the other hand, maybe he was back in action the next day.  He's like the 
posthumously perfect Sirius in that account: He sees James in Harry.  How can he 
not?  Everyone tells Harry he looks just like his father except for the eyes.

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

Both weren't at fault in the beginning, I'll give all the anti-Snapes that.  
But now, as Harry grows older, he should know Snape isn't gonna lay off.  He's 
managed to get over Draco.  Snape's just that kind of person.  They exist in 
real life.  They may be unfair, but that's their right.  No one has to be nice 
to anyone.  It's a personal choice.  It may be perceived to some people as 
wrong or immature or whatever the hell we're calling it today.  But Snape's 
allowed to have whatever feelings he wants.

~*~*~Oryomai~*~*~
--On a completely different note, in regard to the Gred & Forge's joke shop, 
does anyone have any canon that says they changed it?


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]