And More on Snape again

[sbursztynski]

No: HPFGUIDX 103069

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at y...> wrote:
> Alla previously:-
> 
> > >I still think that Harry and Neville would learn more without 
Snape
> > >in classroom, though. :)
> 
> 
> Robert wrote: 
>  snip
> The only fair way to measure if they have learned 
> > the subject is written exams administered by someone other 
than him 
> > and/or having the practical exam taken without him in the 
room 
> (IOW: 
> > As occurs in OOP). 
> 
> 
> Alla:
> 
> I agree with you. If Neville and Harry did well on their OWLS, it 
> will be the best piece of evidence for me that they learned 
something 
> from Snape. On that day I will publicly acknowledge that 
academically 
> Snape is a good teacher :o). On the other hand, I will also think 
> that their performance is the best when Snape is not in the 
> classroom, so even if he put something in their heads, they 
cannot do 
> well with him being present in the classroom. So, that means 
for me 
> that he should not be in the said classroom (Let me repeat 
again for 
> all Snape apologists ready to jump at me - AT THE END of the 
series, 
> not now. :o).
> 
> I will be the first one to acknowledge that without 
> Snape, "potterverse" will lose a lot. :o)

Sue

I vaguely recall that in the chapter of OOTP it said that Neville 
managed to produce a decent potion without Snape there.

In all fairness, though, we can't blame Snape for all Neville's 
troubles. He has problems in other subjects too - 
Transfiguration, for example.McGonagall is a good teacher, but 
she yells at him too. I think his problems stem from his home 
life, initially - Snape just doesn't make it better, that's all.

On the other hand, in OOTP, he works hard at the secret Defence 
Against the Dark Arts lessons and succeeds.

As for Harry - let's face it, much as we love him, he isn't 
particularly academic. He's reasonable, but no genius and half 
the time he and Ron are borrowing notes from Hermione. The 
only thing he IS brilliant in is DADA and he's had to learn that the 
hard way, and fast, or he'd be dead. He's been lucky enough to 
have that private tutoring from Lupin in third year, which helped. 
Would he have succeeded in Potions if someone else had been 
his teacher? Probably, but he hasn't failed yet, even WITH Snape 
and if he'd had, say, McGonagall, he would still have been 
pestering Hermione for notes. :-)