Snape and Harry again.

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 113212

> Alla wrote:
Potioncat argued that Snape did not know about Harry's life at 
Dursleys, but then was he briefed by Dumbledore about Harry's role 
in what is coming or wasn't he?
> 
> Potioncat wrote:
> When you get right down to it, we don't know what Snape knows.  
Even if he knows that Harry is to be LV's downfall, does he know how 
the Durley's treated him?  
I'm not trying to justify Snape's behavior, just trying to 
understand it.

Hannah now: Well, we don't know what Snape knew about Harry's 
upbringing when he started at Hogwarts, but he certainly knows *now* 
(at the end of OotP).  Remember, he spends several months of regular 
occlumency lessons seeing into Harry's memories of being chased up 
trees by bulldogs, watching Dudley get spoilt, etc.  

I doubt this information (assuming that he didn't have it before) 
will make any difference to his treatment of Harry.  The animosity 
between them is based on more, at this point, than a desire on 
Snape's part to prevent Harry becoming arrogant.  And Snape has to 
be seen to hate Potter by Malfoy and co.  But maybe there might be a 
subtle change in Snape's underlying attitude?  Or perhaps that's too 
much to hope for!

Hannah