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

[boyd_smythe]

No: HPFGUIDX 106401

> Alla wrote:
> Yes, again. Strangely enough, I never doubt that Harry will 
apologise 
> to Snape at the end. Of course, that is mainly because Harry is 
> supposed to have more forgiving soul than Snape , in other words, 
> metathinking all over the place.
> I am sure that Harry will wpoligise. Will Snape thought? I would 
> prefer still that Snape be the first one, since he was the one who 
> started all that, but I am not keeping my hopes up.

boyd:

Look, I love Harry as much as the next person, and one of the reasons 
that I do is that he is very real and *flawed*. He seems never to ask 
adults for help, he rushes blindly into things, he's a bit 
self-centered (see the beginning of OoP) and he continues to judge a 
book by its cover (Sirius in PoA and Snape, for example).

Are any of those fatal flaws? I hope not. But they certainly don't 
make him a bad person, just a damaged person. Hey, even DD himself 
makes mistakes (at least he claims to).

So why are we so quick to bash Snape? Because we see him through 
Harry's jaundiced eyes. Yes, Snape is an adult and a teacher. And yes, 
he is overly rule-oriented and prejudiced against Harry due to his 
history with James. And a bit harsh. But who has done more for the 
Order? Who else turned their back on LV, perhaps after playing the 
spy, a most dangerous game where LV is concerned? Who do the other 
OoP'ers gather 'round excitedly when he returns to make a report in 
OoP? Who has worked countercurses, kept an eye out for then-murderer 
Sirius, and tried to teach Harry the horrible to be an occlumens? 
These are the important things.

We keep focusing on the little, inconsequential things like how Snape 
is a meanie, because that's what Harry continues to focus on. When 
will he finally see that Snape is a good guy when it comes to all the 
things that matter?

Oh, and if history is any indication, don't be expecting Harry to 
apologize broadly to Snape in 6 or 7. He hasn't yet, even when Snape 
has proven to be an ally in the war on Voldemort.

--boyd
who can't believe he's been drawn offsides into a Snape discussion