How should Harry deal with Snape?

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 107742

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "kyntor70" 
<marcuscason at c...> wrote:

> 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.
> 

I think this part of Kyntor's advice is very good. Perhaps 
Dumbledore and McGonagall would explain to Harry why 
Snape's behavior is not considered unethical and 
unprofessional  -- at least not to the point where it would get 
Snape sacked or engender any public indignation on Harry's 
behalf.

 They might also tell Harry that  if he exposes Snape's previous 
service to Voldemort, Dumbledore will just have to explain again 
why Snape got off. At that point Snape is going to look 
like a hero, especially after Voldemort murders him, and Harry is 
going to look like a snivelling brat who can't take his medicine.

And Voldemort will be laughing his head off.

One supposes that McGonagall would tell Harry to learn to keep 
his head down, and Dumbledore would say that Harry needs to 
learn to ignore Snape's insults. To paraphrase his advice to 
Hagrid:

"Harry, not a week has passed since I became Headmaster of 
this school, when I haven't had at least one owl telling me I'm a 
barmy old codger or an obsolete old dingbat. But what should I 
do? Spend all my time in answering  them?"

I agree that submitting to bullies is bad, but exactly for that 
reason, confrontation is more advisable if you can win.  Losing 
forces *you* to submit and gratifies the bully.  There are times 
when fighting a losing battle is a noble undertaking, but Snape is 
not an ogre to be fought at all costs, merely a petty tyrant on a 
very limited scale. He doesn't even think the world should be run 
by the likes of him. 

OTOH and IMO, there is nothing submissive about telling the 
truth, or in respecting the office of Professor and obeying the 
rules of the school *you* have chosen to attend. 

Doing those things would not show that Harry is buying into 
Snape's opinion of him; it would show that Harry is ignoring it. 
Harry is not an eleven-year-old friendless orphan anymore, and it 
is time he unhinged his self-respect from Snape's good opinion.

Pippin