CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 12, "Professor Umbridge"

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 91216

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman"
<susiequsie23 at s...> wrote:
> Jen asked: 
> > 5) Snape singles out Harry once again in Potions, making much of 
> > Harry's mistake. It crossed my mind that Snape, while bullying 
> > Harry, might also be trying to make certain Harry knows how to make 
> > this particular potion. Any thoughts? 
> 
> Siriusly Snapey Susan:
> Absolutely!  Same as in SS/PS when Snape throws those first three 
> questions at Harry in their very first class. I think he is trying to 
> make the incidents *memorable* so that Harry will never forget the 
> humiliation...and hence, hopefully, never forget the CONTENT of the 
> lessons as well.

Carol:
Funny thing; the word "absolutely!" also popped into my head when I
read Jen's question, but SSS has already said it for me. So I'll just
add another example of the same tactic (evidence that Snape *is*
teaching Harry Potions whether he realizes it or not): Snape goes back
and makes Harry reread the instructions on the board and discover for
himself that he has forgotten part of step 3. I don't recall the
particular potion, but the point of the lesson is that you *must*
follow directions exactly: the exact amount of the exact ingredients
in the exact order specified. I think it's the same lesson in which
Snape assigns Harry an extra essay on the uses of moonstone in potion
making--a hint that moonstones will come in handy for Harry in a
future book. I think most of Snape's seeming abuse of Harry (which has
not harmed him in any way, unlike Umbridge's cruel punishment using
his own blood) is intended to enforce the same lesson. (Which is not
to say that he secretly likes Harry. Obviously he doesn't. But he is
nevertheless helping him *in front of the Slytherins* under cover of
sarcasm. If the Gryffindors had Potions with the Ravenclaws or
Hufflepuffs, he might find other, less antagonistic, methods of making
the lessons memorable.)

Carol

Carol