Occlumency and Shield Charm

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 89382

-- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "severelysigune" 
<severelysigune at y...> wrote:
> I have been wondering lately about what happened in the one before 
> last of Harry's Occlumency lessons. There, Harry casts a Shield 
Charm 
> and the result is he gets to see some of Snape's memories. What I 
> find strange is that something like a simple (?) Shield Charm 
should 
> permit Harry to get inside Snape's mind. I think that is strangely 
in 
> contradiction with the repeated qualification of Snape as a superb 
> Occlumens.
> 
> Even if Harry's Shield Charm made Snape's spell bounce off and 
caused 
> him to be hit by his own Legilimenting spell, it still seems to me 
> that it should be a piece of cake for Lord Thingy (an expert 
> Legilimens, better at it than Snape) to break into his sneaky ex-
> servant's mind. So can Snape really rely on this Occlumency 
business? 
> Or does anyone have an alternative explanation for what happened?

NOW Siriusly Snapey Susan:

I hesitate to say this to the whole list, because I think a lot of 
people get sick of those of us who think Harry is "gifted" with 
special talent & abilities, but that's how I would explain it.  I 
mean, had Harry ever been *shown* a Shield Charm, or did he just 
somehow know to use it?  Whether shown or not, it was apparently a 
very strong charm to have caused this effect which Snape didn't 
expect.  I just think Harry is a VERY POWERFUL wizard...maybe even 
more powerful than Voldy [hence his ability to hold on/"win" the 
connected wands duel], and that explains why it affected Snape as it 
did.

Siriusly Snapey Susan...who's open to other interpretations, but this 
is what she currently believes. :-)