Is Snape really THAT good in Potions?(was: Snape and the Kappa)

[Renee]

No: HPFGUIDX 119397


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" 
<justcarol67 at y...> wrote:
> >> 
> nor can we
> doubt Lupin's statement that Snape is a superb Occlumens. He 
clearly
> knows exactly what Occlumency is and how to do it, as well as what
> Harry needs to do. 

Renee:
There could be another reason why we don't need to doubt Lupin's 
statement. Maybe he knows Snape is a superb Occlumens because he's 
tried to use Legilimency on him once. What if Dumbledore let them 
practice together at some point during the first war, after Snape 
turned his back to Voldemort? I'm sure they'd have tried very hard 
to get the better of each other, and my guess would be that Snape 
succesfully kept Lupin out of his memories. This would make Snape a 
better Occlumens than Lupin is a Legilimens, which in its turn could 
have led Lupin to use the qualification 'superb'.

Now I know you doubt Lupin is a Legilimens; as you wrote in a 
previous message:

Carol:
Nor do I think we have anything like conclusive evidence that Lupin 
is a Legilimens. We have only Harry's suspicion that Lupin is 
reading his doubts from his expression, which is perfectly possible 
and reasonable without Lupin actually knowing what those doubts are--
or that they involve the black dog he saw in Magnolia Crescent.

Renee:
But this is by no means the only occasion where Lupin seems 
to "read" someone. I'm sure the way he stared at Sirius "so intently 
it seemd he was trying to read his mind" (Shrieking Shack scene) has 
been mentioned before. And in OotP, in the chapter The Advance 
Guard, we have a similar description just after Harry wondered why 
so many wizards have come to Privet Drive. "'A surprising number of 
people volunteered to come and get you,'" Lupin said, as though *he 
had read Harry's mind*.' And this happens in the book where we first 
get acquainted with Legilimency and Occlumency. 

I'll admit all this still isn't conclusive evidence, but it does 
make it more likely that Lupin's a Legilimens, with the additional 
bonus that it would explain why he makes such a categorical 
statement about Snape's Occlumency skills. To me, it's a better 
explanation than assuming Lupin wants to compliment Snape.

Renee