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

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 108669

Pippin wrote:

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...


vmonte responds:

Yes, Harry was not obeying the rules again, but I think that Moody's 
comment was more a general observation of how Snape seems to be 
targeting Harry negatively at school.

page 472, GoF, U.S. version:

"Course Dumbledore trusts you," growled Moody. "He's a trusting man, 
isn't he? Believes in second chances. But me--I say there are spots 
that don't come off, Snape. Spots that never come off, d'you know 
what I mean?"

Snape suddenly did something very strange.  He seized his left 
forearm convulsively with his right hand, as though something on it 
had hurt him.

Moody laughed. "Get back to bed, Snape."

"You don't have the authority to send me anywhere!" Snape hissed, 
letting go of his arm as though angry with himself. "I have as much 
right to prowl this school after dark as you do!"

"Prowl away," said Moody, but his voice was full of menace. "I look 
forward to meeting you in a dark corridor some time..."

page 473

But Snape's black eyes were darting from the egg in Filch'e arms 
tothe map in Moody's hand, and Harry could tell he was putting two 
and two together, as only Snape could...
"Potter," he said quietly.

"What's that?" said Moody calmly, folding up the map and pocketing it.

"Potter!" Snape snarled... That egg is Potter's egg. That piece of 
parchment belongs to Potter. I have seen it before, I recognize it! 
Potter is here! Potter, in his Invisibility Cloak!" 

..."There's nothing there, Snape!" barked Moody, "but I'll be happy 
to tell the headmaster how quickly your mind jumped to Harry Potter!"

"Meaning what?" Snape turned again to look at Moody, his hands still 
outstretched, inches from Harry's chest.

"Meaning that Dumbledore's very interested to know who's got it in 
for that boy!" said Moody, limping nearer still to the foot of the 
stairs. "And so am I, Snape...very interested..."

Snape was looking down at Moody, and Harry couldn't see the 
expression on his face. For a moment, nobody moved or said anything. 
Then Snape slowly lowered his hands. (What happened here I wonder? 
Did Snape try to read fake Moody's mind? What was his expression? Was 
it one of understanding?)

page 474

"I merely thought," said Snape, in a voice of forced calm, "that if 
Potter was wandering around after hours again...it's an unfortunate 
habit of his...he should be stopped. For--for his own safety."

"Ah, I see," said Moody softly. "Got Potter's best interests at 
heart, have you?"

vmonte: 

See how even the bad guys know that Snape does not have Harry's best 
interest in mind! 

vivian