Snape and Umbridge and abuse again/ Ending for Snape

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 162962


> Alla:
> 
> Yes, it was brought up in the discussion that Neri's post started, 
> are you sure JKR did as thorough research and knows that too?

Pippin:
Thorough research?

 "The horned toad is not a toad" is one of those 'fun facts' about
the English language that us Hermione types absorb as children:
(eg, "grey horses are white","a starfish is not a fish") and I have 
known it for fifty years. It's possible, of course that JKR didn't know 
this, even though she does identify with Hermione, but I think
it's fairly common knowledge among native speakers.

Maybe we should take a poll?

> Pippin:
> > There's no doubt that Snape abuses his power and is a bully, 
> > but that is not quite the same thing as abusing students, 
> > which has to do with  repeated episodes of damaging
> > behavior, ala Umbridge. I cannot see that Neville, Harry or 
> > any other student was ever harmed in Snape's class.
> 
> Alla:
> 
> I am not going to go into all episodes that I consider harm done, I 
> am not going to go into Harry being afraid to go to his first 
> Occlumency lesson, which is IMO a perfect example of him indeed 
> developing scare of Snape to some degree, I will just stick with 
> lizards - toads. Are you sure ( that is if we assume) that JKR chose 
> those creatures thinking that they are toads that it did not cause 
> Neville any harm?

Pippin:
Where is the harm? Hermione cleaned off Neville's hands, and after
that he seemed none the worse for it. So if JKR did mean it to be
toads, then Neville is tougher than you think. Besides, if toads *are*
potion ingredients then he has got to learn to deal with that.
If somebody needs a toad based antidote, what will future potioneer
Neville do about it? 

Proof of fear is not proof of harm, or  Hermione has been harmed by 
McGonagall, and Molly's been harmed by dead!Ron. 

> Alla:
> 
> I seem to recall that he did not manage to stop people from 
> murdering each other either, so as far as I am concerned he may have 
> tried paying some attention to abuse.

Pippin:
That's pretty fatalistic. People are going to die anyway, so they'd
better get on with it? Well, I guess it goes with the season <g>
"If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the 
surplus population." - Ebeneezer Scrooge


Pippin