Is Snape really that good at Occlumency?

[Tammy]

No: HPFGUIDX 120099


>lupinlore wrote:
> 
> At several points in OOTP, we were told that Snape is a master 
> Occlumens.  Yet, according to Snape Occlumency requires one to "clear 
> your mind of all emotion."  Now, this is something that Snape seems 
> singularly unable to do, particularly when dealing with Harry.  Yet, 
> we are led to believe that, although he cannot clear his mind of 
> emotion when dealing with a 15 year old student, he CAN do so when 
> his life is on the line before the most evil and knowledgable wizard 
> in the world.
> 

Tammy replies:

I think Snape is exaggerating the truth a little bit for Harry's
understanding of Occlumency. Harry obviously looks at the world in a
very "black or white" way, and sees little shades of grey. 

Snape says "Only those skilled at Occlumency are able to shut down
those feelings and memories that contradict the lie, and so utter
falsehoods in his presence without detection." (pg 531, US paperback).

To me, that would suggest that you only need to block out CERTAIN
emotions. For Harry, that would - at this point - seem to signify that
he needs to block all emotions. For Snape, if he is indeed spying (for
either side I might add), he would only need to shut down certain
emotions. The feelings he has against Harry, James, Remus, Sirius, etc
would only be to his benefit in Voldemort's presence, thus Snape would
have no need to even practice shutting those down. If he's spying for
Voldemort, he would still have no need to shut those down, as
Dumbledore knows and accepts Snape's anti-Potter feeligns.

The feelings he would need to shut down are his soft spot for
Dumbledore (if he's spying for Dumbledore) and the feelings and
emotions tied with whatever Dumbledore is asking him to do. If he's
spying for Voldemort, he would need to hide his anti-Dumbledore
feelings or pro-Voldemort feelings. 

And as one recent topic pointed out, we do only see things from
Harry's POV, thus Snape would have little need to control anything in
Harry's presence. Snape could be entirely different when with
Voldemort. And, IIRC, Snape has usually been calmer in Dumbledore's
presence than when he is alone with Harry (POA not withstanding).

-Tammy