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

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 108615

Lisa wrote:

This part, frankly, didn't surprise me. I wasn't taken aback by the
way Snape responded to Harry when Harry appeared to be screwing around
on his first day of class. I took it as less of a "You little insolent
brat, I wish you were dead and I plan to see you to that grave" sort
of thing and more as a "You little insolent brat, you've only just
arrived and already you're not paying attention - you think you
already know everything, we'll /see/ just how much you know" sort of
thing. I've heard teachers turn to giggly, distracted, or otherwise
irritating students and say "Oh, you already know this? Would you like
to step up and teach? No? Then pay attention."

Of all Snape's numerous transgressions, I really don't think of this
as one of them.

Lisa, who knows that Snape is, quite clearly, not /nice/, but believes
he is /good/... and therein lies the importance

vmonte reponds:

Sorry Lisa, but Harry was not screwing around in class.  He was 
actually startled by Snape's attack. Harry was paying attention in 
class, everyone was. It was the first thing mentioned in the chapter.
It said something to the effect that even though Snape spoke barely 
above a whisper he had a gift, like McGonagall, of keeping everyone's 
attention.  

Clearly, there has to be another reason for why Snape went after 
Harry.

vivian