Snape's Reaction to Harry assuming that he is a DE spy

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 108584

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" 
<susiequsie23 at s...> wrote:
> SSSusan:
> > > He doesn't have to know his precise whereabouts nor the 
name of  the people he's living with nor any other specifics of 
Harry's  situation to get a SENSE of what Harry's life is like.  <<<
>  
> Casey:
> > Not really. Would Dumbledore actually want anyone to know 
that he  placed the hero of the wizarding world in an abusive 
home?<<
> 
> SSSusan:
> Sure, why not?  DD had a REASON for placing Harry there. <<

One of the reasons was to keep the WW from treating Harry like 
a pampered princeling. I am sure the teachers were instructed to 
treat Harry like any other student, and I suspect  Snape really 
does believe he treats Harry so--or at least like any other 
Gryffindor who gets on his nerves. Trouble is, Harry gets on 
Snape's nerves just by existing--and where have we heard that 
before?

I also think Snape had different reasons for putting Harry down in 
his first class and for his "You are neither special nor important 
"statement.  In the first case, Snape does not expect Harry to be 
able to answer the questions.  He doesn't expect anyone to 
answer them...the Slytherins haven't got their hands in the air, 
have they? 

What the Snape wants is  the class cowed into submission, and 
to do that he's going to have to put Potter, the student everyone 
looks up to, in his place, the same place he wants all the other 
students, ie properly respectful of Severus Snape. That is, 
scared to death of him.

Snape can afford to make an exception for   Draco. In the first 
place, it  is what Lucius expects of him. Secondly, Snape 
probably already knows that Draco is a coward, and that should 
he ever need to intimidate Draco, he can manage it easily 
enough.

In the  other case, Snape has just discovered that Occlumency is 
not working--after two months of lessons Voldemort is still 
putting stuff into Harry's head, since Rookwood's escape 
happened after the lessons started. I don't think Snape has been 
told  why the hall of prophecy is important or what Harry has to do 
with it--but he's not about to admit that to Harry either. He has to 
find out what Harry knows without revealing his own ignorance.

One of the things Voldemort does to people is try to win them 
over by convincing them that they are special and important to 
him--that's what he did to Ginny and Barty Jr. Is the Dark Lord 
trying  something similar with Harry? Snape needs to find out. It 
doesn't matter if Harry actually tells him--if he can get Harry to 
think of the answer, Snape is probably enough of a legilimens to 
ferret it out

Pippin