Snape's worst memory - my own take on this

[Maria Ribera]

No: HPFGUIDX 137277

An interesting thread has developed starting with the following 
comments by greg and valky:

On Aug 11, 2005, at 12:56 AM, HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com wrote:

>
> <snip one very insightful take on the SWM>
>> So is this Snape's worst memory, not because of what we saw, but what
>> we were about to see?  We know that Snape pulled Harry out of the
>> memory before it reached its conclusion.  Is there something
>> additional that we're missing?
>>
>> greg
>
> Valky:
> I really agree with you there Greg in some ways. It is likely that the
> other two memories where the prophecy memories, they would be
> pertinent to take out to avoid a big conflict in the Occlumency
> lessons. I still believe that they may instead have been memories he
> was hiding from Voldie but if perhaps DD set some specific protection
> around the room to prevent Voldie getting in during the lessons
> (protecting Snape for teaching them also) then it would make sense
> that the memories where removed where removed to stop Harry seeing
> them. But I like your take on them anyway. The thing I mostly agree
> with of all is that Snape's Worst Memory might actually be the worst
> because of wht we didn't see, rather than what we did..


Maria's opinion now:

I like this idea, that the worst part of the memory is what we didn't 
see. After all, what we saw was an embarrassing memory, but was it 
really that bad? The worst in his life? If it was indeed his worst 
memory, there must be more to it.

On the other hand, this conflicts a bit with a pet theory of mine 
regarding the famous worst memory. This theory started even before HBP, 
but it got stronger after I read the book. I think I have mentioned 
this theory before, but now it's improved with what we learned in HBP. 
Here it goes:

I believe that Snape pulled the memory on purpose for Harry to see. Why 
would anyone who has something to hide do it in front of the person you 
want to hide it from? If Snape really wanted to keep this memory of his 
secret, he had plenty of time to pull it out of his head and into the 
pensieve before Harry showed up for class. Harry didn't need to know at 
all that Snape was hiding anything. However, Snape waits for Harry to 
arrive, from day 1, to do this. In my opinion he is teasing Harry by 
doing so, and Harry of course is really curious about this, so much 
that at the first chance he gets, he looks. Not only was Snape's 
behavior provoking, but also what we see in the pensieve is more 
damaging to Harry than to Snape. Really, what did we see? A kid being 
teased by some bullies, but who hasn't been teased? Who doesn't have an 
embarrassing memory? Does this really qualify as a "worst memory ever"? 
Unless the worst part is what came next, which I agree is a very 
appealing prospect, I think that seeing this memory hurt Harry more 
than it did Snape.

Now, after reading HBP, I have some additions to this theory. Although 
JK has said that the memories stored in a pensieve are objective, we 
know now that one can cut and paste them. Dumbledore tells us not only 
that, but also that Slughorn did a pretty bad job at it. But, wouldn't 
someone like Snape be much better at it than Slughorn? He is pretty 
powerful with mind-related magic: Occlumency, Legilimency, non-verbal 
spells... I am sure that he could do a good job at the cut-and-paste of 
memories. And here is my addition to my own theory: Snape not only put 
that memory there to provoke Harry and to show him that his dad was a 
bully, but also cut the parts that incriminated himself as being as bad 
as those who were bullying him.

I am pretty fond of this theory, but I welcome  any comments that will 
break it apart :)

Maria
First post after the HBP... finally catching up with all the several 
thousand messages.