Feelings, Occlumency, fighting Dementors and LV (was: Why I am 98.6% certain...)

[oiboyz]

No: HPFGUIDX 136117

BG:
> 1) During the Occlumency "fiasco", I kept getting the impression that
> Snape was really pushing Harry to get one single point; he even
> shouts it out, something along the lines of "if I can do this to you,
> imagine what it will be like when LV gives it a go!"...<snip>...
> My take on this is that Snape was trying like mad to shake him
> out of it, using the old "making-it-worse" trick; only it didn't
> work... Was that, also, part of Dumbledore's idea? What do you guys
> think?

oiboyz:
   I doubt Snape was trying a psychological trick to shake Harry out
of complacency.  I think the lessons were hard partly because Harry
was naturally bad at Occlumency, and partly because Snape was a nasty
person who hated Harry and resented having to teach him.  In support
of the first assertion, here's a quote from JKR's recent interview
that CathyD recently reminded me of:

"Harry's problem with [occlumency] was always that his emotions were
too near the surface and that he is in some ways too damaged. But he's
also very in touch with his feelings about what's happened to him.
He's not repressed, he's quite honest about facing them, and he
couldn't suppress them, he couldn't suppress these memories."

But I would agree that Snape really did want Harry to learn Occlumency
(if only so the lessons could end!)  He was furious when he found out
Harry was still having his slithering-with-Voldemort dreams.  And as
you point out, he takes time to give Harry one final lesson in the
uses of Occlumency right before fleeing Hogwarts.

Assume for a minute that Snape's really on the Order's side (as I've
always believed), and that he'll be able to convince Harry of this at
some point in Book 7.  I think it would be deliciously ironic if Harry
realizes in Book 7 that he really, really needs to know Occlumency
before he confronts Voldemort again, and he has to learn from Snape. 
I have the impression that JKR is fixing to have Harry defeat LV not
by hiding his feelings, but by *using* them (especially the famous
Love).  But there would be wonderful parallels if Harry and Snape took
up the Occlumency lessons again.  In Book 5 they failed because Snape
couldn't overcome personal animosity and Harry didn't make himself
practice.  Dumbledore hoped they'd be able to work together, but they
let him down.  Now DD's gone, but maybe in Book 7 they'll finally
cooperate the way he always wanted them to.

   JKR has done something like this before.  In Book 5, Harry is
embarassed that Cho finds him on the train in the company of uncool
people like Luna and Neville.  But in Book 6 when Romilda Vane tells
him, "You don't have to sit with *them*!" Harry stands up for his
friends and tells Luna later, "You *are* cool."  JKR uses that scene
to show how Harry has matured.  Maybe she'll do the same with the
Occlumency lessons, giving Harry a chance to retake a test that he
failed the last time.

BG:
> Snape's style of teaching is deplorable - he thinks (I almost wrote 
> feels - don't think Snape has much use for feelings) that expressing 
> any feelings toward another is a sign of weakness.  By controlling 
> all emotions he feels strong when it's his greatest weakness. 

oiboyz:
Remember Harry mentioning that he and Snape disagreed on the best way
to fight a Dementor?  Lupin taught Harry to beat back Dementor-induced
despair by holding on to a happy memory.  I'm sure Snape has no use
for that.  His method is probably something like boxing off his
feelings so he can perform the charm before despair overwhelms him.

BG:
> Harry will think back 
> about how he trusted The Half Blood Prince and thought him 
> brilliant.  He would have burned it if he had known it was Snape.

oiboyz:
   I just love that about the HBP storyline-- that JKR found a way to
make Harry appreciate Snape unwittingly.  He even thinks of the book
as "a kind of guide and friend"-- ha!  Maybe he'll have to make a
potion in Book 7 and go running to the Room of Requirement to fetch
Snape's textbook again, hoping desperately to find some help written
in Snape's handwriting...

BG:
> Harry will learn to control his emotions when dealing with evil and 
> yet keep his heart open to love and be loved.  A tricky task for 
> anyone.  DD taught this by example...

oiboyz:
Good point; DD was loving and yet able to control his feelings very
well when he needed to.  I think Harry's going to have to deal with
his feelings-- either control them or use them-- before he fights LV
again.

"Bury your feelings deep down, Luke.  They do you credit, but they
could be made to serve the Emperor."

Oops, wrong story. :)

   -oiboyz