Harry learning from Snape (was: stopper death)

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 114630


> > > Renee:
> > > On the one hand, I'd love to see such a Cold War, to see Harry 
> > > taunting Snape by being politely snarky. On the other hand, 
> there's a catch to this. <snip> Engaging in a cold war with Snape 
while disregarding the consequences to his fellow housemates may run 
> > > counter to Harry's maturing process. 


> > Dzeytoun:
> > Well, we are kind of back to SHOULDS again.  You bring up some 
> good points.  My answers:
> > YOU CAN'T DISMISS ABUSE.  I'm sorry, it doesn't matter what's at 
> > stake.  And I mean that quite literally.
>
 
> Renee:
> 
> I'm not dismissing the abuse, and in Real Life the likes of Snape 
> ought to be brought to justice. But I do suspect JKR is not going 
to address this particular abuse directly - meaning that she won't 
have Harry (or anyone else, for that matter) give Snape his just 
deserts for what he does to some of his students. 
> 

Valky:
Here is my view on how I expect the scenario will play out. 
The abusive behaviour that Snape has indulged himself in throughout 
his time teaching Harry will not be dismissed nor resolved.
 
The problem is not between Harry and Snape, and I am sure we all 
realise this, the problem is within Snape. As most have pointed out 
Harry can't *change* Snape by manner of his response or even non 
response to Snape. The wisdom I believe that DD employs is that 
Snape is his own undoing. It is Snape's choice to distance himself 
from the reach of Harry for Harry has tried to reach out to him, and 
therefore it is Snapes loss, not Harry's.

Snape has a redemptive pattern, so we always hope that in the end 
his heart will spill open and he will find the peace that has eluded 
him all his years. However, he has a lot in common with Sirius, he 
projects his own inner torment at others and has a childish and 
hypocritical manner of dealing with his pet hates. For this reason I 
can see the possibility that Snape will share Sirius' fate. 

Unless he holds tighter to that brief moment of humanity in 
occlumency, and begins to allow himself to recieve Harrys' Love he 
has thrown away his lifeline and his last true chance to redeem. 
>From there it's a downward spiral. Noone like Harry has ever reached 
out to Snape before. Snape hates Harry's innocence and natural 
beauty, because most people he has ever known in his life have 
turned that raw power that beauty against him. Snape has learned to 
hate what Harry represents, he can quietly respect people like DD & 
MacGonagall for their wisdom, coming of age and experience as far as 
he is concerned, the also have the beauty and raw power of Harry but 
he can dismiss it with them. Not so with the boy who lived and looks 
like his father.

I'm pretty sure Dzeytoun will not instantly agree with all of this, 
and say that Harry need not be subject to this unfair treatment 
anyway. Which I see as a perfectly good response. However, it is on 
Snapes back to save himself, because he faces a worse fate by *his 
own* doing than Harry does by Snapes doing against him. 

Harry has true, good friends in Hermione and Ron, if in the next two 
years Snape goes too far with Harry, they have done it before they 
will do it again, half the darn classroom will stand up and jinx the 
silly old bugger at once. *Harry* HAS *earned* this respect from 
them and he has their protection and confidence. 

If Snape pushes the barrel too far with Harry he faces consequences 
that he doesn't imagine. Harry is not alone and he is very powerful 
he is already a leader and his following are brave and fierce. Snape 
losing control of his classroom is the least of what could happen 
but it demonstrates that it is up to Snape to put away the gauntlet 
and accept Harry's open heart because it is *his* undoing if he 
doesn't.

In a lot of ways that doesn't compare to the cases of abuse that, 
Dzeytoun, you are familiar with. But this *is* the story that we are 
dealing with here and it shows that abusive people do damage to 
themselves by their actions which is a very good message to bring 
across. 

The way Harry *has* dealt with Snape is the best way possible. He 
has tried to go beyond the pettiness he has built himself *respect* 
beyond the respect that Snape demands from him. Now Harry *commands* 
respect just by being there, just by existing. Snape is privileged 
to be witness to what Harry has done with his lot, including the lot 
that Snape has dished him. It's not always possible in abusive cases 
that the abused be so risen above the abuser. But in Harry's case it 
has already happened so why do we quarrel?

Valky