[HPforGrownups] re: DADA

[imhotep1]

No: HPFGUIDX 68257

Melanie wrote:

>I have a weird question.  I've seen in several posts on several forums over the months I've been a "Potterhead" that Dumbledore doesn't "trust" Snape with the DADA position.  
>
>Erm...I guess my question is, why not?  I just don't get what connection there is to teaching kids Defense Against the Dark Arts and Dumbledore thinking Snape might still be evil.  I reckon I could understand it more if it was just "Dark Arts" that he'd be teaching...maybe in that scenario he could be recruiting for Voldy?  But *Defense Against* the Dark Arts...I don't get what's wrong with that.
>
>Can someone take my hand and lead me somewhere private and explain the facts of life to me regarding this?
>
>  
>
I should preface my comments with he fact that I trust that Snape is not 
working for Voldemort, but there is some room to be suspicious.  The big 
issue is there isn't much difference between Dark Arts and DADA, it's 
more how you use it.  It is a similar issue with firearms.  People can 
take firearms courses to learn to protect themselves, or for more 
nefarious purposes, but it's the same courses.  In a DADA course you 
learn all the same spells, but the focus is on using them judiciously 
and only in self defence. 

My concern is perhaps Dumbledore says he trusts Snape not because he 
actually trusts him, but because he doesn't trust him.  If Dumbledore 
doesn't trust Snape, and wants to keep an eye on him because he suspects 
he is a spy, then he would do almost anything to make it appear as 
though he had no idea Snape was a spy.  If he told HHR he was supicious 
of snape, then Snape might be able to find out, and the jig would be 
up.  This would also explain why Harry seemed to do WORSE under Snapes 
Occulomency lessons, than we has before. 

Mind you, I don't think this is the case, but there does seem to be some 
room for suspicion.

-imhotep1