Snape's Worst (and Best!) OoP Moment?

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 132540

Susan:
> You know, I think we've actually gone about a WEEK without a Snape 
> thread here.  Isn't that amazing?  

Alla:

LOL! Yes, it is. We usually talk about him almost all over time. :-)

SSSusan:
On my recently completed re-read  of canon [Show of hands!  How 
> many AREN'T re-reading?? One... two... just as I thought, two out 
of 
> 17,000], it just struck me that what I'd consider Snape's WORST 
> moment of the book wasn't what I'd expected going in.  
<SNIP>
 No, his worst 
> moment imo was his *goading* of Sirius as 12GP.
<SNIP of the great quote which could be read UPTHREAD>
 <another snip>
It seems to me there 
> was *nothing* in this scene except a nastily cruel series of digs 
at 
> Sirius, designed to point out his "worthlessness."  
> 
> Now, I'm NOT saying Snape is to blame for Sirius' death – I'm
not 
> going that far – but I will say that I understand Harry's anger
at 
> Snape.  He recalled this interaction, and he knew Snape was baiting 
> Sirius.  It was pretty reprehensible behavior, imo.  
> 
> So that's my vote for Snape's worst OoP scene.  Anybody want to 
> nominate another or comment upon this one?
> 
> And just to try to keep things *POSITIVE*, how `bout nominations 
for 
> Snape's BEST moment in OoP, too?  I think I might vote for the 
first 
> Occlumency lesson, where he really did try to rein in his general 
> loathing and answer some of Harry's questions.  He wasn't perfect, 
> but it was pretty "big" for Snape.  


Alla:

OK, me wants to participate of course :-). Actually, I would not call 
this moment to be Snape's worst behaviour in OOP. I mean don't get me 
wrong, I do think that it was unwarranted, cruel, reprehensible, pick 
the word, BUT Snape and Sirius have a history and despite of my 
arguing that we may not know the major moments of that history, which 
can totally switch  the picture around, they HAVE that history.

It is possible that something SO bad  connects those two that Snape 
in his mind may feel entitled to goad Sirius without any reason at 
all.

Do I like it? Of course not, I hate it. But at least I can understand 
it, well sort of.

No, I still go with Snape having a go at Harry and Neville as his 
worst moments ( plural). I cannot give any justification to what he 
does to them none at all.

Take your pick for my vote - be it Snape destroying Harry's potion 
or  him throwing Harry out of Occlumency OR better even the fact that 
Harry was going to Occlumency lesson with the feeling that  he was 
imprisoning himself.

I just think that it sums up SO well all damage that Snape did to 
Harry's psyche during five years of goading him.

No, Snape is not Harry's worst fear, but IMO he is afraid of him 
thanks to Snape and Snape only and I am very anxious to see whether 
Harry will ever trust Snape enough to work with him.


As to Snape's best moment, well, to tell you the truth, I cannot pick 
Snape best moment in OOP ( not  storywise, mind you), I like  that we 
learned more about him, but he does not get any cookies from me for 
OOP.

Oh maybe half a cookie for bringing fake veritaserum for Umbridge.

I can choose Snape best moment in the books though -  that would be 
him showing Dark mark to Fudge in GoF. That was brave.

Just my opinion,

Alla.