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

[Stefanie]

No: HPFGUIDX 100861

Cheryl:
> For all the blame and self-blame that's been cast for the 'vision' 
> incident and its ramifications, we haven't seen Snape's reactions. 
He hated 
> Sirius, a given. he'd have gleefully turned Sirius over to the 
Dementors. He 
> loved tormenting Sirius. He KNEW how important Sirius was to 
Harry, to the Order. 
> There's been a lot of talk about Snape's emotional immaturity. I 
think he's 
> had a shock that may help him grow. I wish he'd drop dead is a 
common kids 
> wish. Should it actually happen, though, they often will never 
forgive themselves. 
> I think Snape was trying to repair the damage to Harry, in his 
own, 
> inimitable, Snapeish way.

Stefanie:
For the reasons you listed (Snape's KNOWING how important Sirius was 
to the Harry and the Order), I can't help but think that a shock 
like this isn't going to wake up Snape -- that is, if we even really 
know who's side he's on. As I read through this thread, it's 
striking just *how much* is riding on these lessons and how 
*everyone* (DD, Sirius, Lupin) knows it. Snape knows the gravity of 
things...Dumbledore tells Harry at the end of OotP exactly why he 
didn't personally give Occlumency lessons, and judging from Snape's 
hatred of Harry, DD would've believed he had to explain this to him 
to persuade him. 

Snape knew the ramifications of Voldemort prying into Harry's head. 
As DD states: "'Sirius told me you felt Voldemort awake inside you 
the very night that you had the vision of Arthur Weasley's attack. I 
knew at once that my worst fears were correct: Voldemort had 
realised he could use you. In an attempt to arm you against 
Voldemort's assaults on your mind, I arranged Occlumency lessons 
with Professor Snape.'" (OotP 37)

So DD realizes that Voldemort can use Harry to attack people. Snape 
knows this and still his pride outweighs the consequences that have 
already come to fruition in Arthur's attack? And this is excusable 
as DD's "`But I forgot - another old man's mistake - that some 
wounds run too deep for the healing. I thought Professor Snape could 
overcome his feelings about your father - I was wrong.'" (OotP 37)

This is about James and Snape's hatred for him. Dumbledore even goes 
as far to call his mistake that of an "old man" which to me implies 
that Snape not overcoming his hatred of James is something "young 
men" have to deal with – something he simply didn't consider because 
his aged wisdom is beyond such (to use *the word*) immaturity.

Dumbledore doesn't mention Harry's not practicing (although, I do 
not justify this in the least – Harry heard plenty of warnings, as 
vague as they were [which, yes, if clarified may have made a 
difference]) Snape has proven himself to be vindictive beyond 
reason: In the Shrieking Shack with his "maniacal" drive to toss 
Remus and Sirius to the Dementors, with his entire attitude towards 
Harry beginning before they even exchanged words...why is it so easy 
to trust Snape? I'm finding it hard to see a line that Snape has 
solidly shown his vindictiveness will not cross...