The worst is yet to come

[Grey Wolf]

No: HPFGUIDX 80903

Karolina wrote:
> I agree that Harry doesn't see _all_ of SS's bad memories - after 
> all, he sees only one. In the passage, Snape removes memorieS 
> (plural) from his mind and places them in the pensieve. I'm sure the 
> Whomping Willow werewolf memory is in there, and we can only guess 
> what others Harry misses out on.

I don't see why Snape would've taken memories such as the prank out of 
his mind and into the Pensieve, just because they were bad memories. 
Let's examine the situation: Harry is a huge, gaping defensive hole in 
Hogwarts right now. Dumbledore suspects that Voldemort's powers for 
reading minds can be used on Harry even when thousands of miles are in 
the way thanks to the link in the scar. Thus, he needs the best man for 
the job of teaching Harry to close that hole. Unfortunately, the best 
man also happens to be the one that has the most secret knowledge 
inside his head (Dumbledore, in case I've lost someone :D). So Snape is 
chosen.

Why is it important how much knoledge the teacher has? As we know, 
during the lessons of Occlumency the teachers thoughts can be read, if 
a succesful block against the spell is managed. Dumbledore cannot teach 
Harry because he'd have to empty his mind almost completely if he was 
to minimise risk of letting some important tibit out. Thus, Snape is 
chosen... but Snape's mind isn't free of secrets, either, having been 
spying on Voldemort (or some other delicate task). But the amount of 
thoughts that Snape has to keep from Harry are much less, and he can 
empty his mind of them at the start of every lesson.

Now, I have always seen Snape as a tad paranoic... with full reasons 
for it (and a good ability for hunches, even if he does get the 
occasional one wrong). So, IMO, once he has emptied all the important 
thoughts into the pensieve, he puts one more as a cover for the rest, 
just in case the Potter brat manages to get hold of the pensieve. And 
being the cruel person I know him to be, he puts one memory that is not 
only long (so if Harry does put his nose where it doesn't belong Snape 
has more than enough time to get back before the memory is finished), 
but also shows Harry's father at his worst, thus maximizing Harry's 
lesson of not going through Snape's private memories.

Indeed, "Snape's worst memory" isn't the worst memory Snape *has* but 
the one that is worst *for Harry* since it shows him exactly what Snape 
thinks of his father: an arrogant git. Yes, it involves a little 
humiliation for Snape, but as Cindy pointed out, there are worse things 
than having you underwear displayed... and one of them is learning 
without a shadow of doubt that your father was a bully, just like your 
ugly fat cousin is :D. 

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf