[HPforGrownups] Re: In Defense of Snape (long)

[Magda Grantwich]

No: HPFGUIDX 122179

--- snow15145 <snow15145 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> It may just be my subversive reading of the text but if you look 
> close enough you can see possible motives behind what Snape is
> saying 
> to Harry, Neville and Hermione when he makes a spectacle of them in
> class. Hermione, the insufferable little know-it-all, needs to
> learn to step back and realize that she doesn't know everything. 
> Snape has reminded her of this on several occasions, once in class 
> and once in the Shrieking Shack. Harry and Neville repeatedly need 
> to be reminded that each step counts if you want the end product to

> be a success. I don't believe that this is just an application to 
> potions alone but life in general, especially with a war on the 
> horizon. 


I agree.  As Shaun Hately has said:

>I really think the 'Trevor incident' gets overstated.
>Snape is able to identify precisely what is wrong with Neville's 
>potion from its colour.  

Trevor is not in danger of poisining; the colour's the right one and
Snape knows it.  Neville, on the other hand, has received the scare
of his life and might presumably show more diligence in the classroom
from now on.  Harsh, but not an invaluable lesson to learn.

As for Hermione's "helping" Neville, I think that Snape has a
legimate point when he docks her.  Whispering the ingredients or
instructions to Neville during potions class isn't really helping
Neville.  He's got to learn to stand on his own feet.  If she really
wants to help Neville, she'd give him after-class homework help, like
she does with Ron and Harry.  Getting Neville over the hump of a
particular assignment isn't going to benefit him in the long-term. 
And if the issue is what's good for Neville, then that's important.

I agree too with Snow that Snape has to keep up a harsher-than-normal
attitude to Harry since Draco will report back to his father if he
didn't.  There is something - perhaps a trap - being set here for
Draco and/or Lucius.  Of course since Snape doesn't like Harry
anyway, it's not like he feels any guilt over his treatment of him. 
But there is definitely a "hidden agenda" there for Snape and the
Order.

Magda


		
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