[HPforGrownups] Re: HBP: Why I am 98.6% certain that...

[Sherry Gomes]

No: HPFGUIDX 133634

As to Harry's reaction, and Harry's perceptions of Snape more
generally, this is actually the point that I find most strongly
*supportive* of the theory that Snape remained loyal to Dumbledore. 
Possibly the most recurrent subplot in the books is Harry's suspicions
of Snape, and how he always misinterprets the motives behind Snape's
actions.  Is it possible that Snape has somehow become completely
transparent to Harry?  It seems immensely more likely that in his
(mutual) animosity toward Snape, Harry is missing something.   

-- Matt


Sherry now:

If Snape is evil, as I now wholeheartedly believe, then Harry's distrust of
him in all previous books will be proved to be correct, an instinct we
should all have trusted before now.  Wouldn't that be a kick?  It turns out
that Harry's gut instinct was right all along, and not Dumbledore's?  I can
imagine JKR being highly amused by that, or at least I would be.  This
doesn't even negate the fact that it was Quirrel in PS/SS.  After all, Snape
didn't know his master was back.  But his actions in the shrieking shack and
after in POA, the disastrous occlumency lessons in OOTP, have never seemed
like good Snape pointers to me.  Remember Harry felt like the lessons made
his problem worse, not better.  Could this have been an indication that he
was right to doubt Snape all along, and not just that he was a teenage brat
refusing to follow instructions?  I just think that in the end, if Snape is
ESE, then Harry's feelings throughout the series have been right every step
of the way.

Sherry