Occlumency -THE REAL STORY

[bleckybecs]

No: HPFGUIDX 122915



Eggplant:
The only memories we know for sure in Snape's Pensive contained no 
OOTP secrets, just a memory of some embarrassing childhood taunts 
and bullying from 20 years ago that he didn't want Harry to see. 
Harry also had memories he didn't want Snape to see but he too was 
unsuccessful in protecting some of them.

Becky:
these memories might endanger Snape as a spy

Eggplant:
The memories Harry saw certainly won't endanger Snape, just 
embarrass him. And it's very difficult to understand how Snape could 
still be a spy after Dumbledore told the entire world in open court 
years ago that Snape had been a spy. Fame is usually a good thing 
but not if you're a spy. The term "famous spy" is a bit of a non 
sequitur.

Becky now:
Ok, while there isn't any proof that any OOTP memories were in 
there, I think they were, but we'll have to disagree on that point.

Having said that, I do think that those memories that we know were 
in the pensive (the ones about his school days) were there to help 
him control his feelings towards Harry. The scenes that Harry sees 
are (IMO) the main reasons for his hate towards James. If the 
memories are removed, the anger created by them should, in theory, 
also be removed, to a certain extent at least. (Obviously, nothing 
could stop all of his anger towards James). In this way, it should 
be helpful to Harry, not merely to Snape.

The point where I thought this was at the very least part of the 
reason is in DD's explanation in OOTP. `I thought Professor Snape 
could overcome his feelings about your father - I was wrong'. 
Overcoming feelings put there by someone who bullied you is 
immensely difficult, as anyone who has been bullied knows. I'm sure 
that removing some of those memories would at least help the 
situation. While this quote clearly doesn't prove it one way or the 
other, that would be my interpretation.

When all is said and done, I just find it hard to think of Snape as 
a coward, no matter what the situation. I can't think of any other 
scene where he appears cowardly ( no doubt someone can prove me 
wrong J ). He may have a lot of dislikeable qualities (jumping 
instantly to conclusions, favouritism, inability to forgive, etc), 
but cowardliness is not one of them, especially if it is true that 
he has switched to DD`s side, as I believe he has.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of the Snape lovers, but I just 
can't imagine him not having a better reason for using the pensive. 
Whether or not he meant Harry to look into when he left the room, 
whether he was good at teaching him, etc. is obviously a different 
issue, but I don't see that I could blame him for using the pensive.

You clearly can, but then I can totally see where you're coming from 
too. Guess it's just another situation that's particularly open to 
interpretation.

Becky