[HPforGrownups] Explaining the danger to Harry (was: Changing the title because I'm tired of it)

[Kathryn Jones]

No: HPFGUIDX 130083


> SSSusan:
> 
>  > If Snape has better things to do with his time (and I fully agree
>  > that he does), then why DOESN'T he do better things with his time?
> 
> I think he does. The only time we ever see Snape is through Harry's eyes, so
> of necessity it's when he's talking to--and probably being nasty to--Harry.
> That's quite likely a very small percentage of his time.
> 
> ~Amanda
> 
> 
Kathy writes:

      I find that build-up through the books interesting. In SS, Harry 
feels that Snape hates him.  He asks Hagrid for confirmation. Hagrid 
does not tell Harry the truth, but is obviously aware of Snape's 
feelings.  In spite of this, Harry does not fear Snape. He is puzzled 
and annoyed by it. As is normal, he dislikes the teacher who dislikes 
him. There are only a few Snape interactions in the book.

      In CoS, again, Harry is frustrated and angered by Snape's 
treatment of him, but Draco is the suspect in Harry's mind.  Snape is 
something to be avoided, and treated with caution.  Again Harry does not 
fear Snape.  In the duelling scene, Harry and Ron are betting on Snape. 
Snape is more respected, if less liked than Lockhart. Hary dislikes him 
because he is unfair. Again there are few Snape interactions in this book.

      In PoA, the conflict seems to increase considerably.  Harry is 
caught in Hogsmeade when he did not have permission to go. Snape is 
suspicious of him and keeps much more of an eye on Harry than usual. 
Again, Harry does not fear him, but he still does not hate him. Harry 
was beginning to deal with him. Snape was the one getting out-maneuvered 
through this book. In the Shrieking Shack, neither Harry or Snape took 
the hexing personally.  The Trio hexed Snape to give them all some time 
to figure things out, and Snape just assumed that they were confunded. 
For a supposedly immature and hateful person, it seems to me that Snape 
handled that surprisingly well. Harry is more agressively fighting back 
when he and Snape have to deal with each other. Harry and Snape are 
being pushed together more often.

      In GoF, it starts out with Harry's scar hurting.  Fairly early in 
the book, it mentions that Snape is loathed by Harry. Harry is beginning 
to be loathed by Snape as much for himself as for James. This book 
describes Harry wanting to use the Cruciatus on Snape, watch him suffer, 
hit him over the head with a cauldron.  I think what we are beginning to 
see is Voldemort's effect on Harry's emotions through the connection. 
Harry is not a "hating" kind of person. Later in the book Harry is 
described as so angry at Snape that his hands were shaking, but did not 
describe it as hate.  Harry also became so angry at Ron that he threw a 
badge and hit him in the forehead with it. This just does not seem like 
Harry. Again. the Snape interactions are more frequent.

      By the time we get to OotP, Harry is angry at everybody. He is 
horrified at having extra lessons with Snape. Snape again handles being 
hexed by Harry, and has the only civil, informative talk with Harry that 
we have ever seen. Harry becomes increasingly angry with Snape, 
resentful, and secretive with everybody, and distrustful and resentful 
of Dumbledor. Again, I think that we are being led to a realization, as 
is Harry, that the connection with Voldemort is causing his personality 
to change over time. We see a few moments of "old" Harry when he demands 
an explanation for what he has seen in Snape's pensieve. We see more 
moments of "someone else". This book has more than doubled the 
Snape/Harry interactions and shown us two distinct variations of Harry's 
attitude toward Snape. On one hand he knows he can trust him as an Order 
member, and on the other hand feels waves of intense hatred toward him. 
  I think JKR has to push them closer together in the next book.  Snape 
may be the cause of Harry's revelation that he is feeling what V. feels 
instead of himself. Perhaps Harry will realize that no one could tell 
him anything because of the risk of the connection with Voldemort.
JMO
KJ