Draco's anger (was Snape and Occlumency.

[eggplant9998]

No: HPFGUIDX 121857


Carol Wrote:

> Unfortunately, grief is no excuse for
> bad behavior, whether for Draco
> or for Harry. 

Harry was not misbehaving, he was just defending himself and Snape 
would know that if he took a few seconds to investigate the matter 
before handing out punishments. If the situation were reversed you 
can be certain Snape would look long and hard before he punished 
Malfoy junior. From the book: 
 
"Malfoy glanced around -Harry knew he was checking for 
signs of teachers -then he looked back at Harry and said in a 
low voice, 'You're dead, Potter.' [.]  'You're going to pay,'
said Malloy in a voice barely louder than a whisper. 'I'm 
going to make you pay for what you've done to my father.'" 
 
Then Harry said Malfoy's father was a scumbag, a perfectly
true statement, the man is a scumbag. Back to the book:
 
"Malfoy's hand flew towards his wand, but Harry was too quick 
for him; he had drawn his own wand before Malfoy's fingers had 
even entered the pocket of his robes."
 
And that's when Snape showed up proving once and for all 
that he is a very small man.

> this is the WW, and the rules don't change if
> you've lost a godparent. 

Where in the world did you get that idea? Wizard law, or rather the 
enforcement of the law changes radically from person to person. If 
you have the favor of the Ministry you can literally get away with 
murder, if you have their disfavor they'll try to put you in Azkaban 
for spitting on the sidewalk. Nobody has shown more inconsistencies 
in enforcing Hogwart' s rules than Snape. 

> We then get the nice little scene in which McGonagall
> returns, Snape welcomes her back with what seems like
> genuine good feeling, 

Boy that's not how I read it! Snape showed genuine respect toward 
McGonagall, perhaps even a little fear, but I detected not one drop 
of affection.

> Snape quietly accepts the 250 points she 
> has added for Gryffindor.

He had no choice, McGonagall is assistant Headmistress, Snape's boss 
and probably a more powerful wizard too.    

> *herself* deducts the ten points for Harry's misbehavior 

She was trying not to embarrass Snape, McGonagall has a thing about 
criticizing other professors in front of students.  Personally I 
don't thing Snape deserves such consideration. 

Eggplant