What if other teachers behaved like Snape?

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 101334

Pippin wrote:
<major snippage of list of times Snape's come to Harry's aid>
> I am sure there are some I've missed. But Harry for the most part 
> doesn't realize that Snape, far more than Sirius, has always 
> been there to protect him. He only thinks that Snape is ruining 
> his fun and trying to get him punished, never thinking that  Snape 
> might  be using the threat of punishment to get Harry to behave 
> with a little more concern for his own safety.
> 
>  It takes Lupin to make Harry see that he's being careless with 
> his parents' sacrifice by needlessly risking his life.  


SSSusan:
I've tried to follow this thread to its conclusion, but I'm woefully 
behind and so hope I'm not stepping on toes.

It's been interesting to consider the dozen or so incidences that 
Pippin put forth as times Snape's saved Harry...as well as others' 
responses to those.  I don't agree that everything on Pippin's list 
was truly Snape watching out for Harry, but I *do* think she's right 
that he has saved Harry's behind more than once and that Harry has a 
blind spot for recognizing it.

What I've been surprised people didn't pick up on much was the 
beginning of the 2nd paragraph I've snipped, above.  "It took Lupin 
to make Harry see that he's being careless with his parents' 
sacrifice...."

To me this comment makes an eloquent case for an argument I've tried 
to make many times before:  Snape's methods with Harry DO NOT WORK.  
Who's to blame for that?  Both of them, in turns, though, yes, I 
blame Snape more since he approached Harry w/ derisiveness & 
loathing from the get-go *and* he's a teacher.  If Snape hadn't been 
such an ass w/ Harry from the first moment, if he'd done ANYTHING to 
give Harry a sign that he actually had a concern for his well-being 
or his success as a student, Harry might have been able to see all 
Snape was doing.  

Really, though, that's another post.  What I wanted to bring up is 
this question:  WHY is Lupin successful in reaching Harry, in 
showing him how rashly and stupidly he was behaving, roaming around 
the castle in the darkness when Sirius Black was on the loose?  
Because Harry had already come to TRUST Lupin.  Lupin had been kind 
to Harry; Lupin had complimented Harry's parents; Lupin had shown an 
interest in Harry.

Whether it's "in him" or not for Snape to have shown any kind of 
overt concern for Harry has been debated here ad nauseum.  He might 
not be able to be truly kind to Harry--or INTERESTED in such a thing-
-but the fact that Harry LISTENS to Lupin when he's being 
reprimanded and brought down a notch says something:  THIS is the 
way to reach Harry.  

Siriusly Snapey Susan