CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 28, Snape's worst memory

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 115216


>  Meri wrote:
> snip
> > 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. 
> > 
Potioncat responded:
> How did Snape know they would be interrupted?  Do you think he set 
> it up that Draco would come running in for help? If he wanted 
Harry to go into the Pensieve to have an excuse to stop Occlumency, 
why 
> that memory?  He could have chosen anything and used the intrusion 
> as an excuse.
<snip>
> 
> I think someone wanted Harry and the reader to see that memory, 
but 
> it wasn't Snape.  It was JKR. And she set it up so we did.  Yes, 
> Snape removes his memories in front of Harry.  With no comment or 
> explanation, or taunting. He puts them back in immediately after 
the Occlumency lessons. I have the impression that there is some 
sort of time constraint involved.  But that is my guess.
> 
> You know, Snape has this "saving people thing" and he had a 
student 
> to rescue.  Not only was his student trapped, but it was Umbridge 
> trying to get him free...about as bad as Lockhart mending broken 
> bones.  So he takes off, forgetting his Pensieve, just like Lupin 
> took off forgetting his Potion. 
> 
> So I don't see how this could have been a trap for Harry. 
> 
Hannah: Snape with a 'saving people thing' - I like that.  It 
explains his behaviour in PS (where he seems to be going it alone 
without referring it to DD).  And he rushes off as soon as he hears 
Trelawney screaming in the entrance hall.  

I agree that Snape has no reason that I can see to make Harry see 
that memory.  I don't see how he could have set up the interruption 
with Draco (a very risky student to use, for one thing), and 
otherwise he'd have had no opportunity to leave the pensieve. 

People have speculated as to why that memory was in the pensieve, 
when surely Snape has so many, far nastier memories.  I wondered if 
age has anything to do with it.  I know Harry only breaks into 3 of 
Snape's memories, but all of them are when Snape is a 
child/teenager.  

Maybe because Harry only has experience of childhood, he is more 
likely to see these memories of Snapes, because he can relate to 
them more.  Likewise, a lot of the memories that Snape sees are 
Dursley-related, maybe that's because he can relate to these?  
Anyway, it would make sense for Snape to hide in the pensieve the 
teenage/ childhood memories that he least wants Harry to see, as 
he's more likely to accidentally break into these if he briefly 
breaks down Snape's defences with a shielding spell.

Hannah