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

[mochajava13]

No: HPFGUIDX 79814

Melpomene wrote:
> No. But was it child abuse? I think not. I think had Severus 
> wanted to abuse Harry he could have done a HELL of a lot better 
> than that. He did not throw things "at" Harry, he threw ONE jar 
> OVER his head.

Sarah: 
Anything that leaves a mark on a minor is child abuse.  Intent to 
abuse someone is irrelavant in cases of child abuse; most physical 
abuse occurs because a parent just doesn't know how else to punish 
the child.  If that was a public school and someone found out about 
that, Snape would have been suspended from teaching until an 
investigation was complete, at the very least.  Very possibly 
fired.  The teacher would not be allowed near that child again.  And 
here's what Snape did (quoting from OoP US edition, pgs 649-650):

Snape was "gripping Harry's arm so tightly Harry's hand was starting 
to feel numb."  Snape was "shaking Harry so hard that his glasses 
slipped down his nose."  "Snape threw Harry from him with all his 
might.  Harry fell hard onto the dungeon floor."  If a public school 
teacher here in the US did that and was caught, the Department of 
Social Services would be on him in a second, and ensure that Snape 
did not go anywhere near Harry.  If a parent did that to a teen once 
and got reported on, the parent would probably be required to go 
through anger management classes.  If a parent did that consistently 
to a teen, there would be a good chance that child would be removed 
from the home until the parent proved that said parent wouldn't 
touch the child again.  

Harry's age doesn't matter.

Don't get me started on what Umbridge did!  She'd get a restraining 
order slapped onto her.  No way she'd be allowed to come in contact 
with the children in the school.  Even teens.  Here in the US, Harry 
would have grounds to get a restraining order out on Snape.  

Sorry about the rant; can you tell I work in the field of child 
abuse?  

Anyway, even if one disagrees that what Snape did to Harry doesn't 
constitute child abuse, his reaction, in his capacity as a teacher, 
was completely inappropriate.  What Harry did was wrong.  But Harry 
is not an adult, he's still a minor. Snape stopped the occlumency 
lessons, despite knowing how important they were.  Harry isn't 
blameless, but he's not the adult.  Snape is.  Harry effectively 
read someone's diary.  An invasion of privacy, yes.  Terrible, yes.  
But to that extent?  Risking that Voldemort could penetrate into 
Harry's mind jeapordized the Order; Snape knew this.  Harry did not.

Sarah