Evaluating Snape (was: Re: Lupin's resentment )

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 94255

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" <susiequsie23 at s...> 
wrote:
> 
> Siriusly Snapey Susan retorted:
> >Ah, is it a tale told by an idiot, then, too? Do tell! ;-)
> 
> Kneasy:
> > Quite  possibly. And there are those that would agree with you.
> 
> 
> Siriusly Snapey Susan:
> Ack!!  I was just picking up on the Shakespeare thread. *I* would 
> not argue that Snape is an idiot.  Well, actually, I find his 
> teaching methods sometimes idiotic, but beyond that, I do not see 
> him as an idiot at all.  Quite the opposite.
> 
>
Kneasy:
Snape? You were talking about Snape? How interesting.
But I  agree; he's not an idiot, so that's all right.

> 
> Siriusly Snapey Susan:
> No evidence??  You mean like his lack of progress w/ Occlumency?  I 
> suspect if Lupin, McGonagall, DD, heck, throw in Flitwick, had been 
> Harry's Occulumency teacher, he *would* have learned.  Their history-
> -which is a *two-way street* of assumptions and nastiness and hatred-
> -directly affects Harry's ability & willingness to learn 
> Occlumency.  Notice I'm not absolving Harry of responsibility for 
> his part in the matter, but I am saying that I do indeed believe 
> that what Snape has thrown at Harry for five years *has* most 
> definitely affected Harry in this way.
>  
>
Kneasy:
Here we diverge.
Snape is an equal opportunity tyrant. Annoy  him and you'll know
about it, no matter who you are.

What  was very significant IMO was that Snape started needling
Harry  from day one. This  is  not an accident. It was deliberate
and contrived. Most posters would agree with that. The critical
question is "Why?"

We  agree  that Snape is not an idiot; just the opposite - he seems
to  be regarded as a Potions super-star. Would such a calculating,
cold-blooded, non-trivial individual be so unthinking and petty as
to resurrect an old quarrel with a person now dead down to the
second generation? Not without a fresh impetus, I think.

The key word is 'calculating'. What does Snape have to gain from
giving  Harry  the  hard word  at every opportunity? Not much.
Unless you  think in wider terms. He has his credentials with the
DEs and through them to Voldy to think about. And kids will talk.
It wouldn't do for the likes of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle to get the
impression that Sevvy was going soft on the Potter kid.

If what most of us think is true about Snape's work for the Order,
then he must be a superb actor to be able to get away with it.
Every good actor needs his props - and Harry  (and Neville) come
in very handy indeed.

DD helps the action along. He gives Harry a reason why Snape hates
him. His father. This to an 11 year old who doesn't know which way 
is up in the WW. So now when anyone wonders what's going on, Harry
can tell them. All nicely wrapped up. This story will run and run.

I've posted before that  I believe that DD  and Snape are one of the 
best double-acts in the business. DD knows exactly what is going on,
IMO it was probably his idea. All part of his "Let's make sure Harry
is not coddled, spoilt or hero-worshipped" plan. After 11 years in 
the Muggle  world and seeing the  WW as a refuge he needs to learn
very, very quickly that there are some nasty people around. And he
needs to learn how to cope with them. What better  place to  learn 
than at school? So in a way what Snape does is intended to  have
an effect on Harry - but it's for a positive reason.
  
Now I don't  claim that Snape likes Harry. He probably doesn't like
anyone much, but he knows and  appreciates  that Harry isn't James
or Sirius.Them he will never forgive, but he has no real argument
with Harry, just general levels of scorn and contempt, suitable for
any incompetent in his classes. Exaggerating his attitudes towards 
Harry would most likely give him a perverse pleasure.

Harry, on the other  hand... Hoo! For him it's all real.  Snape hates
him and he hates Snape; even when he finds out that they're both
on the same side. Snape and DD believe that they can live with this,
it's only a schoolboy's emotional spasm, but it blows up in their
faces when it comes to Occlumency. Harry is so adamantly anti-
Snape (anti-everybody, come to that), that he will not co-operate.

It'll probably continue, too. Expect tears before bedtime as Harry
follows emotions rather than reason. And it was emotions that
got Sirius killed. 


 > 
> Siriusly Snapey Susan:
> Jeepers, I made that up!  I should NEVER have coined the phrase in 
> the first place; it was half in jest, which clearly didn't come 
> through.  

 
 Kneasy:
Splendid! I like it! An imaginary concept thrown into the thread just
to wind everybody up. Must remember to try that myself at an
opportune moment.