Harry and Snape: The Relationship (was:Two scenes...)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 144133

>>Lupinlore:
> <snip>
> In any case, the relationship [between Harry and Snape] 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.  

Betsy Hp:
Oh, I think their relationship actually *worsened* a whole heck of a 
lot from the opening of OotP to the closing of HBP.  The hatred 
Harry felt at the close of OotP for Snape remained at the beginning 
of HBP.  We got a nice long look at just how much Harry despised 
Snape on the walk up to Hogwarts.  But even then, Harry only 
*imagined* hurting Snape. By the end of HBP Harry is actually 
casting Crucio's at him.

I think Harry was being quite honest when he in essence said he'd 
kill Snape the next time they met.  (Tons of bravado that, since 
Snape had only just handed him his ass, like a day or two ago, but I 
think Harry really meant it.)

And it's subtler, but I think Harry lost a bunch of respect for 
Snape too.  He was dismissive and rude to Snape in the DADA class in 
a way I don't recall ever seeing before.  I think any sympathy Harry 
may have felt for Snape after seeing him get trounced by his father 
and friends warped into contempt after Sirius's death.

But then there's the wonderful little twist of Harry becoming all 
best friends with young!Snape in the form of the half-blood Prince. 
Harry still hasn't processed his feelings on that matter (though I'm 
sure they're going to manifest in some negative form, at least at 
first) but for a time there he really related to Snape, in a way 
he'd never done before. (There was a brief moment after the "worst 
memory" but adult!Snape sabatoged that possibility as only Snape 
can. <g>)

It's near impossible to figure out exactly what Snape feels for 
Harry, so it's also hard to see if there's been any change on his 
end, but from Harry's stand point, their relationship *definitely* 
changed.

As far as a deus ex machina being the only way for their 
relationship to reverse (since I can't see Harry having an even 
*greater* hatred for Snape unless Harry's supposed to morph into the 
next Dark Lord), I feel like JKR's done a pretty good job at hinting 
at a big bang to come.  There's the "horrible boy" Petunia spoke of 
in OotP that could turn out to be a hint that Lily and Snape were 
friends (JKR likes her girls to have male best friends). There's 
LOLLIPOPS, which takes it even further.  And there's the big "why, 
Dumbledore? why?" question still to be answered.  So yeah, the bang 
should be an almighty one, but I don't think it'll fall into a deus 
ex machina catagory.  JKR's done too much foreshadowing.

> >>Lupinlore:
> <snip>
> 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.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I don't think Neville will even come up.  For one, I don't think 
Harry is all that concerned about Neville's treatment by Snape.  
When he's lying in bed, going through his list of reasons why Snape 
is the worst person to ever exist, I'm betting "being mean to 
Neville" is down there with "doesn't do his bit to support the 
shampoo industry". 

For another, I think Neville is pretty much over Snape.  I think PoA 
was the peak of Neville's Snape fear, and I think since OotP Neville 
and Snape's relationship has been pretty neutral.  Neville is 
gunning for Bellatrix now.  A nasty teacher of a subject Neville 
hated is barely a blip on the radar screen, old news, and not worth 
pursuing as far as Neville is concerned.  If some kind soul pulled 
Neville aside for a sit down with Snape so that Snape could grovel 
on the ground for forgivness, I think Neville would be annoyed at 
the wasted time better spent hunting down Bellatrix.

Betsy Hp