FF: Snape, Harry, Dumbledore, and flaws in the books

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 106287

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "huntergreen_3" 
<patientx3 at a...> wrote:
> 
> Alla wrote: 
> I want an apology from him to Harry worded something like "Potter,
> you are not your father and I was wrong for not realising that
> earlier" No, I don't want for him to hug and kiss Harry at the 
end...<snip> 
> Let him go to some potions research institute or something.
> [snip] 
> That is what I want for Snape. Does it answer your question? :)<<
> 
> HunterGreen:
> Not really. I was more curious to those who think his teaching 
> methods are horrible and those who think there might be some 
reason that Dumbledore is allowing it, what do you think should be 
done about it? Personally, I don't think anything *needs* to be done 
about it, because the situation is not spinning out of control; 
meaning that the students are learning, and no one is getting 
scarred by his insults (just my opinion only, I don't want this to 
spin into another Snape debate). For those who *disagree*, what 
should be done to him?
> 

Valky:
Contrary to everything I may seem to believe in the vibe of my 
posts, *I, also,* want nothing to be done about it.

He's horrible, no doubt, and I would't call him an exceptional 
teacher, he is just who he is and he knows his potions.
 
What on earth could be done really? He's important to Dumbledore in 
the Order and in the School of Hogwarts. Harry is important also, 
but Snape is and has always been a least of his worries. Like a 
niggling itch that you can scratch occassionally but really it's 
just an annoyance. A nothing really. 

Snape is a trip underfoot of Harry, he has done a fair bit of damage 
so don't get me wrong I don't think he's totally harmless.
 
But, Snape and Harry have an awful lot in common. Dumbledore sees 
the connection and has done from the start. I think his higher 
purpose is to protect and care for both of them, like they were his 
own children. He couldn't really oust one of them over their 
quibbling at each other, what loving person would?

This reminds me of Snape's taunting of Sirius in OOtP about having 
to hide in DD's protection at Grimmauld Place coupled with his 
remark about those who wear their heart on their sleeves are 
vulnerable to LV. Snape seems to lash out at his own insecurites in 
others a lot, perhaps his taunting of Sirius is exactly the same 
thing. Perhaps he really can't be free himself, like Sirius, in some 
way. 

Without going into too many logical steps to this conclusion, I just 
have a gut feeling that Snape is left without much choice but to 
have Dumbledore keep him for his own protection. In which case I 
think were DD to punish Snape for what he's done to Harry the 
consequences would be worse. 

It would be far more cruel to Snape to punish him and discard him 
than it is to allow him and Harry to bicker, despite that Harry is 
quite innocent.