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

[slgazit]

No: HPFGUIDX 79843

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Pen Robinson <pen at p...> wrote:
> 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.... 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'.

Am I the only one here who thinks that Harry's snooping was
completely understandable (though maybe not laudable)?
We are not talking here of a guest visiting some random host.

Re-read the complete record of the various occlumency lessons and
their effects. For many months Harry has his entire mind and
memories, especially the most painfull and humiliating of them
out there exposed to a person who has never lost an opportunity
to treat him with derision and scorn - and sometimes use those
memories to get back at him. During these months he feels that
the lessons, far from helping him, make him more susceptible.
In the back of his mind he has the suspicion that perhaps the
teacher's ultimate goal is to weaken his resistance rather than
strengthen it (and let us not forget that just the year before
he had exactly such a teacher - Crouch Jr.). These suspicions
are also voiced by his best friend (Ron). In addition, Harry
is burning with curiosity to know what these DoM dreams mean,
and he knows that Snape can tell him that, but refuses.

So feeling violated and vulnerable, curious, suspicious of Snape's
intentions, Harry gets left with the pensieve alone. He wonders
(paraphrased - I don't remember the exact wording) "What was
it that Snape wanted to keep from him so much? was it perhaps
information about the Department of Mysteries?". And with that
he delves into the pensieve where he sees no other than his dead
father and Sirius. Who would not stay and witness the entire
scene under the curcumstances? Especially at 15?

I am not saying that it's a polite or well mannered behaviour,
only that it is completely to be expected, and I don't fault
Harry for it. Heck, I'd probably have done the same in his place.

I also don't fault Snape for his outburst. He is clearly very
insecure and the occlumency sessions must have been a stressfull
experience for him as well. Then have himself exposed in this
fashion to the son of the tormentor whom he loaths. No wonder he
snaps. But I think that to keep this grudge and refuse to teach
Harry even after he has had time to calm down and see that Harry
has indeed kept the event secret, is very irresponsible of him.

So neither is blameless there.

Salit