OCCLUMENCY LESSONS

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

No: HPFGUIDX 95196

Jujube wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/94913 :

<< I would say that how he contributed to Sirius' death was by not
following the directives of Snape and Dumbledore; that is, to learn
to close his mind to Voldemort. >>

I strongly suspect that Occlumency wouldn't do a damn thing to close
Harry's mind to Voldemort, because (as various listies have posted),
the connection between HP and LV was quite different from the
Legilimency that Occlumency was designed to defeat.

Alla wrote in http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforG
rownups/message/94465 :

<< "Well, then why do I have to learn Occlumency?" Snape eyed Harry,
tracing his mouth with one long, thin finger as he did so. "The usual
rules do not seem to apply with you, Potter. The curse that failed to
kill you seems to have forged some kind of connection between you and
the Dark Lord." >>

Snape is *admitting* what I said above, that 'the usual rules' don't
apply to the 'some kind of connection between you and the Dark Lord.'
I don't know what it means that he traces his mouth with his finger
while speaking, other than that he is choosing his words with great
care, apparently so as not to tell HP anymore than DD has authorized
that HP be told. Is he trying not to tell HP that he, Snape, believes
that DD is wrong to think Occlumency will help the situation?

Alla wrote in http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforG
rownups/message/94465 :

<< "The evidence suggests that at times, when your mind is most
relaxed and vulnerable - when you are asleep, for instance - you are
sharing Dark Lord's thoughts and emotions. The headmaster thinks it is
inadvisable for this to continue. He wishes me to teach you how to
close your mind to Dark Lord" (OoP, p.531) >>

The practising may even have made Harry's mind *more* open to
Voldemort. There are those who believe that that was DD's *intention*,
to help LV lure HP into DoM, as bait to lure LV into DoM, so it would
be proved to Fudge et alia that LV really had returned. An even more
annoying theory is that DD helped LV lurn HP into DoM as bait to lure
*Sirius* into DoM, as his plot for HP to vanquish LV somehow depends
on HP's heart being broken by Sirius being killed and HP blaming LV.

Just Carol wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/94607 :

<< Dumbledore could have ordered Snape to "get over it" and resume the
lessons, but he didn't. Why not? Might it be that *Snape* sensed that
they were doing more harm than good and asked Dumbledore to let him
abandon them? >>

It could be. Snape could have told DD "I told you that Occlumency
wouldn't work for this connenction." Or it could be that Snape
reported back to DD that HP was sufficiently open to serve as bait.

Pippin wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/94796 :

<< I also think, as I've said before, that IMO, this was a felix
culpa, since Occlumency only opened Harry's mind further to Voldemort
in a way which Dumbledore, IMO, did not expect. I think Voldemort was
already finding it difficult to enter Harry's mind because of the
strength of Harry's positive emotions , and by clearing his mind,
emptying it of emotion, Harry became more vulnerable. That's why the
frequency of the dreams increased and the scar prickled more. Harry
*was* learning Occlumency, and Snape was teaching it properly. It just
wasn't working the way Dumbledore had hoped it would. >>

I'm inclined to agree with your post, but I thought you (oh inhabitant
of the Safe House) would have something more conspiratorial instead of
taking it at face value.