a lurker speaks - Snape's bias

[meltowne]

No: HPFGUIDX 83031

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Alison Williams" 
<alison.williams at v...> wrote:
> 
> I've just finished re-re-reading OoP and some things struck me this 
time
> (as either sad or funny or significant) that didn't before.  
Apologies
> if they've been discussed in depth in a batch of posts I missed (I 
can't
> keep up!).
> 
> Chapter 15 - "'Reparo,' Harry muttered, pointing his wand at the 
broken
> pieces of china. They flew back together, good as new, but there 
was no
> returning the Murtlap essence to the bowl."
> 
> Irreversable loss is such a strong theme and this is such a 
wonderfully
> understated image for it and for the limits of magic.  Especially as
> Murtlap essence is used to sooth pain.
> 
> Chapter 20 - "Harry looked right back, an expression of innocent
> determination on his face."
> 
> Because this so perfectly sums up Harry.
> 
> Chapter 21 - "'You're a r-really good teacher, you know,' said Cho, 
with
> a watery smile. 'I've never been able to Stun anything before."
> 
> What - not even Cedric?
> 
> But this is the one that seems to me to have some potentially 
serious
> implications for future developments.
> 
> Chapter 24 - "Snape had struck before Harry was ready, before he had
> even begun to summon any force of resistance. The office swam in 
front
> of his eyes and vanished; image after image was racing through his 
mind
> like a flickering film so vivid it blinded him to his surroundings. 
He
> was five, watching Dudley riding a new red bicycle, and his heart 
was
> bursting with jealousy: he was nine, and Ripper the bulldog was 
chasing
> him up a tree and the Dursleys were laughing below on the lawn: he 
was
> sitting under the Sorting Hat, and it was telling him he would do 
well
> in Slytherin: "  
> [My emphasis.]
> 
> Knowing how JKR likes to note significant things in a casual mention
> that you overlook, until it hits you on a later reading, I tend to 
study
> this sort of passage with suspicion.  Snake woundn't have known 
that the
> Sorting Hat seriously considered putting Harry in Slytherin.  Harry 
has
> very deliberately never told anyone except Dumbledore, and I can't 
see
> Dumbledore betraying such a confidence.  How might this effect 
Snape's
> attitude to him?  Given his outrageous bias towards the members of
> Slytherin House might it draw out - eventually - some grudging 
respect
> to know that the Hat was of the opinion that Harry 'would have done 
well
> in Slytherin'?
> 
> Going back into lurkdom now.
> 
> Alison
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]