Which characters are dynamic?

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 141812

> >>Nora:
> <snip>
> I don't see Snape being depicted as making these sorts of         
> gradual changes and adjustments--but then again, I remember the   
> image of Harry separating him and Sirius in OotP, so I wouldn't   
> put him on an elevated plane of control there, either.

Betsy Hp:
Oh, Snape was in perfect control.  Sirius was the one knocking over 
furniture and elevating the threat level.  When they finally squared 
off Sirius looked "livid" and Snape "calculating".  Sirius resorts 
to schoolboy name calling, and even snarls at Harry when Harry tries 
to stop him.  Harry doesn't try and seperate Snape and Sirius, he 
tries to talk Sirius down and then tries to force him down.  Even 
Harry could tell that Sirius was the loose cannon in that particular 
scene.  Frankly, if Snape had been the loose cannon, I don't think 
Harry would have jumped between the two men.  He was counting on 
Sirius not hexing him out of the way, I would imagine.  I don't 
think Harry would count on the possibility of his injury stopping an 
out of control Snape.

> >>Nora:
> Particularly his relationship to Harry, which is the most         
> important one (as everyone in the books exists in a literary      
> relationship to Harry), is rather one-note.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
And which note would that be?  The one where he disciplines Harry 
whenever he catches him in wrongdoing?  The one where he saves 
Harry's life whenever he's around when Harry's life is in jeopardy?  
The one where he tries to help Harry keep Voldemort out of his 
head?  The one where he takes great pleasure in badmouthing Harry's 
father?

I would agree with colebiancardi (post #141771), that *Harry* is 
rather one-note when it comes to Snape.  But Snape, though not Harry 
Potter's number one fan, is not so one-note when it comes to how he 
interacts with Harry.

> >>Nora:
> a character who shifts is more complex than one who does 
> not, generally

Betsy Hp:
Agrees.  But then, the Potterverse characters are not the most 
complex characters out there.  Within the Potterverse, however, 
Snape is one of the more complex characters.
 
> >>Betsy Hp:
> So, until Snape suddenly treats Harry nicely he's not a complex
> character for you?

> >>Lupinlore:
> Yep, pretty much.  In that complexity in this discussion relates   
> to character dynamic, meaning character change, and in that this  
> is Harry's story and the important relationships are the one's    
> with Harry or immediately touching on Harry, yep, you've got it   
> exactly. 

Betsy Hp:
Actually, I think a truly dynamic Snape would adjust his 
relationship with *Lupin* rather than Harry.  Snape's problem has 
been with the Marauders, and since Lupin is the only surviving 
Marauder (well, there is Peter, but he's certainly given up his club 
membership by now) he's the only one Snape can use to prove a change 
of heart.  (I'm by no means prediticting this will ever happen. It'd 
be nice, but I'm don't recall any sort of forshadowing of this sort 
of change.)

Within the Harry/Snape relationship the problem, IMO, has always 
been Harry.  It's Harry who needs to change his view of Snape, not 
the other way around.  Actually, if Harry doesn't change his view of 
Snape he runs a real risk, IMO, of becoming exactly like Snape.  So 
sure of his own rightness in their clash and bitter to the bone over 
Snape's very existence.

> >>Lupinlore: 
> An apology will also be required of course, if only because it     
> would cost Sevvie so much to come up with it.

Betsy Hp:
I'm sorry, Harry, that I saved your life when Quirrell nearly killed 
you.  I'm sorry, Harry, that when Voldemort was invading your mind I 
tried to train you to keep him out.  I'm sorry, Harry, that when you 
were reading a magazine in my class I took issue with it.  I'm 
sorry, Harry, that I scolded you for sneaking out to Hogsmeade when 
an escaped murder was out for your blood.  I'm sorry, Harry, that I 
prevented Umbridge from dosing you with veritaserum.  I'm sorry, 
Harry, that when you totally lost your head and went running off to 
the Ministry with your friends in tow (instead of consulting with 
me, the one Order member left in Hogwarts) I informed the Order 
enabling them to save not only your life but the life of your 
friends.  I'm sorry, Harry, that when you nearly killed a classmate 
I saved that classmate's life and prevented you being labeled a 
murderer.

Hmmm, actually, I think Snape may well enjoy the whole apologizing 
thing.  <tongue-in-cheek-g>

Betsy Hp