Why Snape Hates Neville (Another New Wild Hare theory)

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 127775


Hannah: 
> I still lean towards the reluctant belief that Snape is horrible to 
> Neville because he is an easy target.  But these are some really 
> interesting alternatives. 


Potioncat:
I think there will turn out to be a plot driven reason for Snape's 
treatment of Neville. If all JKR was doing was showing how nasty Snape 
is, she could have him picking on different students. She has let us 
know that for the most part, Snape is diliked by the students in 
general, or at least by Gryffindor in general, but we don't see him 
mistreat anyone except Harry, Hermione and Neville. I think we'll be 
given some sort of reason for the animosity later in the books. 

The other possibility is that it's JKR's way of revealing Neville to 
the readers. She's chosen to have a trio, not a quartet and Potions 
seems to be one of the few times Neville is part of the group. (Short 
of the DA.) I also think there was something significant in the Boggart 
scene with Snape warning Lupin about Neville. Darned if I know what it 
is though.

Potioncat