Snape-Harry Detente

[Matt]

No: HPFGUIDX 81013

OK, with nods to all who've posted on this,
let me start by repeating a little of what I 
wrote in # 80938:

> I think that this scene is the first, hopeful 
> little hint that Harry and Snape are beginning, 
> despite their mutual animosity, to understand
> one another, or at least to think that they do. 
> Not a reconciliation, but perhaps detente.

So, I'm not making a claim for "burgeoning 
mutual respect" (# 80985) -- I agree with you, 
June, it's way too early for that.  

You're also right in pointing out that the scene 
occurs shortly after we hear Harry mentally 
blaming Snape for Sirius' death.  Even without
that juxtaposition -- and moreso with it -- I 
agree with Geoff (# 80983) that Harry intended 
his reply to be "tongue-in-cheek," and a "quiet 
little 'dig' at Snape."  (As I said before, it 
also works as a quiet little dig at Malfoy: two 
birds with one stone).  

I even agree with Sandy (# 80960) and Karen (# 80970) that there is
defiance in what Harry says, *but*, I part ways with you when you call
it "open," "out-there" defiance.  Open defiance would be "I'm cursing
this little twerp, now get out of my way," or "I'm about to turn
Malfoy into a toad.  D'you want to give me deTENtion?" 

The significance of the scene as I read it is that Harry has learned
how to use a quiet dig in place of direct hostility.  Like it or not,
this is the kind of "subtlety" that Harry has never before shown Snape
(we did see a similar interaction once earlier in the book, in the
run-up to the first Quidditch match, when the Slytherins managed to get
under Ron's skin with their little psy-ops, but Harry took it in
stride ("So-and-so's going to knock you off your broom" -- "Oh yeah? 
His aim's so bad I'd be more worried if he was aiming for someone
else!")).  To many of us it would be "less respectful" (Sandy's words,
# 80960) than a hot-headed answer, since it's calculated, rather than
impulsive.  But surely Snape, who places such value on keeping one's
cool, can better identify with the former than the latter.

So, how does Snape react?  Does he, as June suggests (# 80985), snap
"immediately back into character" by trying to dock points?  Normally,
Snape docks Harry points just for giving the wrong answer in class. 
The last time Snape caught Harry dueling with Draco in the halls (the
curses that missed each other and hit Hermione and Crabbe (or was it
Goyle?)), it was detention, no questions asked.  Snape might have
reacted even more angrily this time -- seeing Harry preparing to duel
with Malfoy might naturally enough connect with the subject matter of
the memory that he caught Harry snooping into -- but, instead, Snape
satisfies himself with a snide comment about how there aren't even any
Gryffindor points left to dock.  Maybe Dumbledore has just told him to
lay off Harry a bit.  But maybe, just maybe, Snape is caught a little
off-guard by the smoothness of Harry's reply.

Again, I'm not trying to tear up the scene Rowling wrote and
reconstruct it as though Snape had walked up to Harry, shaken his
hand, and praised him for finally showing some subtlety and restraint.
 Still, I think it's at least fair to observe that both Harry and
Snape are behaving differently than they would have done a few months
earlier. 

By the way, I agree completely with Sandy (# 80960, again) that this
scene also fits in with the admonitions everyone else (from Umbridge
to McGonagall to Hermione, and even at one point to Sirius) has been
giving Harry about controlling his temper and other emotions.  Not
because they all want Harry to turn out like Draco, but because each
in her (his) own way is trying to prod Harry to grow up, to learn
restraint, to pay attention to the perspective that experience can
give him, to stop acting *only* like a Gryffindor and to understand
that he has something to learn and to gain from the Slytherin and
Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff attributes, too.  Yes, a little premeditation
*could* help every once in a while -- planning things out doesn't need
to be a fault -- and a little analysis, and a little more honest
communication with those around him (isn't that the most direct lesson
from DD's failure?).  OK, maybe Dolores doesn't give a hoot about any
of that and just wants to shut Harry up, but that doesn't mean there's
no lesson to be learned from dealing with her.

I'll do a separate post on Dumbledore's reaction about the end of the
Occlumency lessons, which is really another topic.

-- Matt