Snape-the Hero -- Snape-the Abuser

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 143332

This is a repost of my previous post with correct attributions.  Sorry!

> Pippin:
> Um, where are you getting all this? Canon is very  clear about what
happened.
> Snape  fled because Buckbeak chased  him off.
 
hekatesheadband wrote:

I'm getting it from pages 562-564, Raincoast  edition (don't know the
American page numbers, sorry). Snape stood there  taunting Harry for
however long - doesn't much matter, at least from my  perspective. He
was quite aware of his surroundings, and he snarled at Harry  and did
nothing to help Fang. As for Harry: he didn't have his wand and  Snape
was preventing him from moving, thus from helping the dog. He  does
note in passing an urge to "give [Snape] chase," but nonetheless  he
turns immediately toward the hut, wasting no time in a useless  effort
despite the circumstances. Yes, Hagrid has beat him to the  task.
Nobody was blocking him.
 
 

Julie:
This is a bit ridiculous, and I don't mean to be insulting. But it  does
seem that way to me. Snape and Harry were engaged in a duel.
*Neither* of them suddenly stopped and said "Wait! An innocent
animal is dying and I must save him!" And it doesn't really matter
if Snape was blocking Harry's spells, because Harry could  have turned
and run toward Hagrid's hut at *any* time (and he heard Hagrid yell
"Fang's in there!" and the wild yelping of Fang HALFWAY through
the duel, but continued to throw spells at Snape, uncaring of
Fang's predicament in your definition). Snape wouldn't have stopped
Harry, Snape just wanted to get away. 
 
In fact, neither of them bothered with Fang, and both heard Hagrid
yell, so both could have presumably assumed Hagrid would get
the dog. Still, neither considered Fang more important than their 
respective goals--Snape to escape, and Harry to kill Snape. 
 
Oh, and Harry didn't give a "passing" thought to going after 
Snape. He "hoped" to give chase again, but sure enough BY
the time he'd located his wand (not running to save Fang, mind
you, but looking for his wand), Buckbeak was circling the gates
and Snape had disapparated. ONLY then does Harry think of
Hagrid (not Fang, though the dog can be assumed to be part 
of the thought) and turns to see Hagrid approaching with Fang
in his arms. 
 
Snape has his faults, and very many of them. He may even be
a killer, depending on how the Tower scene plays out in Book 7.
But there is nothing in this scene supporting Snape as cruel,
uncaring animal hater, and Harry as loving, noble animal  saviour.
They are essentially the same here, each totally absorbed in  their
own emotions of the moment. 
 
Julie 
 


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