Two scenes for most everyone (was Re: Retribution for Snape the Teacher)

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 144129

Lagatta wrote:
>
> 
> Seriously, how about something like this for at least getting the 
> dialog between Snape and Harry rolling:
> 
<SNIP> 
> To me, that's the sort of stiff-necked, stuffy apology that Snape 
> would make. With just a suggestion of thawing that Harry can take 
and 
> run with.
> 

Lupinlore:
Hmmm.  For once, I'm going to have to agree with colebiancardi.  
That scene seemed VERY out of character for everyone involved.  It's 
the type of thing you find in fanfic a lot -- the better fanfic, 
mind you, but nevertheless not very in keeping with the characters 
as portrayed in canon.

The idea of a small opening between Harry and Snape, one that could 
be gradually widened, used to enjoy a great deal of vogue.  In the 
wake of OOTP, many people were saying this is what we would see in 
HBP.  That is, based on supposed changes in Snape's demeanor and 
behavior post-Occlumency, they held that Snape's position about 
Harry had changed.  Others held that Harry would, as part of 
some "maturation" process that I never could figure out, decide 
suddenly to be the "big man" in the relationship.  In any case, the 
idea was that a crack had opened and that it would be widened as the 
two of them had to work together under the demands of the Order.

Well, the first of those things certainly didn't happen -- as Snape 
going out of his way to intercept and taunt Harry in early HBP 
clearly shows.  The second, which would have been morally revolting 
to the point of terminal nausea, thankfully did not occur, either.  
In any case, the relationship pretty much stayed frozen, and it's 
hard to see how any kind of "gradualism" could make headway now in 
any way that doesn't require a deus ex machina the size of Texas.  

So, I think the era of gradualism is dead, along with a lot of other 
possibilities that perished while JKR was spinning her wheels for 
some 1300 pages.  Any breakthrough now will have to be almost 
literally that, a violent break in the barriers put up by Snape's 
repellant abuse of Harry and Neville.  And also considering that 
Snape almost certainly doesn't have long to live, their ain't much 
time for multiple sessions. :-)


Lupinlore