Harry, Snape,Occlumency

[annemehr]

No: HPFGUIDX 94247

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "evita2fr" <Snarryfan at a...> wrote:
> *wave* Newbie here!

Annemehr:
Hi, Christelle!  Nice post, mind if I join you?  :-)

Christelle: 
> It was probably already discussed, but I saw this argument too often, 
> I must say something.
> 
> Snape did a big mystake when he didn't force Harry to go on the 
> Occlumency's lesson. I could agree with this if Harry was advanced in 
> the subject and he needed one or two lessons to wrap all.But when 
> they stopped, they are in April, they started in January, and Harry 
> made no progress.You could say that Snape should teach better than 
> what he did. But (in his standard) he made the best he could do.

Annemehr:
Yes, twice-a-week lessons for over three months, and very little
progress.  Harry's never failed like that before.  Even though he did
not practice nearly enough (I've posted before on some passages that
showed he did practice at least a little), you have to wonder why just
keeping Snape out of his mind after so many hours was not enough
motivation to learn.  I do also wonder what would have happened if
Harry had succeeded -- I mean, wouldn't he have had to walk around in
a state of constant Occlumency twenty-four hours a day in order to
guard against Voldemort intrusions?  Could anyone really do that?

Actually, this whole subject seems full of contradictions.  Consider
this passage, from OoP ch. 24; Snape's explanation at the beginning of
the first Occlumency lesson:

--------------------------
Whatever Snape said, Legilimency counded like mind reading to Harry
and he did not like the sound of it at all.

"So he could know what we're thinking right now? Sir?"

"The Dark Lord is at a considerable distance and the walls and grounds
of Hogwarts are guarded by many ancient spells and charms to ensure
the bodily and mental safety of those who dwell within them," said
Snape.  "Time and space matter in magic, Potter. Eye contact is often
essential to Legilimency."

"Well then, why do I have to learn Occlumency?"

Snape eyed Harry, tracing his mouth with one long, thin finger as he
did so.

"The usual rules do not seem to apply with you, Potter. The curse that
failed to kill you seems to have forged some kind of connection
between you and the Dark Lord.  The evidence suggests that at times,
when your mind is most relaxed and vulnerable -- when you are asleep,
for instance -- you are sharing the Dark Lord's thoughts and emotions.
 The headmaster thinks it inadvisable for this to continue. He wishes
me to teach you how to close your mind to the Dark Lord."
-------------------------------

Christelle:
> Yes, he didn't explain how block a Legilimens. For the good reason 
> the explanation didn't exist. It's instinctive. His exact words were
> (UK version, chap24, p471):
> 
> "I have been told that you have already shown aptitude at resisting 
> the Imperius Curse. You will find that similar powers are needed for 
> this." 
> 
> When the fake!Moody trained them against the Imperius, he didn't give 
> a method. Harry fought it instinctively . And he succeeded after he 
> had been attacked repeatedly .

Annemehr:
Well, yes, but...
When Harry experienced the Imperius curse, the curse itself gave Harry
a feeling of blissful emptiness, into which the curser could inject
his commands, and which Harry answered with an inner voice that had
not been entirely lulled into passiveness.

But to learn Occlumency, Snape tells Harry that Harry himself must do
the mind-emptying.  Well, okay, maybe Harry emptying his mind might
make it easier for him to access that inner voice while under attack
via legilimency.  It does seem to have been that voice which stopped
Snape as the memory of kissing Cho began to surface:

---------------------------
"*No,* said a voice in Harry's head, as the memory of Cho drew nearer,
*you're not watching that, you're not watching it, it's private --*"
-----------------------------

But how does this square with the part I quoted above, about how the
Dark Lord has been able to get access to Harry's mind while it is most
relaxed and vulnerable?  It seems that emptying his mind is *both* the
way to grant Voldemort easier access to it and the way to allow
Harry's inner voice to combat the intrusion.  In fact, Dumbledore
seems to confirm this after the DoM battle when explaining why he
didn't teach Harry himself:

-------------------------------
"I am aware of it," said Dumbledore heavily.  "I have already said
that it was a mistake for me not to teach you myself, though I was
sure, at the time, that nothing could have been more dangerous than to
open your mind even further to Voldemort while in my presence --"
[OoP ch. 37]
---------------------------------

So Occlumency lessons did indeed make Harry more vulnerable to the
scar connection.  Yet Snape never warned Harry of this effect, which
added to Harry's confusion.  No wonder the kid had trouble learning! 
The more he practiced Occlumency (and he did manage to repel Snape
more than once during lessons), the more open he was to the scar
connection -- which was very *discouraging* for him.  Harry even got
further than ever in the DoM vision during a lesson in ch. 26, and
instead of explaining why that happens, Snape got angry.

Christelle:
> He kept saying "clear your mind", but he didn't say how. 
> 
> Wrong. He explained just after the test.
> 
>  "I want you close your eyes,(
) let go of all emotion, (
) you will 
> need more discipline than this, (
) focus, now.
> Empty it, make it blank and calm." 
<snip>
> I think the Occlumency is easier if you train regularly your brain to 
> be
 empty. ( Just like this, do you think the legilimency is more 
> difficult on Crabbe and Goyle ? :D )

Annemehr:
This may be purely an emotional response on my part, but the image of
Harry with a blank mind does not give me confidence in him as a hero!
 He should learn to be calm, yes, but he'll still have to be able to
think!

Annemehr