Why has DD never suggested Harry thank Snape?

[queen_astrofiammante]

No: HPFGUIDX 116880



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "lupinlore" <bob.oliver at c...> 
wrote:

[snip]

I would argue that [Harry's] negative opinion has been 
> tacitly confirmed by the person who, up until OOTP, he most trusts 
> and respects at Hogwarts, namely Dumbledore.  
> 
> Now, why would Dumbledore do this?  I can think of two main reasons 
> off the top of my head...

[large snip]

Thanks for an interesting post, which I enjoyed reading. Here, 
briefly, is something that occurs to me about Snape. How is he 
regarded, not by Dumbledore, not by Harry and his other pupils, but 
by his colleagues and by other adults?

Most interesting is McGonagall, a woman with very strong ideas about 
right and wrong, who seems to me to have an understated but quite 
apparent liking for the Potions Master, wrapped around with a healthy 
dose of inter-house competition, of course. At the end of Goblet of 
Fire, there he is shoulder to shoulder with McGonagall and 
Dumbledore, as accepted a member of that trio as she is. Here we see 
action, not words, from Dumbledore. 

He wasn't exactly hustled out of the front door at Grimmauld Place 
either, was he? Although I accept that was possibly to do with 
interest in his information rather than a desire to spend the evening 
in his company. And, of course, there was his refusal to stay to 
dinner - caused by dislike of Sirius, or by something else?

Lupin appears very conciliatory and keen to keep things civil - but 
that fits in with what we believe to be Lupin's personality, avoiding 
confrontation and so on. And, of course, he was relying on Snape for 
his Wolfbane potion.

Young adults like Bill Weasley and Tonks who haven't been out of 
Hogwarts that long tend to remember a bit too much about his teaching 
style to bring any new light to shed on his character.

Also, of course, Umbridge hated him by the end, which I'm sure is a 
great sign - remember that ironic bow?

I shouldn't think Hagrid likes him much, but can't remember any 
specific references off the top of my head. I'm sure there are some 
if other people care to post them. Similarly, I can't remember there 
being much from Flitwick or Sprout.

Now, I'm not an apologist for Professor Snape, and I agree 
wholeheartedly that Dumbledore sees the value of Harry and others 
learning to deal early with nasty people. (In fact, I said so on this 
very list a long time ago, but got shouted down, but hey, that's 
life.) I also take very seriously JKR's injunction not to get too 
fond of him. 

I'm sure he'll turn out to have done something appalling so, as much 
as I would like to pencil in a future for him as the Half-Blood 
Prince who walks hand in hand into the sunset with Andromeda Tonks, I 
accept this is unlikely to occur.

We just have to give JKR credit for having created a great character 
in Snape, and trust her to see that characterisation through to the 
end of book seven. In my humble opinion, anyway.

Astrofiammante