The Powerful Slytherin (Re: Snape/Harry coincidence?)

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 140706


houyhnhnm:

> > "There's no need to call me 'sir', Professor."

Betsy Hp:

> Hmmm.  I actually saw this as a remnant of Harry's childishness.  
> Snape is trying to teach him to do non-verbal spells, the difference 
> between an adult wizard and a child, and Harry, rather than trying 
> to learn, acts like an adolescent.

houyhnhnm:

Prior to Harry's remark there is a lot of familiar language leading
the reader to expect the same old same old.  Snape speaks "curtly",
"dismissively".  His gaze lingers on Harry "maliciously". Harry
reflects "bitterly". He maintains a silent snarky running commentary
on everything Snape says.  Snape looks "just as much like an overgrown
bat as ever".  Harry waits "on tenterhooks". He replies "stiffly".

Then out of the blue "The words escaped him before he knew what he was
saying ... 'There's no need to call me 'sir', Professor.'"  

It still strikes me that a code shift has taken place.  Maybe Harry's
words cannot be considered fully mature, but it seems to me they do
represent an advance over the childish defensive stew he was in just
moments before.  It is certainly a more *Snape-like* response.  It
doesn't lead to any improvement between them, unfortunately.  As Jen
said, the eavesdropper reveal (and the events on the tower) put the
kibosh on any progress Harry could have been making toward a better
relationship with HBP/Snape.  (And I agree that the language used in
Snape's response to Harry in the classroom that day is probably due to
a change in Harry's point of view rather than a change in Snape's
behavior.)