Inconsistencies in the DADA position

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 131678

> Snow:
> 
> If James had thought that Snape could enter that (his) position and 
> would teach the children of Hogwarts Dark Arts and not the 
`Defense' 
> of the dark arts, Snape would then be the equal to Karkaroff who 
was 
> the headmaster of a school (Durmstrang) who held the teaching of 
Dark 
> Arts in high regard; not the `Defense' of the Dark Arts. If James 
> were this teacher he would want to protect against the teaching of 
> Dark Arts. (Lockhart was the teacher in COS who remains to be a 
> character in the novels however subtle (or not) his role has 
> resumed.) 
> Snow in response:
> Snow:
> 
> You do have a point about Snape's cover being blown (which I 
> wholeheartedly believe in) but
Snape is teaching them something 
even 
> more powerful than DADA. Potions are very much a part of, imo, why 
> Harry is alive along with why Tom Riddle became Voldemort. If 
either 
> of these potions were equal to the ancient magic that Voldemort 
said 
> Lily performed, they would be greater than any DADA lesson ever 
> taught. So, Snape is actually teaching in a position that is more 
> powerful than the DADA position he always craved to have. 
--> 
> I'm just looking at this from James' point of view if everything 
came 
> down the way I stated in my previous post. James is faced with 
> trusting not Dumbledore but who Dumbledore trusts (and its not 
likely 
> that he gave James anymore info than he gives to Harry or anyone 
> else) which happens to be Snape, his worst adversary. How much can 
> you ask of the man
James is human and can put his trust in just so 
> many persons
why in God's name would Dumbledore ever trust Snape? 
> Yet, if James was wrong and Dumbledore and Snape were right and he 
> didn't go into hiding as suggested he would be solely to blame for 
> putting his wife and child in jeopardy. 

Finwitch:

I agree with the idea of the jinx being put for protection, and never 
mind whether James Potter ever had the post or if he was the one to 
jinx it. However, I do not believe it's "you teach a year at most and 
then you'll leave and not come back" - as Quirrell DID return. No... 
it's more like "Your worst/darkest secret will be revealed and if you 
act against students in Hogwarts your act will be returned to you to 
protect the students" - Quirrellmort's double identity ended up in 
his death but not before he tried to kill Harry; Lockhart's 
Obliviating policies turned against him when he tried to do that to 
Ron; Lupin's Lycanthropy was revealed but he himself decided to 
leave, nothing was really against him within Hogwarts; Impostor 
Crouch!Moody was revealed - and it may be he force-fed Veritaserum to 
Harry before asking his questions - and was fed it by Dumbledore 
later; Umbridge then... well, futile tasks, small taunts repeated 
often while raising crowds against Hogwarts - particularly the 
student, Harry. That's what she got back from Hogwarts, too... nearly 
entire Hogwarts as well.

If there was a DADA teacher who had no dark secrets to speak of 
(Umbridge came close) AND who were good about their position, they 
would stay. Possibility of the revealence-jinx maybe why Dumbledore 
cannot let Snape take this position...

Of course, it might be more general than that - 

Hogwarts will teach them all, old or young... most of the DADA 
teachers just get it the hard way. And this is possibly set by the 
school song! (Just because we only 'heard' it once, doesn't mean they 
don't traditionally sing it *every* year, after the Feast - or the 
first morning).

Finwitch