Snape's choice of memories for the pensieve (was: Death and Snape)

[naamagatus]

No: HPFGUIDX 108523

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" 
<susiequsie23 at s...> wrote:
> Marty wrote:
> > Also,  in OoP, in the pensieve scene, we see that Snape 
> > removes "certain of his thoughts" Chap. 28 Snape's Worst Memory 
> > (p638 US Edition 2003).  I find it interesting that the one 
memory 
> > Harry gets into involves his father.  Now, of course, from the 
> > writer's perspective, it is a handy way to provide information.  
I 
> > also understand that Snape doesn't want Harry to see his 
> > humiliation, but isn't it curious that this is one of his worst 
> > memories that he wants to keep hidden?  What about all the stuff 
> > that he is doing for DD, and his life prior to becoming Potions 
> > master - especially while a DE?  
<snip>
> 
> SSSusan:
> Fascinating thoughts, Marty.  The way you've written this causes 
me, 
> for the first time, to consider other possibilities for Snape's 
> pensieve selections besides simply, "These memories are awful and I 
> don't want Potter to know this about me."  Is it possible that 
> Snape's motive WAS preventing Harry from seeing something about 
some 
> OTHER person/people, not necessarily just that he didn't want Harry 
> to see him upside in grey undies?  
> 
> But then again, why WOULDN'T he have wanted Harry to know his dad & 
> Sirius were jerks at 15?
> 


Especially since he has been at pains throughout the books to put 
James down. Think how snarly he got when Harry told him that he knows 
that James had saved Snape's life. He wasted no time in showing James 
in the worst possible light he could - attempting to save himself 
from expulstion and not heroically risking himself to save somebody 
else.

Regarding the worst memory. I think we should distinguish between 
worst memory in the sense of the most painful one, and the worst 
memory in the sense of the worst for other people to share. In fact, 
the most shameful. And I have to say that being hung upside down in 
front of a lot of teenagers, exposing dirty underwear - for Snape's 
sake I hope he *doesn't* have more shameful memories than that.


Naama