What if other teachers behaved like Snape?

[Ava]

No: HPFGUIDX 101623

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "melclaros" <melclaros at y...> 
wrote:

Mel:
> In CoS (Don't have the book so can't give chapter and verse) we 
find 
> out, from Lucius, that Hermione got higher grades than Draco (and 
> everyone else). 

        ****

> Oh, as far as the claims that Snape *likes* Draco--I have yet to 
see 
> any *real* canon proof of Snape *liking* Draco. I think, for him, 
> Draco is means a to an end, like everything else.

Ava:
That put me in mind of the description of, I believe, the very 1st 
potions class, where Snape doles out loads of ad hoc criticism, 
except that he lauds Draco's 'wonderful' work.  (Not the Slytherins 
generally, but Draco's specifically.)  The fact that Hermione ends 
up with better grades suggests that the compliments of Draco's work 
don't mean a hill of beans.  But, Snape has made the right 
impression on Lucius' son, and keeps up that appearance thereafter.  
That's not to say he's 'pretending' to like Draco more than, eg., 
Harry (whom he undoubtedly does not much care for), or that he 
doesn't genuinely favor the Slytherins - I'm sure he does - but it 
does suggest that he made a decision before that school year started 
that there would be something to gain in having the trust and good 
will of Lucius' son.  That is, as Mel already noted, Draco is a 
means to an end.