How should Harry deal with Snape?

[kyntor70]

No: HPFGUIDX 107665

Pippin wrote:

"Well, he should stop lying and sassing back, because that is the
behavior that Snape interprets as arrogant. *We* know Harry only
does it because he's insecure and frightened of Snape, and the
more Snape insults him and accuses him, the more insecure
and frightened Harry becomes. But Snape doesn't dig that, and
maybe never will.

It doesn't really matter whether the core reason for that
misunderstanding is rage, social ineptitude, prejudice or sheer
cussedness--whatever it is, Harry didn't make Snape the way he
is and isn't responsible for making him change the way he
thinks -- on the other hand he can, by modifying his own
behavior, hope to change the tenor of their interactions.

Harry made a start at this at the end of OOP, when he freely
admitted he was about to curse Malfoy instead of lying about it.
And nothing very terrible happened, did it? He lost a few points.
The worst that could have happened was a detention, and
Snape's detentions, while not much fun, are certainly not in a
class with Umbridge's.

Now, if only, the next time Snape insults him, Harry could bring
himself to say "You could be right about that, Sir." I've stopped
bullying bosses in their tracks with that one.

Of course it probably won't happen next time, because the Harry
Snape conflict won't be resolved until Book Seven. But as Jim
has challenged us to imagine how it would come about, here's
my guess.

Harry knows that lying, sassing back, and matching insults aren't
constructive behaviors, but his attitude right now is "I only have to
behave myself if Snape does." What could convince him to go
the extra mile?

JKR has said that Harry's glasses are the key to his
vulnerability. What would happen if Harry lost his glasses at
some critical moment and had, not only to trust Snape, but to
avoid the behaviors that have confirmed Snape's poor opinion of
him?"


Kyntor replies:

And of course all the bad feelings between Harry and Snape is 
completely Harry's fault.  Snape has no culpability at all.

I will remind you that Snape's mistreatment of Harry stated Harry's 
very first potions class.  Harry was pretty nuetral regarding Snape 
up to that point.  Harry negative opinion of Snape only exists 
because of Snape's behavior towards Harry.

You do not stop bullies by giving into them, you stop them by 
standing up to them.  Letting them have their way just reinforces 
their behavior.

I would deal with Snape quite differently that Pippin would.  First, 
I would go through official channels.  I would request a meeting with 
Dumbledore and McGonagall requesting that they take of the 
situation.  I would tell them that not only is his behavior unethical 
and unprofessional, it is also unacceptable.  Snape is not only 
mistreating Harry, he is also setting a very bad example for the 
Slytherins to follow.  His Slytherins are going to believe that being 
biased and a bully is totally acceptable behavior.

If Dumbledore and McGonagall does nothing about the situation, then 
it is time for Harry to do something himself.  Harry could send a 
letter to paper detailing Snapes behavior.  Harry could also mention 
the dark mark on his arm and the way he coddles the Slytherins.  
Everything Harry reported to the newspaper would be completely true 
and it would not blow any cover that Snape had to maintain.  As a 
matter of fact the public scuffle between Snape and Harry would 
strengthen his cover.  Since the opinion of the wizarding world 
regarding him has changed, I am sure people would value his opinion.

I would keep up the campeign to get Snape fired until one of two 
things happened.  Either Snape was fired or Dumbledore requested that 
Harry stop.  If Snape is fired, end of problem.  If Dumbledore asks 
Harry to stop, he can agree to under certain conditions.  Make 
modifying Snapes behavior the condition.

This method of dealing with Snape would not teach Snape any lessons 
(which he is probably too set in his way to learn now anyway), but it 
would stop the inappropriate behavior.

Kyntor