Yet another defense of Snape's Occlumency lessons (long)

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 120055


Alla wrote :
"Now, my very first reaction to this part was something along the line
"how dare you, Snape, Harry earned the right to call Voldie whatever
name he wants" It is possible that Voldemort's name makes Dark Mark to
react in some way, I will concede, but until I know that for sure, I
choose to think that Snape is simply jealous of Harry who is brave
enough to do what an "extremely powerful wizard Dumbledore" does call
 Voldemort by his real name.

If I am correct, are you saying that teacher who is jealous of his 
student will be able to teach such student properly?"

Del replies :
First, to answer that last question : why not?? I think pretty much
every teacher, be he a Lupin or a Snape, inevitably finds himself
sometimes faced with a student much more talented, a student he's
jealous of. But that doesn't stop most teachers from properly teaching
those students they are jealous of.

Second : we still don't know why people fear saying LV's name out
loud. DD makes it sound like it's just some kind of superstition, but
DD isn't the most reliable source of information we've got. There
might be a very good reason people don't say the name. After all,
Hermione wasn't taught not to say the name by living example, she got
her info from books only, and yet she doesn't dare saying the name
either for years. This could be because she read about the real reason
people shouldn't say the name.

Third : Harry isn't brave in saying LV's name. He simply never learned
to do otherwise.

About this mind-clearing business now. Harry isn't troubled by the
instruction, and I think it's pretty obvious why : he already knows
how to do that, because he's had to do things very similar before.
Accio and the Patronus Charm, for example, require that the wizard
concentrate hard on one thing only. More generally, it seems that most
charms and spells require that the wizard concentrate hard on what
they are doing.
Moreover, Snape did remind Harry of the Imperius Curse, which gave
Harry an idea of what to do.

Alla wrote:
" Here is my question to you. If indeed feeling worse after the lesson
 is unavolidable side effect, which we have no proof of, why, oh why 
did Snape not WARNED Harry that he WILL feel worse?

Don't you think it would help harry to trust Snape a bit more? To me 
this is a great proof of Snape being a sadist towards Harry. If he 
knew how Harry would feel, but did nothing about it, or at least told
Harry to take it easy for this day, then yes, he IS responsible in my
opinion."

Del replies :

1. How EVER was Snape supposed to know that Harry's scar would hurt
more after the Occlumency lessons??? Nobody has ever dealt with such a
scar, and Harry didn't tell Snape what he was feeling. Maybe if he'd
told him, Snape would have been worried.

2. This pain could be akin to sore muscles. Muscles hurt after an
intense workout, but they are not weakened by it, quite the opposite.

3. The pain could have been an indication that the lessons were highly
effective. It could have been an indication that LV was now unable to
access Harry's mind. To explain it figuratively : maybe LV was trying
to enter Harry's mind and found the door closed, when it was usually
wide open. So he would start pummelling the door, which would hurt Harry.

Alla wrote :
" I don't think that Snape will deliberately betray the Order, but he
may let hsi emotions rile up again and by accidentdo somethign which
will put Order in danger."

Del replies :
You do realise that Harry has *already* done that, don't you ;-) ?

Del