How and when did Snape learn Occlumency ?

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 116481


Del wrote:
> We know that Snape is a superb Occlumens now and apparently a good
> Legilimens as well. But when did he learn that ? And who taught 
him ?
> 
> 1. It seems accepted that Snape was already an Occlumens back when 
he
> was a DE. But that makes him awfully young ! The only other young
> person who we know has tried to learn Occlumency is Harry, and he's
> got a real good reason to do it ! What could possibly have been
> Snape's reason for learning such an uncommon skill so early ?
> 2. When exactly did Snape learn the skills ? Was he still at 
school ?
> Was it *before* school ?

Hannah: I think, like most of the other posters in this thread, that 
Snape had a natural ability for occlumency, being someone who shut 
down his emotions a lot.  As a possible abused child, and a 
confirmed bullied child, he would be likely to have learned to 
suppress his feelings.  So he'd unwittingly half taught himself 
occlumency.  I think when he turned spy, DD honed his skills to 
enable him to carry out his role effectively - since LV is such a 
good legilimens, it would be impossible to act as a double agent in 
his camp otherwise.

> 
> 3. Who taught him ? Could it be DD ? Would DD teach a Dark Arts 
kid 
> skills as dangerous as Occlumency and Legilimency ? Or was it LV
> himself maybe ?
> 
Hannah: I'd never considered this, but surely it can't be?  If LV 
knew Snape was an occlumens, he would know he couldn't trust him.  I 
think Snape had a cover story for DD's having named him as a spy, 
which he told to LV the night of the third task.  LV, who we know is 
often let down by making oversights due to arrogance, would use his 
skills as a legilimens, see no lie, and be satisfied.  But if LV 
taught Snape, he'd know that Snape was an occlumens, and an 
unusually good one.  I'd think DD did it.  He said himself that he 
could have taught Harry, so he would have been able to teach Snape 
as well.

> 4. Did Snape learn Legilimency along with Occlumency ? If not, 
which
> one did he learn first ?
> 

Hannah: I don't see him as being a particularly good legilimens, so 
he probably just picked the basics of it at some point later in his 
magic career, maybe with the DEs, maybe with the Order, or even at 
some point during those boring years stuck at Hogwarts teaching 
dunderheads.

> 5. How did Snape learn Occlumency ? Someone (Finwitch if I'm not
> mistaken) pointed out that teachers often use their favourite mean 
of *learning* to teach. It is also common for people to teach 
something
> specific in the very same way as they were taught it. So could it 
be that Snape taught Harry in that weird way (making him more angry 
at the start of the lesson) because it was the way he learned 
Occlumency himself ?

Hannah: It would make sense at some point in thorough occlumency 
training, to make the student emotional, and thus more vulnerable.  
I imagine the more emotional one is, the harder it is to perform 
occlumency successfully.  As Snape probably had some accidentally 
self taught occlumency skill to start with, perhaps his teacher 
(DD?) went straight in with the more advanced techniques of getting 
the student angry/sad before attacking, or attacking very quickly to 
catch them off their guard, as Snape did frequently with Harry.  
Snape, having heard of Harry's skill with Imperious, thought he was 
more advanced than he was already (and his first attempt was quite 
good, which reinforced the notion).  

I think Snape gets far too much bad press for the lack of success in 
the occlumency lessons.  I don't see it as being wholy, or even 
mostly his fault.  He did his best, but IMO he'd been set an 
impossible task.

Hannah