I the HBP (was Re: Snape's hidden plan?/Alan Rickman 's quote repost

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 136312

Potioncat:
> First off, I agree, it sounds...odd...it actually sounds like bad 
> writing. So I think JKR had a reason for doing it. Either there is 
> still something important about the title, that is, Hermione is
> wrong about its being a play on his mother's name, or he's using
> it as past tense. I see it as "It WAS I...I the Half-Blood Prince"
> I don't think he's using it as a grand title now, but identifying
> himself as the owner of Harry's Potions book. 

Alla:
>.......it begs the question WHY does Harry needs to know who was
> the owner  of that book? Do you think it would help him somehow?
> I just don't see the prominence of Snape saying that in THAT way. 
> Couldn't he just say that was MY book? I invented those spells?
> Why add "Half-blood prince" to the mix, unless he is still proud
> of that nickname, which  to me brings only negative feelings
> especially because as some posters pointed out  the only person
> who came up with imaginary name in the books so far was Voldie
> himself.
> 
>Lord Voldemort, Half Blood prince... does smell like over blown 
>egos 

Jen: You know, I sorta agree with Potioncat's joke that it was bad 
writing. I mean, I don't think it was really bad, but I think that 
sentence was JKR matching Snape's dialogue to the overblown drama 
already in progress. No one would actually *say* that in RL, but it 
sounded so forceful, so dramatic, so surprising in that moment.

As for the plot reason, Snape wants Harry to know the potion book is 
his, because he doesn't want Harry to use it. From the scene in the 
bathroom: "Apparently I underestimated you Potter," he said 
quietly. "Who would have thought you knew such Dark Magic? Who 
taught you that spell?" (chap. 24, p. 524). The only surefire way to 
stop Harry from using the book is for Snape to reveal that he is the 
HBP. If he never uses that *specific* name, Harry won't belive the 
book belongs to Snape because he doesn't want to.

Now if you're in the ESE camp, Snape doesn't want Potter learning 
any more Dark Magic because he might use it against the DE's or 
Voldemort to his advantage. He was pretty effective against Draco. 
He's actually showing talent, if Snape is complimenting him. ;)

For those of us in the camp of There's-Something-Fishy!Snape or Good!
Snape, Snape said that because he doesn't want Harry going down the 
same road he went down. Snape started with a little sarcasm, a few 
spells, a few hexes, then the spells started getting darker. In HBP, 
Harry was certainly starting to throw around dark curses with wild 
abandon! Did you see how many he tried with Snape? He'll never 
defeat the Dark Lord that way. It's a dead-end.

Jen