Who's the bully was Re: Snape's Reaction to Harry assuming that he is a DE spy

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 108662

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "vmonte" 
<vmonte at y...> wrote:
> sachmet
> Actually I took the raised eyebrows of Ron and Harry as them 
reacting in a sarcastic/condescending way to or making fun of 
what Snape just said (at least I would have seen it that way if I 
were the teacher). So I thought Snape was reacting to that and 
found his reaction perfectly understandable in that situation.<
> 
> vmonte responds:
 Ron  and Harry were not smiling and making fun of Snape, they 
were  shocked. The reaction of the children sound more like fear, 
which is  probably exactly what Snape wanted them to feel. <

To me, the raised eyebrows and the exchanged glance with Ron 
indicate skepticism, not shock. Harry being frightened is not 
consistent with mouthing off to Snape a moment later, or 
catching Seamus's eye to see him wink. Harry and Snape are 
both playing to the audience.

 Harry is actually  more frightened of McGonagall at this 
point in the story--you don't see him talking back to her!

Harry isn't afraid of Snape until he catches Snape  off-guard in 
the staffroom and "Snape's face was twisted with fury as he 
dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg." After the Pensieve 
scene in OOP I can understand why getting caught with  his legs 
exposed in front of Harry would enfuriate Snape. But Harry thinks 
it's all about Fluffy,of course.


> Notice that when fake Moody stands up to  Snape (the night 
Harry was almost caught on the steps with the egg in  GoF) and 
basically tells him to back off or he'll tell DD about his  abusive 
behavior towards Harry, Snape immediately backs down. <

What abusive behavior? Harry is out of bounds after hours and 
Snape has every right to discipline him. I think Snape 
backed down because Moody is the one Dumbledore called in 
specially to be responsible for Harry's safety during the 
tournament, and Moody is insisting that Harry's not there. Snape 
knows perfectly well where Harry is--he knows where the trick 
steps are as well as anyone.

Actually if anybody is being bullied in that scene, it's Snape. Not 
that he doesn't deserve it...

Pippin