[HPforGrownups] Pensieves and other magic (wasRe: HBP (Snape's) old school textbook:

[Kathryn Jones]

No: HPFGUIDX 137154



>  >  Deb again:
>  >  And I think that is part
>  > of his anger... now Snape's memory is in Harry's memory... what
>  > would LV make of this memory being in Harry's mind? Has Snape lied
>  > to LV about this... is this one of the memories he talks about that
>  > would disprove a lie he has told to LV?
       Deb

Kathy writes:
     I don't really see anything in this memory that Voldemort could not 
approve of. Snape calling someone a name like that is only going to win 
Voldemort's approval. Hating the people that are tormenting him would 
provide an excellent reason for joining the Death Eaters. Seeing and 
feeling the hatred Snape has for the Marauders would actually help to 
convince Voldemort that Snape would fight against them at every 
opportunity. I think that Snape is particularly ashamed of the memory of 
calling Lily a "Mudblood" and has chosen to hide it from Harry. I think 
the relationship with Lily is the most crucial part of this memory.
KJ
> 
> Christina:
> You're actually getting at what my reasoning is for Snape's choice of
> memories to hide in the pensieve.  The things that Harry sees when he
> accidentally breaks into Snape's mind are pretty humiliating
> (particularly the memory with the laughing girl), so why wouldn't
> Snape put those in the pensieve too?  I don't think Snape was putting
> things in the pensieve to hide them from Harry- I think he was putting
> things in the pensieve to hide them from Voldemort.   
> Christina

Kathy writes:

    The Occlumency lessons are some of the most intiguing parts of the 
book.  We see a lot about Snape in these parts that are completely 
different from what we normally see of him. We see him answering 
questions, we see him uncomfortable with Harry for the first time, we 
see him not objecting to being hexed by Harry (hard to believe, that 
one), and wonder of wonders, we see him give Harry faint praise for 
succeeding. Snape obviously expects to see Harry make some kind of 
penetration of his mind eventually and has only removed those memories 
that are dangerous or very uncomfortable. He doesn't object to Harry 
seeing unfortunate memories from his childhood and youth, and he 
responds the same way any adult would when a young person is seeing more 
than they should. I think that JKR is suggesting that the attack by the 
Marauders is not what we should be looking at.
    Snape was showing nervousness and fear when he accessed Harry's 
memories of the Ministry door, and Voldemort talking to a Death Eater 
because the connection might have been active. In combination with this 
concern, he did not know which memory, Harry was viewing when he 
returned to his office. He must have been in a panic, which was displyed 
as fury, but not so much that he did not immediately draw Harry's 
attention (and ours) to the behaviour of the Marauders and away from 
Lily. At no time was there mention of Lily. Later, Harry focussed on the 
behaviour of his father and Lily's relationship with his father. It 
never crossed his mind to ask Sirius and Lupin why Lily defended Snape.
    I would like to guess that Snape was only removing memories that he 
did not want Harry to see, and I think they were this one, because of 
Lily, the memory of telling Voldemort the prophesy, and the memory of 
Godric's Hollow when Lily was killed. I think that these are memories 
that would have to be kept in his head. The memory of the prophesy, and 
the memory of Godric's Hollow are memories that Voldemort would expect 
to see. The memory of Lily could explain why Voldemort apparently agreed 
to spare Lily's life. Snape might have used it to convince Voldemort 
that he owed her a debt. I believe that the memories which Voldemort can 
never be allowed to see, Snape regreting his actions, possibly trying to 
save Lily at GH (voice Harry heard), and confessing to Dumbledore have 
been removed and are in Dumbledore's safe-keeping. IMHO
KJ