Why Snape hates Neville

[Lori]

No: HPFGUIDX 127631


mfterman <mfterman at y...> wrote:
> What makes Snape's treatment of Neville so interesting is 
> that Snape almost certainly has to know about what happened 
> to Neville's parents. That they were tortured into madness 
> by Death Eaters. Given that Snape is a reformed Death Eater 
> (theoretically), there's the question of why Snape would be 
> cruel to someone who has suffered so much at the hands of 
> Death Eaters. 
> 
> My own feeling is that Snape has been trying to push Neville 
> to reach his potential. All of the indications in the series 
> have been that Neville was never a weak wizard. He's just 
> blocked mentally, out of fear. <snip>


Lori here...

I agree mfterman... 

Snape most certainly does know what's happened to Neville's 
parents (tortured by the death eaters into insanity)... however, Snape is "pretending" to be a death eater... so he must treat 
Neville cruelly as part of his "cover"... but notice that he 
never sinks so low as to mention his parents... in comparison to Neville's current skills. There seems to be a difference in the 
cruel treatment Neville receives and the cruel treatment Harry receives.  I do believe that there is a grudge that exists (i.e. 
the Marauders) that is out of Harry's control and would appear Snape's as well.. (But, that has been discussed to death)


The only one I have noticed that is outwardly cruel to Neville 
concerning his parents is Neville's own grandmother. I despise her 
because she has sunk to a level where she is constantly comparing 
Neville to something that he could never become even if he wanted 
to
 you can't ever become another person
 And she has a "twisted" 
view of what her son and his wife were. Neville exists in a world 
where he has lost his parents
 they are worse than dead
 he is 
grieving "them"
 not the aurors (they were) that were lost to the 
WW that his grandmother keep mentioning.

Snape, I agree, is trying to push Neville to becoming a better 
wizard in the only way that he can at this time, given his "dual" 
persona in the WW. He is also, (IMO) offering Neville protection 
by making it appear to the Slytherin students, the death eaters 
and Voldemort... that Neville can't possibly be "the One.... due 
to being an "inept" wizard.

After all, he can't allow the Slytherins to find out (in any 
shape or form) that he has been at all kind to anyone but the Slytherins, therefore alerting Lucius Malfoy immediately... Who, 
in turn, would alert the death eaters and Voldemort. 

I also believe that he is (in ways) "undermining" Draco's 
learning... he praises him often and for very little... he allows 
him privilege when it hasn't been earned.... I "assume" he doesn't 
have to study as hard or complete many of the assignments as other 
children may have to... he is giving him a "false sense" of being 
a "good" wizard... when in fact he doesn't come up to scratch when 
compared to the unified front of newly-formed DA members. Their 
skills in (charms, potions, etc.. ) as a "group", as well as their 
actual "battle-time" have shown them to be a force that will need 
to be reckoned with in the future... 

How will Draco stack-up to that... he has spent many-a-year 
prancing about the school as a prefect and a member of the Inquisitorial Squad for Umbridge... but has he even learned a thing...? Does perfecting being a "tattle-tale" count?

IMO  -Lori :)