Snape, bias, etc.

[Nathaniel]

No: HPFGUIDX 141118

Krista wrote:
This bit of the HBP has been driving me nuts. I operate from the 
assumption that everything JKR does, she does for a reason; none of 
the action in the story is just for the heck of it." Therefore, I 
want to know why it is that Snape fetches Harry, vs. Hagrid, 
from Tonks at the Hogwarts gate. (Chapter 8 of the US standard 
hardback; p. 155 the chapter begins.) 

Nathaniel here:
I would disagree to some degree with your central premise.  To a 
large degree this is just exposition, IMO.  It's sort of a large 
reminder that Harry and Snape just do not get along.  We have large 
moments like these in every book.  Take for example Book 5 - there 
are many times, where, in case you forgot, we the readers are 
reminded that History of Magic is BORING. (If you hadn't picked that 
up by Book 5, I'm not sure you have been enjoying the Harry Potter 
series too much.)  And I don't think that is really necessary to the 
plot of Book 5.  It helps explain partially why Harry falls asleep 
during the examination and fails to get an O.W.L. at the end of the 
year.  However, it really isn't central to the plot, to 
charactarization, nor does it introduce any new information, which I 
believe it really could have if Harry ever paid attention.  He may 
have missed some important clues in that class . . .

Anyway, back to my point about this being exposition, the book would 
not really make sense if the reader does not know the depth of 
Harry's hatred for Snape.  None of Harry's actions that year will 
make sense to the reader, if he/she is not entirely convinced of 
Harry's motives and hatred.  For myself, I'm not sure I needed it, 
but that's a different topic.