Snape as DADA, new Potions teacher? (was Re: It's Libatius)

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 126285


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mooseming" <josturgess at e...> wrote:
> 
> General thoughts following Lupinlore and Alla ...
> 
> The interesting thing to me is how, and why, JKR has deliberately 
> set up the potions conflict, she has gone out of her way to give us 
> a great deal of info on Harry's potion requirements and has made it 
> very hard for him to meet them convincingly.
> 
> We know Harry must take potions to study to be an auror.

Well, to be fair, we know that to be an auror Harry needs five NEWTS
and McGONOGALL recommends that one of them be in Potions.  It is
theoretically possible for him to take a NEWT in another subject and
meet the Ministry requirement.


> We know Snape only accepts students with an `O' pass.
> 
> Harry has done better than we might have predicted as he and Neville 
> both performed well in the practical because Snape wasn't there. 
> Plus Harry had a polyjuice question in his written exam.  Plus 
> Umbridge comments on how advanced the class as a whole is. 
> 
> However, to get an `O' must be exceptionally hard and we have no 
> real reason to believe Harry would have gained anything more than 
> an `E'. He finds the written paper difficult and believes after his 
> practical that he should have passed if not very well.
> 
> So why did JKR have Snape set the NEWT acceptance level so high?
> 
> If she simply wanted Harry to take potions and surprise/irritate 
> Snape then she could have set the grade as in Transfiguration 
> to `E', but she didn't. She could want Harry to take potions against 
> Snape's wishes (some have suggested McGonagall/DD could ensure this) 
> this would provide a believable excuse for Snape to further 
> humiliate Harry and good motivation for Harry to begin to fight back 
> by working hard to prove his worth. In terms of Harry growing up it 
> makes sense that with the information from the prophecy plus his 
> experience teaching the DA he will start to apply himself as a 
> student. In potions he could start to work at a subject that isn't 
> his forte.  He could learn that to overcome adversity it is 
> necessary to engage in the unpleasant but it is also empowering to 
> face your enemy on his own ground and, if not win, at least stand 
> proud. Harry could gain confidence whilst the hostility between 
> Snape and him could become more personal and more overt.
> 
<SNIP>

Actually, I lean toward the following scenario:

Draco Malfoy gets an "E."  Snape must make an exception for him, as
favoring Draco would shore up Snape's position with the DEs.  However,
Dumbledore insists, with that irritating (to Snape) twinkle in his eye
that the only way Snape can make an exception is to lower the bar
across the board.  That lets Harry (and possibly Ron and Neville) into
Advanced Potions.

This sets up a very interesting situation.  Snape is furious and
humiliated to have Harry in his class, especially since Harry is
inclined to make Snape's life miserable as much as humanly possible. 
However, Snape is also showing cracks in his facade with regard to
Malfoy.  The boy has proven himself less than up to Snape's standards
in the Potion Master's beloved subject.  To make matters worse it is
HIS fault that POTTER got into Advanced Potions to inflict pain on
Snape.  And with Lucius in Azkaban, Daddy is no longer looking over
Snape's shoulder to make sure Draco gets favored status.

Snape and Harry go their obligatory round in the first class of
Advanced Potions, but then to Harry's amazement Draco and Snape 
proceed to engage in a snarking match (probably mild by Snape/Harry
standards, but still).  This situation so fascinates Harry that he
makes overtures to the only people in class who might be able to
explain it, some Slytherins he has heretofore ignored (perhaps Zabini
and/or Nott).  This is the needed opening to introduce a "good"
Slytherin and eventually integrate them into the DA.


Lupinlore