Lupin's resentment : An inside to Snape's resentment

[jmgarciaiii]

No: HPFGUIDX 94295

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> 
wrote:

> Okay. It seems to me that you've fallen for one of JKR's clever 
> bits of misdirection (haven't we all?) The lesson "imagine that 
> bully in his underwear" is  plainly and powerfully conveyed *to 
> the reader.* Unless you're paying very careful attention to that 
> one line that says Neville's problems with Snape are worse than 
> ever, you won't see that Harry and Neville didn't get it.

But, unless I am gravely mistaken, I read that scene as only Lupin 
helping Neville deal with a boggart.
 
> Lupin's lesson goes right past their obtuse thirteen year old 
> minds, and Lupin doesn't appear to notice or care That's why I 
> have a hard time thinking he did it for their benefit. Canon shows 
> them both just as intimidated by Snape as they ever were. 

But to my mind, that wasn't Lupin's desire. Dealing with boggarts 
was the purpose of that exercise, not helping Harry/Neville cope 
with Snape.
 
> As for how Lupin could have handled it,  the text  suggests a 
> multiplicity of ways.  Neville himself expects that he'll be asked 
to 
> imagine something else he's afraid of:  "I don't want the boggart 
> to turn into her either."  We saw that happen in OOP, where 
> Molly's boggart took multiple shapes.

Right, but I understood that to mean that the boggart would assume 
what one feared most and if hit with a *weak* "riddikulus" then 
would find something else, only slightly (but slightly nonetheless) 
less fearsome. Neville fears Snape, and he fears his Gran just a 
teeny bit less.
  
> Couldn't Lupin have said, "Hmmm...sounds like you've had 
> enough trouble with Professor Snape for one day " and helped 
> him think of something else?

I would think not, because you can't help someone reorder their 
fears.

> Neville's highly suggestible as 
> everyone knows, look at the way Prof. Trelawney psyched him 
> into breaking that cup. 

But that is not changing deeply personal thoughts.

> Lupin could also have passed over Neville as he did with 
> Hermione, or arranged a private lesson as he did with Harry, or 
> he could have arranged a less public confrontation as he did on 
> the DADA final. But I'm afraid all he cared about was 
ingratiating  
> himself with the Gryffindors and scoring a few points off Snape.

I disagree. Here is what the relevant (to me) snippet reads:

<<"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what 
would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"

Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.

"Didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully.

Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to 
help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor 
Snape."

Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. 
Professor Lupin, however, looked THOUGHTFUL.>> (emphasis mine)

I don't know what good it would have done for Lupin to have 
said "Are you sure Neville? Maybe a zombie would be more 
frightening?"

I cannot find any evidence in the canon that suggests that Lupin's 
boggart exercise and, in specific, helping Neville deal with said 
boggart (remember, Lupin was allowing Snape to witness the exercise, 
and it was Snape who left, with a parting shot at Neville) should be 
taken at anything other than face value.

-Joe in SoFla