Detention

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 141159

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.

houyhnhnm:

The offense was a pretty serious one, so the numerous detentions don't
really require an explanation, but I agree that they serve more than
one purpose.  I think it would be neat if Harry remembers some clue
uncovered during all those forays into old disciplinary records, but
I'm not really expecting it.

Snape was trying to *help* Harry out, I think, with another character
building lesson of the control-your-emotions-keep-your-mouth-shut-
and-your-mind-closed variety.  As is usual with Snape's character
building lessons, it gets all mixed up with his own grievance
collection.
  
Additionally, I think Snape was scared by the scene he discovered in
the boy's bathroom.  If he hadn't happened upon it (though he showed
up in such a timely manner I do wonder if he wasn't keeping Harry
and/or Draco under surveillance) Draco could have bled to death. 
Possibly making Snape's own life forfeit due to the UV.  In addition
to Draco's safety, there is also the fact that Harry had been
suspecting Draco of being up to something all year and trying to bring
it out into the open.  Snape has plenty of experience with Harry's
ability to expose wrong-doers when the adults are dragging their feet.
 In this case, the adults are dragging their feet deliberately.  The
very last thing Snape would want would be for Draco's plot to be
forced out into the open bringing the whole situation to the crisis
point.

I think the reason for keeping Harry in his office every Saturday,
besides being a wholly suitable punishment for a very serious offense,
was so Snape could keep an eye on Harry (and still get his grades
out).  Every hour spent in Snape's office was one less that Harry
could be tailing Draco, duelling in bathrooms, and generally working
to bring about the end Snape was trying desperately to stave off.