Who's to Blame/Ending Occulmency/Long

[SongBird3411 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 100823

The ending of the Occlumency lessons is probably the thing that 
irritates me most in OotP.  Every time I read that book and get to 
that section I just want to scream.  I want to shake both Harry and 
Snape.  

I confess that I do love Snape.  I also completely understand why he 
would want to quit.  Harry commited a serious violation of his 
privacy.  Not to mention Harry's complete lack of desire to learn 
occlumency.  Harry rarely practiced and in point of fact seemed to 
actively work at letting the visions continue.  It would be 
frustrating to the extreme to keep trying to teach Harry if he was 
going to ignore most of it.  That violation of privacy though is 
compelling.  I would think most teachers would find it hard to work 
privately with student's who had committed such a violation.  

That said, I sincerely wish Snape had continued anyway.  He knew how 
important it was.  He knew the stakes.  But that inevitably leads me 
to the question:  Why then didn't Snape continue?  I find it hard to 
believe he would purposely endanger Harry that way.  And other people 
in the Order knew that Snape had stopped.  Didn't any of them 
convince him to continue?  I am so frustrated about this.  I don't 
know if JKR means to explain this further, but I certainly hope she 
does.

Just so you know, I hold Harry equally responsible.  He knew what was 
at stake.  He is specifically told that Voldemort can use that 
connection to manipulate him.  Yet, he doesn't practice, doesn't try 
very hard at the lessons, and pretty much blows off anyone who 
suggests he should be trying harder.  He develops something of a hero 
complex.  If he can see the visions, then he can save people.  
Despite being told that Voldemort can use the images to manipulate 
him.  Harry just seems to disregard that information.  Until it is 
too late.

I normally love both Harry and Snape.  However, this incident is the 
one that makes me the most irritated with both of them.  BTW, I place 
very little blame on Snape for Sirius's death.  I too place that 
blame on the DE's, Voldemort, Sirius himself, a bit of Dumbledore, a 
little bit of Harry, and a smidgeon of Snape.

Mindy