CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 28, Snape's worst memory

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 114960


> > Alla:
> DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.

> > 2. Do you agree with Fred and George that " a bit of
> > mayhem" is exactly what Umbridge deserves? 
> > Is it an effective way of dealing with her? Do you
> > think that something similar should have been done
> > earlier?
> 
Hannah now: I don't think that it could have been done earlier, as 
DD was still Headmaster up until that point.  It would have 
undermined him and given the Ministry an excuse to say 'look at the 
mayhem in this school, DD can't control these children anymore, 
let's retire him.'

Alla:
> > 4. What do you think about Cho's apology to Harry?
> > Could she say more or that was enough, in your
> > opinion? Was she  trying to be loyal to both Marietta
> > and Harry? If you were Harry , would you forgive
> > Marietta after this conversation?

Hannah now: I think it really wasn't Cho's fault that Marietta 
betrayed them.  She couldn't have known that was going to happen as 
she went to the final meeting herself.  She had reason to be angry 
with Marietta too (her action could have got Cho expelled) but she's 
clearly forgiven her.  So although I can understand Cho feeling a 
bit guilty as she brought Marietta along in the first place, she 
doesn't need to be too abject about it.  And if I were Harry, I 
wouldn't be able to forgive Marietta after this conversation.  The 
pain is too recent for him.  Maybe in a year's time...
 
Alla:
> > 7. "Students all around had turned to watch. Some of
> > them had gotten to their feet and were edging nearer
> > to watch. Some looked apprehensive, others
> > entertained." 
> > "Several people watching laughed.  Snape was clearly
> > unpopular" Why are there indications that the other
> > kids watching the scenery are not upset, but even
> > *enjoying* what Potter and Black are doing to Snape?  
> 
> Meri replied: <snip> What I want to know about this scene is where 
is Snape's gang of Slytherin/future DE friends when he's getting 
humiliated? At least in Harry's time the members of one's own house 
tend to stand up for each other, so is there not a single Slytherin 
boy or girl willing 
> to attack James and Sirius right back? <snip>

Hannah now:  Some people laughed and cheered.  Not everyone.  Some 
people looked apprehensive (I wonder what other James/Snape fights 
they'd witnessed).  I think this is a case of crowd mentality, with 
everyone rooting for the very popular Potter, and not bothering to 
wonder whether Snape deserved his treatment or not.  Maybe he was 
unpopular, but that could just be because he was a 'greasy oddball,' 
which I've always suspected was MWPP's real objection to him.

As for the absence of his friends, I think most of them had left by 
this point, or were busy taking NEWTs.  Bellatrix, presumably 
Rodolphus, possibly Lucius Malfoy, are all quite a few years older 
than Snape.  And the term 'gang' can be taken loosely as I've said 
before.  He may have only been on the periphery and not 'hung round' 
with them that much.  He strikes me as a bit of a loner.
  
Alla:
> > 9. Why did Snape call Lily "mudblood"? Do you see any
> > indications in this chapter that he could have
> > feelings for her?
> 
Hannah: He's very angry at the time, I think he calls her the worst 
thing he can think of.  I've always wondered what Snape's feelings 
are about 'pure blood superiority.'  He doesn't appear to treat half-
bloods and muggle borns any worse than he does certain pure blood 
students, and appears to have a certain level of friendship (in a 
Snapey way) with Filch, a squib.  He may have changed his views over 
time, or just be 'prudently' concealing them.  I don't know why, but 
I've always felt that harbouring such non-sensical generalistic 
prejudice (as opposed to prejudice against Harry, for example) is 
rather out of character for Snape. 

Alla:
> > 10. What do you make out of Snape's reaction after
> > Pensieve fiasco? Will he ever want to see Harry in his
> > office again?

Hannah: I don't think he *wanted* to see Harry in his office in the 
first place :-)  Of all the times Snape loses control, IMO this is 
when he loses it most.  In fact, I would argue it's the only time he 
really loses his rag (the PoA scene with Fudge doesn't ring true to 
me).  

I think he was actually beginning to trust Harry just a little bit 
more, and that was why he left him in the office, with the 
pensieve.  That Harry betrayed that trust made it feel much, much 
worse for Snape.

Snape reacts hysterically.  He's white and shaking, he physically 
attacks Harry (which isn't in character), and his cry of 'get out, 
get out!' sounds as distressed as it is angry.  He throws that jar 
of cockroaches, not to hit Harry, but because he is in such a state 
that he has to take his frustration out on something, and he throws 
the jar as opposed to seriously injuring Harry.

The impression I've always had of Snape's reaction is that he's not 
just angry, he's upset.  I think that he completely broke down once 
Harry was out of that office.  We don't know why he has such an 
extreme reaction to that memory, as we don't know what happened 
afterwards.  If James really did remove his pants, for a man like 
Snape the humilation would probably be as traumatic as anything he 
witnessed as a DE.  Or maybe it's his memory of what he said to Lily?

Hannah