Snape, Harry and DE Children

[saieditor]

No: HPFGUIDX 126329


I have given a lot of reflection to public morality in the Wizarding 
World. To my reading it is a world with public morality gone awry. 
Bigotry, corruption, vendetta and duels are commonplace. It is 
largely a world of vanity, egotism, and putting Number 1 first, 
except for those who have mastered the ego. Look at Fudge. Lucius 
Malfoy. St Mungo's on Christmas Day. 

A larger part of my public morality reflection focuses on Snape and 
his treatment of Harry.

It is my contention that Snape is continuing a feud or quarrel with 
the dead through a child of the dead. This in any dispensation is 
the stuff of meaness and anti social personality. A most confusing 
man, Snape. Recently re-reading OOP, I see that Snape does not admit 
feeling and emotion as a means of motivation, defense nor 
behaviour.  (see Occulmency lessons) Snape only values the 
supression of feeling and emotion. He is an extraordinarily complex 
character, of mixed loyalties and perverse when it suits him, and 
self protective when it suits him. For example, would he continue to 
treat Harry's Potions lessons and samples thus presented as he does 
in front of McGonagall or Dumbledore? I think not; he would put on a 
face and avoid detection of his vendetta with James Potter through 
Harry. 

IF this is true, then we must assume that beneath the layers of ice 
and hostility, history and loyalties, there is a moral faculty 
within Snape which is yet to emerge.  I would point to the 
Veritaserum episode in Umbridge's Office as an example of Snape's 
loyalty to the Order of Phoenix, rather than Snape deflecting 
Umbridge away from Harry's knowledge for reasons of immoral 
behaviour by a [Head Teacher] witch or wizard.  

Chris in Shepparton. 

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at y...> wrote:
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> 
> SSSusan wrote:
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> Potioncat:
> McGonagall tells Harry he's performing at "Acceptable" in 
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> 
> Alla:


Welcome back. I think you are stretching it a little bit with Snape
having a reason to hide Potter's true ability in potions. Hide from
whom? I never completely bought "Snape has to be nasty to Harry,
because there are DE children in the class", but that I can at least
understand. Could you elaborate a little bit?