Occlumency again (Was: CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 28, Snape's worst memory

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 116080


Alla wrote:
><big snip> 
 
> I think that Dumbledore genuinely wanted to protect Harry,albeit 
> unsuccesfully, because he put such task on Snape's shoulders, due to 
> having too much faith in Snape's "latent good qualities."

Carol responds:
Hi, Alla. Welcome back. I think DD also had too much faith that Harry
would practice occlumency despite his dislike of Snape and
underestimated Harry's desire to get past the door in his dream, both
of which interfered with the Occlumency lessons, as did Sirius'
suggestion that Snape might be trying to harm Harry. 

The Occlumency lessons were a failure all the way around, but IMO no
single person is to blame.

It may also be that Snape perceived that the connection to Voldemort
was getting dangerous and used Harry's venture into the Pensieve as a
reason (excuse) not to remume the lessons. I'm not saying that Snape
wasn't genuinely furious at Harry's invasion of his privacy, which
must have undone any improvement in Snape's perception of Harry
resulting from the revelations in GoF, but if Snape had felt it
necessary or profitable to resume the lessons, I think he would have
done so out of duty to Dumbledore and the Order, no matter how much
both he and Harry hated it. And if DD had ordered him to do so, he
would have had no choice in he matter.

Clearly, though, the lessons *weren't* helping and Harry was getting
closer and closer to the door in his dreams. Snape must have reported
the Pensieve incident to Dumbledore, and they must have agreed that
the lessons should not be resumed. Dumbledore says that he should have
understood that Snape's injury was too deep to heal, but I don't think
that's his real reason. At any rate, he clearly has not stopped
trusting or relying on Snape.

I have a feeling that Snape is teaching Occlumency as it was taught to
him. What other method could he have used? If DD had taught the
lessons, he would probably have used the same tactics. The only
difference would have been that the student trusted the teacher.
Unfortunately, Voldemort's invasion of Harry's mind undermined that
trust and made it impossible for DD to teach him. And it was that
invasion that made the Occlumency lessons necessary in the first
place. So Snape, the only available candidate to take over for
Dumbledore, uses the only methods available, telling Harry to let go
of his anger and use the same tactics to fight the Legilimency spell
that he had used to fight the Imperius Curse. He could not tell Harry
 *how* to let go of his anger or *how* to resist Legilimency. Harry
had to learn to do it himself, through trial and error and practice
(which Harry admits he was unwilling to do).

Anyway, I think DD's putting too much faith in Snape's "latent good
qualities" is only one reason among many why the lessons failed, or at
least were of no help to Harry. They did, OTOH, provide some very
important information to Snape and Dumbledore about Voldemort and the
MoM, and they did, whether Snape and Harry realized it or not, provide
 them both with a lieele insight into each other's minds. So,
althought they failed in their intended purpose and ultimately may
have done more harm than good, at least they weren't a total waste.

Carol, with apologies for the rambling post