Nasty, nasty teacherses.

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 162970

Alla:
>How can it not be? Um, easy, IMO. :) We do not see anybody else's 
>lessons of Occlumency, no? That is why it of corse can be perfectly 
>normal reaction to the lessons, or it can be indeed Snape opening 
>Harry's mind to Voldemort. 
>
>Is there anything in the text to contradict that?

Bart (in agreement): 
There apparently were only two people who could have taught Occlumancy (mency? I don't have the books handy) to Harry; Sevvy and Alby. And it was clear that "Split Soul" Riddle would have loved to use that connection as a weapon against his old Transfiguration prof, so it was up to the not-so-good Professor Snape to teach the lessons. Dumbledore DID underestimate the animosity between the two, however, not to mention the fact that Harry didn't WANT to learn it. He has to be the hero, bursting in and saving the day for everybody, rather than playing the Slytherin and laying low, carefully preparing until the right opportunity. 

Has anybody else noticed the similarity and the contrast between Professor Snape and ex-headmaster Black? They are both nasty, mean, and sarcastic, but, when Phineas speaks to Harry, Harry GETS it. Too bad Phineas wasn't the teacher and Snape wasn't the portrait...

Bart