Harry, Neville, and Snape

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 90402

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "charlot7542" <charlot7542 at y...> wrote:
> Charlotte:
> Agreed that Harry's going to have to control his temper and 
> rashness, but remember he's only 15 years old and (literally) has 
> the weight of the world on his shoulders - this is not normal teen-
> angst. Sure it wouldn't hurt for him to see things from Snape's 
> point of view, but your asking something from a teenager that Snape, 
> a man close to 40 has never demonstrated. A little mutual 
> understanding would go a long way.
> 

Maybe it's me. Perhaps I imagine things and I haven't written what I think
I've written. But, please, please, please, could someone explain to me why
when I say that I believe Snape's behaviour towards Harry and Neville is an
act, everybody ignores that part of my post.

Are so many members determined that Snape *must* mentally torture
and degrade children for fun? It seems that all other sins can be forgiven,
but one hard word to Harry and he is unfit to teach, he is a monster, he
must be made to see the error of his ways. Poppycock.

It's a sad day when a self-centred little snot like Harry can't be firmly
put in his place. And Snape's the man to do it, even if it is part of his
cover. Snape is the necessary corrective in Harry's school world. The
one person who will make DD's pet look over his shoulder before he
tries one of those stunts that end as an epic cock-up. Who else will
act as a brake on Harry?  

On average, I'd estimate that Harry sees DD maybe four times in a 
school year, and one of those is the final chapter explication in each
book when DD acts more like a concerned, third rate Self-Actualisation
Counselor rather than as a Headmaster protecting a confused teenager
from a murderous monster. In theory, the head of Gryffindor House
is McGonagall, but he usually sees her only in Transfiguration classes, 
though they may meet very occasionally when storm clouds loom. Not
that it does any good, he generally ignores what she has to say anyway.
The one staff member on the spot is invariably Snape. Why is this?

Because it's his job. He's been appointed as Harry's guardian angel at 
Hogwarts - by DD. He's the one to warn Harry off, to keep him out of
trouble and to save his skin when necessary. And what better way to 
keep an eye on him than to loudly proclaim that Harry is trouble and 
that he (Snape) will dog his footsteps until he catches him out.  Harry
being Harry is entirely predictable in his attitudes and behaviour and 
makes Snape's job so much easier and his announced intention very 
believable.

Don't get me wrong, Snape is never going to adopt Harry; he almost
certainly sees him as a pain in the neck that he could do without, but
do you really think that he doesn't understand how important Harry is
to Dumbledore's plan? With maybe Neville as first reserve? Of course
he does. All his actions towards Harry are calculated. Only once has
he ever physically threatened Harry, despite all the provocation thrown
at him, at that was when Harry delved into the Pensieve. And there, I
strongly suspect, his reaction was not because of what Harry saw, but
what he *might* have seen. Harry seeing Snape embarassed is one 
thing, Harry seeing something critical, secret, or dangerous about Snape
and Voldy would be something else again. (Nobody ever asks about the 
other memories Snape put in the Pensieve.)

We all knowingly repeat how foolish it is to take JKR's characterisations
at face value; how she deliberately misleads. Are there so many posters
that consciously and deliberately stifle their suspicions when looking at
Snape? Just because he's sarcastic? You fall in my estimation if you do.

Kneasy