Harry, Neville, and Snape

[charlot7542]

No: HPFGUIDX 90482

Kneasy wrote:
> 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.

Charlotte:
I'm not ignoring this part of your post - I agree that it is partly 
an act, but I also think the behaviour comes a little too easily to 
him.

Kneasy:
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.)

Charlotte:
This is a valid point - I would dearly love to know the content of 
those two other memories in the pensieve.


>Kneasy: 
> 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. > 

> 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.

Charlotte:
Yes, but the whole point JKR is trying to get accross is that even 
the best of us make mistakes and errors in judgement (even DD) and 
it's impossible to classify anyone as completely evil or completely 
good. As Harry grows, so too does his understanding of the world 
around him - hence a definite movement away from black and white 
character labels. Not all sadistic people are Death Eaters 
(Umbridge), and equally not all those who fight on the side of good 
are always controlled and able to master nagative emotions (Sirius 
for eg). Snape, is a flawed person, who nevertheless fights, for 
whatever reason, against the forces of darkness. But, just because 
he works for the Order and Dumbledore doesn't mean that every single 
action is calculated to aid this cause. You're allowing him an 
almost superhuman emotional control when you assume that all his 
negative bullying behaviour stems entirely from a subjective desire 
to help Harry. That doesn't allow for the much more interesting 
complexities of a man, who does much to help Harry and his cause, 
but nevertheless can't ever completely curb his jealousy and 
dislike. 

Charlotte