Changing the title because I'm tired of it, was "Some won't like it". The Sc

[Jim Ferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 130093

Phoenixgod: " Funny I don't recall him being given an Auror pin or a
phoenix  badge. Harry isn't a soldier and he wasn't drafted into any 
organization (except maybe by destiny). Dumbledore didn't give him a 
junior fledging Order of the Phoenix card."

Harry's got something more than that. The fate of the wizard world is
on his shoulders, and he knows it, knew it even before the Prophecy
was completely revealed to him. Yeah, he's been drafted. Sybil
Trelawney delivered his notice. He's taken his one step forward, and
he's in.

Phoenixgod:" Snape isn't in authority over him when it comes to his
'remedial  potion lessons'. Occulomency is completely outside of his
authority  as a school teacher."

Amanda: "I disagree on a couple of points. One, even if it is for a
purpose outside the standard lesson, it *is* something the headmaster
of a school has asked this particular master to teach this particular
student."

That's good enough reason. Harry's a student to be educated, and
Dumbledore decides who needs what.  There's no United Federation of
Teachers here to argue that Occlumency isn't in Snape's job description.

Plus, see above. Harry is committed. It would have been much better if
someone had explained the need for Occlumency better.  Adults can be
told to shut up and pay attention, but adolescents are what they are
and need to be told a little more.

Amanda:"Snape gave it, but Harry didn't understand it. It was
important that, until the channel could be controlled or turned off,
that Harry not know too much, because it was a clear and present
danger that Voldemort would become aware of, and then use, that
channel for intelligence and manipulation purposes."

That's right, and Harry should have had it explained to him. He's not
the only one guilty of poor communication. Snape's explanation was
grudging, curt, and unsatisfactory. It would have been easy, probably
from someone else:

"Harry, it's going to be difficult, but you must learn Occlumency so
that Voldemort can't enter your mind.  We must shut off this link.  If
we don't, then he can learn things from you or use the link to deceive
you. That is why there are things we cannot tell you until we know
your mind is safe from Voldemort."

Amanda: "Awww. Poor baby. Here he is, the center of the universe, and
nobody's telling him anything. After all he's suffered and gone
through and done. Poor woobie. Hey, sometimes the answer is "you can't
know that yet" and sometimes the situation is an emergency."

Yes, but this situation wasn't like that.  Why should Harry have been
told more? Because it would have furthered the mission, and that's all
that matters.  Human nature says that people work together better the
more they understand what it's all for.  Actually, if Harry had been
made to understand more of what was going on, he could have taken "you
can't know that yet" better when it was necessary.

Amanda: "I think Severus Snape controls a great deal of emotion. He's
usually quite controlled. That's the main reason that it stands out so
when his control slips. Yes, if Harry would ever see Snape as Snape, I
think there are many skills there he could benefit from."

I think Snape owns the Harry/Snape problem.  Snape has had a grudge
against Harry since Day One, and Harry didn't know Snape from
Snape-ola when he arrived.  Snape's behavior makes it impossible for
Harry to benefit from Snape's skills.  And Snape's not nearly as much
of an adult as he should be.  He's still the greasy oddball kid who
was a persecuted outcast at school.  He can't even tell the difference
between his tormentor and his son.

We're asking more maturity from fifteen year old Harry than from forty
year old Snape.

Jim Ferer