CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 28, Snape's worst memory

[Bex]

No: HPFGUIDX 115145


Meri wrote:
> But why then did he leave the Pensieve out in the open? Snape 
> knows what a busybody Harry is, and surely (though I have no canon 
> to back this up) DD would have mentioned that Harry knows how a 
> Pensieve works and might be tempted to peek. For a guy who locks 
> up his office with myriad spells and spends time prowling the 
> halls, Snape seems peculilarly paraniod about his own personal 
> security. So why on earth did he leave Harry alone in his office 
> with a full Pensieve? It doesn't make sense from what we know of 
> Snape, unless, again, there is some reason that either, a: Harry 
> had to see that memory, or b: Snape could no longer teach him 
> Occlumency, for what ever reason. But Snape actually trusting 
> Harry? Not in a million years. 

Yb now:
YES! And why-oh-why-oh-why did Snape /let/ Harry /see him/ 
putting memories /in/ the thing to begin with? Surely Snape 
would have gotten that over with before Harry got there, if
he had any sense at all? But no, he has to tkae his memories
out while Harry is there /in the room/, then leave the 
Pensieve not locked in an unbreakable trunk, not stuffed 
out of sight, out of mind, but on a shelf, out of the way.
Is this the Snape we've come to know and loathe? Don't think
so! 
If it was DD's Pensieve (I doubt there are many around, 
and Harry thought it was DD's), heck, even if DD /knew/ 
Snape was using a Pensieve, given Harry's nature, surely 
DD would warn Snape that Harry knew how to work it. Snape
/had/ to have known that Harry would be curious. This
scene is actually reeking of setup here!

Meri's right, there are really only a few options:
a) Harry had to see that memory for some reason
b) Snape needed an excuse to not teach Harry anymore.
c) Something I can't think of.

I vote for (b),even though (a) is more plausible. Harry can't
worship his father and Sirius forever; he needs to see 
them as flawed human beings, (and so do the readers), and
Harry needs to see that Snape hasn't always been the bully;
sometimes he was the victim. Unfortunately, I can't see
exactly how this will fit into the plot, unless it's to 
give Harry some more respect for Snape in the coming books.

I prefer (b) because then we wonder "Why?" Why did Snape
need an excuse to stop giving Occlumeny lessons? For 
ESE!Snape fans, maybe he was "softening Harry up" for
LV's master plan, and Harry was starting to get too
good at Occlumency (or someone feared it was possible).
For GoodGuy!Snape fans, maybe Snape needed his evenings
free for something else. For me, Snape was just sick of
doing it, and needed a good way to get Harry out of there
for good. Any way you turn it, it adds to the plot, better
than seeing a less-than-saintly James.

~Yb, who is going to eat some ice cream cake and maybe do some work 
tonight. Or she might goof off again, like normal.