[HPforGrownups] Re: Snape's DE past

[Magda Grantwich]

No: HPFGUIDX 111468

> Alla:
> But , that is not the issue for me. Even if James was an evil      
> reincarnation and Snape a dear white angel in all their 
> interactions (which I don't believe), Snape would lost said title 
> for me in a  second, he 
> started rubbing an orphan's wounds. Calling child's dead parents 
> names is more than low to me and as an icing on a cake , Snape is 
> his teacher.

Magda: 

Hey, reality bites, doesn't it?  

Lupin spent part of POA telling Harry about James because he was a
friend, he knew one aspect of him well and it was information that
Harry needed to form an accurate picture of his father.  Ditto for
Snape.  Had Snape lied about James, calling him evil or vicious or
depraved or pick-your-own-insult-here then I agree it would have been
out of line.  But Snape doesn't lie (unless it's to Dolores Umbridge)
and he gives Harry the truth as he personally experienced it and his
description - "His [James'] head was so swollen..." - is the same one
that Sirius and Lupin use in OOTP to describe how Lily started going
out with James once he'd "deflated his head a bit".  

I don't think Harry is so fragile that he can't handle the truth and
both versions of James are true - one version from a friend, one from
a non-friend (enemy sounds too heavy).  

 
> Alla:
>
> I was responding with the argument that Snape was so wrapped up in 
> his old wounds that he was willing to let Harry be possessed by 
> Voldemort and probably die. It is more than "casual" situation to
> me.
> 
> It does not matter to me that Harry poked his head where it did not
> belong ( and before I  hear anything , let me repeat again - Harry 
> was wrong, wrong, wrong :o))
> 
> Snape snapped knowing what would happen if Occlumency lessons stop.
> I understand why he did it, but I take exception to the argument 
> that he can draw a distingshion  between Harry and James . Sounds 
> more than casual to me.

Magda:

Again, I assume you're referring to Snape ending the occlumency
lessons?  Am I right?

Assuming I am, let's try an experiment.  Let's say Harry didn't see
Snape's memories, didn't get thrown out of Snape's office and the
occlumency lessons continued.  All right?  So Harry's in exam period,
and sees his "vision" of Sirius being tortured.  

Would Harry have seen that vision even if the occlumency lessons had
continued?  Yes he would have because he wasn't learning occlumency -
he didn't want the visions to stop because he was curious, because he
was vicariously experiencing Voldemort's elation and longing for what
was behind the door, and because after saving Arthur's life he wasn't
convinced that the visions weren't a good (or at least not completely
bad) thing.  He would still have done everything he did in the course
of the book anyway.  Stopping the occlumency lessons did not leave
Harry any more vulnerable than he already was.

Magda



		
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