Mental Discipline in the WW: A Comparison (long)

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 130285

> > Irene Mikhlin <irene_mikhlin at b...> wrote:
> > 
> > All true, and don't forget the act of sabotage by Sirius! Sirius 
> > undermined Harry's motivation from the get go, treating the idea
> > of the lessons as Snape's private whim or something. Brilliant, 
> > Sirius, that will really communicate to Harry just how important
> > Dumbledore finds these lessons.
> 
Magda: 
> Actually, upon re-reading the chapter, I wonder if Sirius was 
jealous
> that someone else was involved in teaching Harry something 
important.
>  That it was Snape of all people just made it worse, but the spurt 
of
> resentment would have existed no matter who it was.

Finwitch:

You know, I think there IS the possibility of this, too, being a 
mistake of Dumbledore's. If Dumbledore didn't tell Sirius of this 
plan -- at least, as Harry's guardian, I don't think Sirius was all 
THAT out of place. Interestingly, the question of Snape teaching 
Harry is a mistake Dumbledore admitted, AND Harry need be told - 
AGAIN, Sirius was right over Dumbledore.

What I think angered Sirius more than anything here, with Snape (and 
with Molly for that matter) was that his position as Harry's guardian 
was not properly acknowledged. Don't forget that James and Lily had 
not only named him Harry's godfather, but appointed him as Harry's 
guardian...

Even more, I think that Sirius was fighting to keep his sanity and 
godfathering Harry is one of the ways he has of doing it. AND, I do 
think he's genuinely loving Harry like a parent. That settled, then 
look at how things are in OOP:

1. Harry's off with Dursleys instead of with Sirius, resulting in 
Harry being attacked by Dementors AND getting in trouble for 
defending himself...

2. Harry's not told 'more than he needs to know' because Dumbledore 
said so (acc. Molly) - as much as Sirius resents that, it's apparent 
that his idea of how much Harry needs to know is VERY different from 
Molly's. And Molly questions Sirius' authority on the matter... and 
acts lowly with that comment of Azkaban... Sirius only tries to give 
her an example of NOT getting in the way of parent/child relationship 
as he tells F&G that 'it's your parents' decision'. I can only 
imagine how much Sirius had to battle with Molly about guarding Harry 
off scene...

3. Harry has that vision which saves Arthur Weasley - and the next 
thing Sirius hears if Snape coming to talk to Harry and informing 
about Occlumency-lessons... as Legilimency is such an offence on 
Harry's privacy- I'd say Sirius is quite right defending Harry (who 
of course didn't know what Occlumency even was, but I'm positive 
Sirius DID know). And, giving Harry that mirror-- trying to assure 
Harry's not being abused on the excuse of a lesson... why did he 
think Molly wouldn't approve?

Finwitch