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

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 120117


SSSusan wrote:
" While Snape doesn't deliberately try to make Harry fail, he doesn't
ask himself whether his methods are working with this all-important
student either.  If it's REALLY that important that Harry succeed,
whether it's Potions or Occlumency, because Harry is the Big Weapon in
VW2, and if Snape is a White Hat or at least a man who wants Voldy
taken down, then WHY can he not "retrain" himself to actually assess
his teaching methods with this one bratty kid and determine if they're
working?  
And as they're *not* working well, perhaps he should figure out what 
else he might do?  "

Del replies :
There are quite a few assumptions I'm not too sure about in this
paragraph :

1. We still don't know for sure that Snape knows about the Prophecy.
He might very well not know that Harry is the Big Weapon.

2. We don't know that Snape's teaching methods are not working on
Harry. Harry has never failed Potions, and he apparently didn't do bad
at all on his OWL. As for Occlumency, Harry managed to fight Snape
back on the very first attempt if I remember well, which would
indicate that Snape's chosen method was indeed adequate.

3. We don't know whether Snape looked for an alternate way of teaching
Occlumency or not. Maybe he did.

SSSusan wrote:
" There are some things people can learn by jumping right into them. 
But where there's an option, this ex-teacher thinks it's wisest to opt
for a slow start w/ some measure of success before moving into the
difficult, real-life situation.  Kind of like Lupin's boggart!dementor
simulation before Harry had to encounter the real thing.  It helps to
 understand the process, figure out what works, get a little
confidence built up, then up the ante to what it might be like w/ Voldy."

Del replies :

Question : how do you know there might be an to Snape's method of
teaching Occlumency?

Comment: fighting Snape WAS a simulation. Harry was warned, he could
prepare himself for it, and Snape was going to lift up the spell
whether Harry managed to shake it off or not.

Moreover, as I already said, this method DID work : Harry DID manage
to shake the Legilimency spell off.

Del