We'll Never Ever Be Able To Guess The Sixth DADA Teacher

[oiboyz]

No: HPFGUIDX 83624

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Louis Badalament" 
<lb140900 at y...> wrote:
>With the DADA 
> professors, I believe we should approach this not so much in terms 
> of what we already know, what's already been done, but rather in 
> terms of, "Where have we *not* gone?"  And this is going to be  
> hard, because we know so very little about Book 6.

Great post, Louis-- that summed up the previous five DADA teachers 
very nicely. :)  JKR has definitely been following a certain set 
pattern in each book.  I expect that in Book 6, the DADA prof will be 
another complete stranger to us.  But I'll bet that JKR will then 
break her own rules in Book 7.

Louis Badalament again:
> 3)  Snape Already Had His Fling At Defense Against The Dark Arts
>    It was in Book Three, remember? 
(snip)
>On one hand, I'm absolutely 
> certain that Rowling will reveal still more about Snape's character 
> in future  books, it won't be in Defense Against The Dark Arts.  
> DADA revels  nothing new about his character.

I know it's the World's Most Obvious Theory, but I believe that Snape 
*is* getting the DADA post in Book 7.  And I wouldn't say that his 
one turn as substitute teacher in PoA was a fair look at what he'd be 
like.  He spent that entire class trying to undermine Lupin-- first 
by criticizing his teaching ability, then by making everyone learn 
how to recognize werewolves.  Obviously his dislike of Lupin was 
amplified by the fact that Lupin got the job he wanted so much.  If 
the DADA post were given to Snape, he wouldn't have that particular 
chip on his shoulder any more.  He'd be free to focus on training the 
student in a subject they desperately need to learn.

   No doubt he'd still be an unfair and harsh teacher.  But from 
Harry's point of view, there would be one important difference.  
Potions has always been Harry's worst subject (and he wasn't any 
great shakes at Occlumency either), but DADA is something he can do.  
If Snape taught DADA, Harry might well be the best student in his 
class.  That would be bound to affect the dynamic between them; I for 
one would love to see it.

   (I'd also love to see the Slytherins and Gryffindors take DADA 
together, taught by Snape.  The Gryffindors in Harry's year have all 
been sharpening their skills in DA meetings, while the Slytherins 
presumably made no progress at all in fifth year.  Think of how it 
would rot Snape's socks if his own house was consistently shown up in 
his class!)

   --oiboyz