Who's to Blame/Ending Occulmency/Long

[koinonia02]

No: HPFGUIDX 100581

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at y...> wrote:
 It is just to me any of Harry's wrongdoings pales 
> significantly in comparison to Snape's.
> 
> So, I can be Snape's apologist too, but not when it comes to 
> verlooking his wrong deeds. How about that? :o)

"K":

I don't overlook Snape's wrong deeds either but I think we will 
disagree on what is a wrong deed or not where it concerns Snape and 
Harry.

Alla:
 
> Honestly, I can be Snape apologist, if I try.....really hard. :o)


"K":

Ah, but you shouldn't have to try hard. ;-) 

Alla:
> In the beginninhg of OoP Harry knows that Voldie tried to kill him 
>a few times, he has no idea why.

"K":

Does he need to know why? His parents are dead and it's no secret 
Voldemort is after him. That in itself should be enough. Then you 
have the graveyard scene where Cedric is killed. Nope. No excuse for 
Harry on this.

Alla:

> Let's see. Dumbledore tries to keep a distance from Harry all year 
> for reason Harry desperately tries to find out. He is NOT given 
>such information and now his most hated teacher tells 
>him "Headmaster thinks it is a good idea"
 
> I don't know if I will be very receptive in such situation, to 
>tell you the truth.

"K":

Guess I'll have to agree with a portrait:

~~Has it not occurred to you, my poor puffed-up popinjay, that there 
might be an excellent reason why the headmaster of Hogwarts is not 
confiding every tiny detail of his plans to you? Have you never 
paused, while feeling hard-done-by, to note that following 
Dumbledore's orders has never yet led you into harm?~~
oop/ch 23/pg 496/us

Alla:

> Snape, IMO did not tell Harry ANYTHING new. Harry knows since GoF 
> that his scar is the connection to Voldemort. Basically what he 
>was told is that the connection strengthened. That's it.

"K"

Hmmm.... so Harry knew:

* The Dark Lord is highly skilled in Legilimency.
* Harry he is sharing the Dark Lord's thoughts and emotions.
* Occlumency is a highly useful branch of magic.
* It can seal the mind against magical intrusion and influence.

Harry learned nothing new? Are you seriously telling me that Harry 
couldn't figure out how important Occlumency was even after being 
told so by Snape, Lupin, Sirius, and Hermione? The boy isn't that 
dense. He just didn't want to learn. He wanted to see what was 
behind that door. 

Alla:
 
> Nothing to indicate how dangerous situation became, nothing about 
>the Prophecy, etc.... 

"K":

Now I must defend Harry. He is smarter than that. Of course he knew 
how dangerous the situation was. He didn't need to be told about the 
Prophecy at this point in order to do what he was told. But then 
that is a problem Harry has. He doesn't listen very well. 

Alla:
 
> Harry was looking for information all book. The reason why he went 
>to Snape's Pensieve was not to look for humiliating memories, but 
>to find out what exactly was in MoM.

"K":

What would make Harry think Snape had put information about the MoM 
in the Pensieve? Nah. Harry is just plain nosey. Of course thanks to 
Harry we now know more about Snape. ^-^ No excuses for Harry here 
either. Never, ever should he have pried into Snape's private 
business. BTW, I believe Snape didn't want Harry to worry about the 
MoM. Again, Harry just didn't care or listen. It's what Harry wanted 
and that's all that mattered.

Alla:
 
> Harry made quite a few mistakes in this book, but I hold 
>Dumbledore and Co responsible for what occurred first and foremost.
> 

"K":

Seriously, this is a big problem many of us have. We have characters 
we love and we are at times unable to look at the negative sides of 
our favorites. That is one reason I usually have to ignore Harry 
apologists threads because I do love the kid but Harry is hardly 
ever held accountable. I find myself ending up disliking Harry 
because of the constant excuses being made for him. That's why I 
stay away from those threads. I love Harry but I don't think 
everyone is wrong and he is right.

Dumbledore is in a terrible position and I don't think many people 
stop to think about what he has gone through and what he is going 
through now. Perfect? No. Responsible for all the wrong that happens 
in OoP? No way.


Alla: 

>Harry may not have practiced enough, but he certainly tried.
> I again want to make a reference to Annemehr's wonmderful post 
>about how Harry did practice Occlumency. I again don't have post 
>number, but I have it at home and if you want, I'll find it later.

"K":

He didn't try hard enough and if you go back to my previous post you 
will see that Harry admits that more than once.

As others have said, it was Bella who killed Sirius, or Lupin ;-0
Do I blame Sirius for going to the MoM? Yes and no but that's a 
whole other thread I don't have time for. But to blame Snape is 
rather far-fetched. Somehow his attempt to keep Sirius at Grimmauld 
place doesn't seem to account for anything. Plus the fact it was 
Harry and gang who never thought to go to Snape in the first place. 
But then that is Snape's fault, isn't it. ;-)

"K"