Detention

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 141147

 "agdisney" 

> I'm not sure where I'm going with this but...
> For Harry's detention after Snape found out that Harry was using his 
> potions book, Snape has Harry re-writing old files on past students.  
> Doesn't it seem as if Snape is at work again at trying to *help*
> Harry 
> out. 

Potioncat:
IMHO most of Snape's detentions/punishments have a hidden purpose. In 
this case the very first offense Harry re-writes is an "illegal hex" 
that his father used. The hex made the victim's head swell to twice its 
size. Very appropriate to Harry's misdeed, and funny too, given that 
Snape has accused the Potters of having "swollen heads". 

If I remember correctly, Snape always stays with him during detention, 
which hasn't always been the case before. It's been suggested that 
Snape was using Legilimency during this time, but I don't know if canon 
gives any hints in that direction.