What's in it for Snape? Finding motive...

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 97477

Pippin, before:
>>  Also, consider what Snape sees in this scene: the son of 
his old rival takes one look at him and claps his hand to his 
 forehead in pain. I can see James doing that, miming that 
Snape  is so ugly that it  actually hurts to look at him. "Mr. Prongs 
 agrees  with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that Professor 
Snape is an  ugly git." [PoA ch 14] In which case, Snape might 
think he has grounds to  think Harry is a second edition of his 
arrogant dad.<<

Alla:
> Yes, Pippin if James did something like that, you maybe right, 
but  there is no support for that in the books.<

Pippin:
We have canon that James thought Snape was ugly and had no 
hesitation about hurting him--and Snape has a way of putting 
two and two together. He doesn't know that Harry's scar hurt, so 
he can't know the real reason for Harry's actions. What was he 
supposed to think?

Alla:
> Are you saying that Snape can't control his reactions towards 
Harry?  He is  superb Occlumenc, according to Lupin, he is 
supposed to be in  perfect control of his emotions. (If we are to 
believe Lupin's words,  of course, which I am inclined to, sort of. 
:o))
> 

Pippin:
Oh, I always believe  what Lupin says <veg> It's the way people 
interpret what he says that I have a problem with. But if we 
suppose that Snape is using occlumency in this scene "to shut 
down those feelings and memories that contradict the lie, and 
so utter falsehoods in [Voldemort's] presence" (OOP 24) then we 
can't suppose that hateful look is entirely representative of 
Snape's feelings, can we. We might imagine Snape walking a 
tightrope in PS/SS, using his hatred of Harry as a shield against 
legilimency while desperately trying not to act on it.


Alla:
> No, I see no comparison to Ron's phobia. If Ron got a job 
working  with spiders, that would be closer. :o) I would say then 
that he had to quit and fast.<

Pippin:
Now that's interesting. Suppose Snape went to Dumbledore 
immediately after the feast and tried to quit--do you think 
Dumbledore would have let him do it? 

Pippin