What if other teachers behaved like Snape?

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 101192

Kneasy wrote:
> OK, we can keep on about  Snape's teaching methods 'til the cows
> come home, and it's  obvious  that there are  at least two factions
> and that they  will probably never agree. No problem. However, I
> will ask - has Snape *ever* been seen to teach differently?

Neri:
I didn't do a full research, but Snape is quite able to grant a 
healthy praise when he is not over-emotional. Here is an example from 
that memorable first Potions lesson in SS/PS:

"He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried 
nettles and crush snake fangs, criticising almost everyone except 
Malfoy whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look 
at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of 
acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon."

Allow me to suppose that Draco wasn't THAT perfect with stewing his 
horned slugs. This praise and many others were calculated to get 
Lucius Malfoy's good opinion. Sure, this is Secret Agent Snape at 
work. My point is that with Harry, Secret Agent Snape loses his cool 
head and his ability to give (even undue) praises for a good cause, 
even before Harry peeked into his memories. Let's face it, our 
controlled, calculating secret agent becomes highly emotional and 
irrational when facing Harry.

 Kneasy also wrote:
>It looks
> as if he treated Occlumency more or less the same as any other 
> lesson.

You mean, like every other lesson with HARRY. And this is my point 
exactly: this wasn't just any other lesson. It had far-reaching 
implications for the war effort, and Snape knew it (while Harry 
though it had implications only for his own safety). Even if all the 
other lessons were the DD & Snape double act (which I don't believe), 
this was the time to let the double act off for a time. Snape could 
have appreciated that. He is far from being stupid. As DD says, he 
just can't overcome his feelings.

Neri