What if Snape does not have to maintain any cover?

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 101822

Alla wrote:

> 
> Seriously, though, it will be a start. It will show that Snape can
> grow and change as a human being.
> 
> Really, one of the reasons why I am so fed up with Snape's nursing
> his old grudges after OoP is because his character started to be come
> static. No change at all.
> 
> 
> I wanted to applaud  Snape, when at the end of GoF he showed his Mark
> to Fudge. Futile gesture? Maybe, but so courageous  (true
> Gryffindor ":o)) and supportive of Harry, who just went through hell.
> I thought that would be a start of new beginnings for Snape and Harry
> and Sirius ( No, not the beginning of the beatiful 
> friendship :o),
> but just new beginning)
> 
> And here we are in OoP, back to square 1. Grrrrrr.


This is my first post here, though I've been lurking for
awhile and reading the posts (as much as I can, since 
this is a *very* busy list!). I wanted to reply to 
this one:

(Hi, Alla!)

I felt too at the end of GoF that Snape and Harry 
might be moving to a new phase in their relationship,
perhaps even toward a point of mutual respect (I
don't really expect them to ever *like* each other).
I also felt that was happening most of the way
through OoTP. When Snape started teaching Harry
Occlumency, he seemed to tone down his sarcasm,
even offering a grudging compliment or two--in a 
Snape fashion, anyway--on Harry's performance.
I felt Snape was actually making a small effort,
and even his irritation at Harry's not practicing
enough was justified (as Harry wasn't practicing). 

Where any chance of improving their relationship
went awry, IMO, is when Harry looked at Snape's
memories in the pensieve. Now, I know why Harry
did it, and I don't think he was being malicious.
But he was totally in the wrong. No doubt Snape
lacks the objectivity to view Harry's action in
any but the worst possible light, and his refusal
to continue tutoring Harry was a response more
in line with someone at Harry's teenage maturity
level than that of an adult. That reaction is not
right either, though perhaps understandable given
Snape's prejudices.

So, I do agree that Harry and Snape's relationship
has been set back to square one by the end of OoTP,
or maybe worse based on Harry's single-minded blame
of Snape for Sirius's death. But I do think Harry
instigated that setback, even if Snape sealed it
with his reaction. I also expect in Book 6 Harry
will be the one to keep their relationship in its
current sorry state, at least in the beginning.

However, I do hope that by the end of Book 7
Harry and Snape will at least have achieved a 
detente, and will view each other more realistically
(assuming they're both still alive). I'd like to
see them develop that grudging respect for each
other eventually, since whatever their individual
faults, they are both fighting on the same side
(AFAWK).

Juli