Snape's worst memory

[summerdazeno1]

No: HPFGUIDX 81189


Karen wrote:
<snip> if Snape *removed* this memory and put into the 
> pensieve, why was he so upset with Harry looking at it? Presumably, 
> by taking it out of his mind (literally?), it helped him to be more 
> objective and less angry with the son of James Potter, therefore 
> better able to teach him one on one. Okay, here's my question once 
> again. IF THE MEMORY WAS NOT IN HIS MIND, BUT IN THE PENSIEVE, WHY 
> WAS HE SO UPSET? Presumably, he wouldn't remember what he put in 
the 
> bowl, or at the very least, it would not make him that angry! I 
> realize it is difficult to figure out how a fictitious magical 
> object works, but the only reasonable explanation for him 
> withdrawing the memories is to *not* remember them. 
> 
> Maybe I'm slipping a cog, here, but I don't understand this whole 
> set up. I understood how it worked in Dumbledore's office, but he 
> said he used the pensieve to look at things more objectively. We 
can 
> only assume that Dumbledore gave Snape the pensieve to use to help 
> him be less prejudice working with Harry.
> 
> Karen

Me, Summer:
I don't believe the purpose of the pensieve was to make Snape less 
prejudice against Harry.  I believe its purpose was to keep Harry 
from accidentally discovering things that he didn't "need to know" 
(according to Dumbledore and the Order). It is entirely possible that 
Snape starting taking the MWPP memory out only after Harry 
accidentally uncovered some of his childhood memories. He then began 
removing the incident to the pensieve for self-protection. 

As far as Snape not remembering the incident while it was in the 
pensieve, I don't know.  I just assumed that it gave the owner a 
third person perspective of the memory, not that it erased it 
completely while in the pensieve.  But as you stated, how can we ever 
expect to completely  understand how a fictional, magical object 
works? ;)

However, I do understand why Sape was so angry.  Even if the pensieve 
did temporarily erase the memory from Snape's mind, he had to enter 
into the memory in order to pull Harry out.  Surely, being physically 
present in a memory would be much more vivid than merely remembering 
it in your head? 

Summer