[HPforGrownups] Re: Apologies and responsibility

[P J]

No: HPFGUIDX 140039




Lady Indigo said:
And you know, I think I'd gladly even let it be reduced to this. While "My 
father acted like a bully" is a simple fact Harry and
Snape can agree on, I admit it's loaded and most people can't
detach themselves enough to discuss it without that weight. What
everyone seems to miss is the other half of that, which I don't
think Harry should ever leave out: "You had problems with my dad.
I am not my dad." This calls Snape out for his own immaturity,
it puts things into the open air instead of letting them stew,
and I think it's one of the biggest reasons I'm at all bothered
by Harry's part in this. Harry coming of age means Harry beginning
to handle things the way that adults would.

PJ answers with:
I don't see how anyone could realistically expect this from Harry knowing 
his story.

Kids who have lost a parent at such a young age would tend to, over the 
years, make that parent larger than life in his/her own mind.  Aunt Petunia 
and Uncle Vernon never bothered to give him a _realistic_ picture of who 
they were so by now it doesn't matter if they were saints or sinners in life 
because in death they can leap tall buildings in a single bound... Superman, 
Captain Marvel and the Pope all wrapped up into one neat package.

In this case it's Harry's Dad that he's built up in his own mind to be THE 
hero.  He has no real memories of either parent but people in the WW tend to 
talk to him quite a bit about James and tell stories about how smart, witty, 
talented and wonderful he was (It's especially nice since they say Harry's 
just like him!).   This only serves to add fuel to the Dad as Superman myth 
Harry has set up for himself until Snape's worst memory rocks his world.

He may have apologised for looking into the penseive if he'd been given the 
chance but admitting his parents were less than perfect, especially to the 
"enemy", would be unthinkable.

Just my opinion.

PJ