Who is the adult (Was: Who's to blame for Occlumency?)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 100676

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "darrin_burnett" 
<bard7696 at a...> wrote:

> 
> We know more than that. We know that Dumbledore is 
disappointed in  Snape's performance, to the point where he 
believes he made a mistake  putting him in charge of the job. He 
says Snape couldn't get over the past.<

Pippin:

Couldn't. Not didn't want to. Not failed because he *chose* to act 
like a spoiled brat instead of a grown-up. Snape is a damaged 
adult, too wounded to function effectively. 

And so is Dumbledore. Dumbledore blames himself for "an old 
man's mistake" -- as if growing old were something he could 
help! Unfortunately the only two people who were available to 
teach Harry Occlumency were these two damaged 
individuals--Snape, damaged by his memories of abuse, and 
Dumbledore, damaged by old age. 

But if no one had tried to teach Harry Occlumency, he still would 
have gone after Sirius, so I don't see that either Dumbledore or 
Snape should be faulted for trying. 

Pippin