What if other teachers behaved like Snape?

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 101349




> Tell me just what intimately private information of Lupin's did 
> Harry pry into? He didn't even know Lupin was a werewolf until 
> Hermione TOLD him point blank even when the evidence was spelled out 
> right in front of him in his own DADA assignment. (Of course if he 
> put the same amount of care into Snape's DADA assignment as he did 
> later into his Occlumencey lessons, despite DD's express 
> instructions to 'do everything Professor Snape tells you to do!', 
> one easily can see how he missed that.)
> 

1) Hermione appears to be the ONLY student who actually did the werewolf 
lesson, so Harry's "sin" in omitting a lesson that was recanted as soon as 
Lupin returned was shared by the rest of the class as well.

2) Let us not let this discussion go by with a comment on how reprehensible it 
was for Snape to attempt to "out" his fellow teacher in that manner. (Later, he 
just blatantly does it.) 

Once again, Snape believes he knows better than Dumbledore. If he can't 
convince the Headmaster to fire Lupin, he will make Lupin's life intolerable. 

The werewolf as AIDS parallel has been drawn here. I use it to illustrate this 
argument. What if a teacher "outed" a gay colleague? Reprehensible.

Now, onto the comparison. Again, it has to do with approaches. Harry was 
given a very clear goal in mind with the Patronus lessons. He had firsthand 
knowledge of what would happen if he failed -- he would be prey to the 
Dementors.

Harry enters Occlumency with no clear reason why he is there, with 
condescension from the teacher, on the word of adults who have not been 
forthcoming with him and with some positive reinforcement the other direction 
(he saved Arthur's life) in his head.

Later, he finds himself not getting better at Occlumency, but getting weaker. 
He has reason to suspect what is happening to him.

Furthermore, when Harry failed on the first try, Lupin says, "I'd have been 
surprised had you gotten it."

When Harry failed on the first try with Occlumency, a skill so rare it apparently 
extends to D-Dore and Snape at Hogwarts, Snape insults him.

All this takes place well before Harry invades Snape's privacy.

Lupin is a better teacher because he has more respect for his students. 

D-Dore himself says he made a mistake in matching Snape and Harry 
together. And he doesn't blame Harry for it, does he? He blames Snape and 
his inability to get over past scars.

Darrin