[HPforGrownups] Snape and Harry WAS Re: Pensieves objectivity AND: Dumbledore's integrity

[Pen Robinson]

No: HPFGUIDX 79779


On Wednesday, Sep 3, 2003, at 22:57 Europe/London, msbeadsley wrote:
>
> No excuse needed.  Just human nature.  (OT note:  statistics show
> that a large percentage of guests peruse hosts' medicine cabinets out
> of curiosity; kids are even snoopier because they are still trying to
> discover "the truth" behind how people in their world work.)
> Admittedly bad manners on Harry's part, but not even approaching the
> low level of same he has been conditioned to expect from "Professor"
> Snape.

Just to nitpick a bit, I'd say that equating between snooping in the 
Pensieve and nosing through someone's medicine cabinet is a bit 
generous.

What Harry did equates more nearly with a guest reading his host's 
personal journal/diary.  If a guest *did* do so, would the guest (or 
anyone?) think it unreasonable for the host to be mightily peeved?  
Particularly if the diary was a truly *personal* document detailing the 
writer's feelings.  I don't think it matters if the diary was left on a 
desk in the living room while the host went to answer the door, or 
whatever - the guest has *no right* to open it.

In the circumstances - a violation even worse than reading someone's 
diary - Snape's emotional reaction is not surprising.  Certainly as a 
responsible adult he *should* have better self-control, but Harry 
Potter has just done something well-nigh unforgiveable.  I can't bring 
myself to classify it as mere 'bad manners'.

Pen