OFH! Snape again. WAS: Straightforward readings?

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 140885

zgirnius:

> It's not the accusation of cowardice per se that gets to him. I'm not 
> the first to point out that Harry has already made that accusation 
> earlier in their exchange, and just got an insult about his father 
> thrown back at him. The difference, to me, is that the second 
> instance occurs when Harry is defenseless, and says "Kill me like you 
> killed him, you coward-" which to me, and I believe to Snape, evokes 
> the killing of Dumbledore (who was also defenseless). 

houyhnhnm:

Snape knew nothing of Harry's encounter with Trelawney.  It's unlikely
he would have thought of James Potter when Harry said, "...like you
killed *him*."  Especially since he didn't, in fact, kill James.  On
the other hand, he had just been standing over a prone figure,
wandless and defenceless.