Harry, Snape and James (was:Re: Sadistic!Snape?...)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 140476

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > Whenever Snape brought up James it was usually (IIRC) when Harry 
> > was doing something colossally stupid, like sneaking into 
> > Hogsmeade when there was a mass murderer out for his blood.  
> > Snape, with good reason (especially after reading some of 
> > Sirius's "advice"), was trying to turn Harry away from emulating 
> > his father.  Snape chose a piss-poor way of going about it, I 
> > grant.  But again, I see a reason for his behavior.  Enjoyment 
> > of Harry's suffering wasn't it, IMO.

> Alla: 
> How does Snape try to stop Harry from emulating his father? By 
> insulting him? Then he  has no understanding of  human psychology, 
> period, IMO.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
This post got me thinking, Alla.  Because you're right.  For Snape 
to attack James in such a fashion is an incredibly foolish way for 
him to try and stop Harry from following James's lead.  So why does 
he do it?  I went pouring through the first three books and I 
realised something.  The very first time Snape ever brings up James 
is in PoA when Harry's head is spotted in Hogsmeade, when (as Snape 
helpfully reminds us) no part of Harry's body has permission to be 
in Hogsmeade. (PoA hardback p.283)

As far as Harry is concerned sneaking out to Hogsmeade is a lark.  
The fact that he doesn't have permission is the result of unfair 
rules and a paranoia over his safety.  But for the adults around 
him, his sneaking off school grounds is an entirely different 
matter.  They realize that a mass murder, powerful enough to escape 
from Azkaban, and with the sole goal of seeing Harry dead, is out 
there somewhere.  In fact, Sirius has already broken into Hogwarts 
twice, once all the way into Harry's bedchamber (ibid p.161 & 
p.266).  The situation is dire.

For Snape is must seem especially bad because he honestly thinks 
Lupin is helping Sirius.  I do think Snape is fairly perceptive when 
he wants to be, and I'm sure he sensed some of Lupin's guilt.  (And 
Lupin *was* feeling guilty.  He knew how Sirius was going about 
undetected and yet he told no one [ibid p.356).)  Plus, Harry was 
spending an awful lot of free time with Lupin.  Snape must have 
worried about Harry and Lupin being alone together.

Snape had also just caught Harry hanging around the one-eyed witch 
(ibid p.277) and while he doesn't seem to know how the witch works, 
he certainly seems to suspect *something* about it.  I think it's 
not too out of bounds to suppose that he'd followed the Marauders a 
time or two to that hallway, only to have them disappear on him.

So Snape catches Harry acting in an incredibly stupid fashion, 
following a path taken by his father before him.  Harry is saying 
nothing.  Actually, Harry is thinking (correctly I think) 
that, "Snape was trying to provoke him into telling the truth." 
(ibid p. 284)  But nothing is working, so Snape brings up James in 
the most insulting manner possible.  Why?

Now that we know a bit about legilmency and occulmency the answer 
seems somewhat obvious, IMO.  Snape is trying to jolt Harry into 
thinking about his father, possibly in connection with Lupin.  Just 
as he prompted Harry to think about his potions textbook in HBP, 
Snape is trying to prompt Harry into thinking about instructions 
given to him by Lupin.  Of course, Lupin had nothing to do with 
Harry sneaking into Hogsmeade so Snape doesn't find what he's 
looking for.  (Though he does zero in on the Map quite quickly, so 
his detective work isn't *completely* in vain.)

It wasn't nice for Snape to talk about James in such a manner to 
Harry.  And it certainly wasn't a good way to turn Harry's 
affections away from James.  But it was a good way for a legilmentor 
to draw specific thoughts to the surface.  And, if Snape's 
suspicions had been true, it was a good way to protect Harry from an 
evil influence.

> >>Alla:
> Oh, and here of course we have that little unpleasant fact that 
> Snape is complicit in James death, so insulting him in front of    
> the child whom Snape helped to become an orphan in retrospect is   
> not just sadistic , it is to me despicable to the extreme AND     
> makes me doubt that Snape has any remorse about delivering        
> prophecy to Voldemort.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
You're right, of course.  It was very bad form for Snape to speak of 
James at all, especially in such a manner.  However, I think the 
*motive* for Snape's behavior was good.  I think Snape was genuinely 
trying to keep Harry safe.  And keeping his son safe actually 
*honors* James, and shows a genuine remorse, I think.

Betsy Hp