Snape and Harry WAS Re: Pensieves objectivity AND: Dumble...

[jwcpgh]

No: HPFGUIDX 79902

> > > > Geoff:
> > > > Yes, but can you see Harry going to Snape and 
> saying, "Professor, I realise now that my father was awful with you 
(or something similar!) and I want to apologise on his behalf."
 Can you see him after the way Snape has reacted in earlier 
> books? From the word go, in PS, he set out to humiliate Harry - 
look at the very first Potions lesson HP ever attended. He has 
specialised in  making snide comments or comments with a sting in the 
tail. Would Harry attempt a reconcilation when he is conditioned to 
expect rebuffs, rudeness and put downs?


> > Sydney: 
> > 
> > I don't know if an apology is in order, necessarily, just
> > the same sort of compassionate tolerance (with a touch of 
amusement!) that Dumbledore accords Snape.  
> > 
> > Cassie:  
> > 
> > I agree with Sydney, however in my mind I can picture a scene 
with  Harry apologizing to Snape (about the Pensieve).  I can't 
picture Harry going to Snape, though.   I just have this image of 
them stuck somewhere together or something...or maybe in a situation 
where Harry knows he may never seen the man again  and having him 
blurt it out.  Or them getting into another row and  Harry saying 
 "Look, I'm sorry about what my father did to you! But I'm. not. my. 
> father!"  
 
 Whatever the situation, I'd imagine it to be an akward one no 
> matter how much Harry has grown. 
> > 
Laura:

A couple of comments:
1) IMO, an apology can only be validly rendered by the person who 
committed the wrong.  (I'm thinking about this a lot at the moment 
because I'm Jewish and we are now in a period of reflection and 
repentance preceding the High Holy Days.) That's because the process 
by which you arrive at the words is as important as the words.  It's 
the internal understanding of why the behavior was wrong that makes 
the apology meaningful.  So expressing contrition on someone else's 
behalf makes no sense, since you can't know that that process has 
taken place.  Moreover, it's the actual experience of looking in the 
eyes someone *you* have injured, and accepting their anger and hurt, 
that brings you to a full understanding of the harm you've done.  
Harry can't do that for James-and it wouldn't be satisfying to Snape 
if he tried.  The victim has to have an opportunity to express 
his/her feelings directly to the wrongdoer.  (Of course, that's not 
possible in this case.  Some hurts are never resolved, sadly.) And 
the verbal apology is only the first step in real repentance (we call 
it teshuvah; it means turning/returning).  Without a commitment not 
to repeat the behavior, the words are meaningless.  Again, if it's 
not your behavior you can't make that commitment.  

2.  Harry does, however, owe Snape an apology for invading his 
privacy.  But whether Snape will be able to accept it is another 
question.  Old Severus isn't great in the communication department-I 
can't recall a single instance where he has a truly honest, personal 
conversation with anyone in the books.  He does everything he can to 
rebuff people (i.e., Lily in pensieve 2).  So Harry should make the 
effort (at some point, when he doesn't feel in danger of imminent 
bodily harm from Snape).  But that's no guarantee that it will work.  

3.  I don't think Harry will ever feel the same way about Snape 
again.  No matter how much he hates SS, he'll never forget what he 
saw and how it made him feel.  

4.  If Snape was afraid that Harry would spread the pensieve 2 story 
all over the school, he must then have been afraid of losing his 
power and position.  He likes being scary and intimidating.  If the 
students are laughing at him, either to his face or behind his back, 
his authority will be completely undermined.  So it wouldn't be just 
temporary embarrassment he'd fear, it would be permanent destruction 
of the image he's worked so long and hard to create.  It would be as 
though he was 15 again, and that would be catastrophic for him.