Harry, Neville, and Snape

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 90455

 Kneasy wrote:
>snip<
 I believe Snape's behaviour towards Harry
 and Neville is an act...
 <snip>
The one staff member on the spot is invariably Snape.
 
 
 Carol:
>snip<
 What if they were not memories of his own personal
 humiliation but something he didn't want Voldemort, via Harry, to 
see?
 >snip<
 Whatever they were, it was essential that they not be seen by either 
Harry or Voldemort.
 >snip< 
 In other words, yes, Snape is "the necessary corrective in Harry's
 world." Yes, he is Harry's "guardian angel." And, yes, he must 
conceal his role. 

Potioncat:
I hope I haven't snipped so much this doesn't make sense.
I too agree that Snape is both playing a role and is protecting 
Harry.  The ideas about the pensieve make a lot of sense.  I've 
wondered what would happen if LV got a look into Snape via Harry.  So 
it seems even more important that Harry have a strong dislike for 
Snape.  And Snape has given him lots of reasons to dislike him!

But, he's still taught him!  Making him write an essay about the 
potion he messed up was priceless!  It looked like punishment, to 
both Harry and Umbridge, but taught Harry the very potion Umbridge 
didn't want taught.  As for the potions that didn't get Marks (Mark 
Evans esco) Snape knows very well how they turned out.  And it seems 
the O.W.L.S. are more important than the classroom grade. 

I'll bet both Harry and Neville pass potions O.W.L.S.  and I bet 
Harry's grade will be good enough for N.E.W.T.S potions class. And I 
don't think either outcome will surprise Snape.

Potioncat
(who having said all this in defense of Snape, wouldn't want him for 
a teacher either.)