Glittering eyes (Was: Sadistic Teachers)

[lagattalucianese]

No: HPFGUIDX 148300

> 
> Carol responds: While I agree that your definition of "sadism" is
> likely to be the one that JKR has in mind (this is, after all, a
> children's series), I don't think we can safely take "glittering 
eyes"
> as an indication of sadistic pleasure. In fact, the description is
> used (along with paleness) at least twice (once for Harry and once 
for
> Snape) to indicate something like a fierce determination to overcome
> fear or to go into danger.
> 
La Gatta Lucianese:

Sometimes glittering eyes can be caused by sheer exasperation. The 
episode with Trevor, I think, is Snape very close to losing it. (This 
is after Neville has caused how many disasters and near disasters in 
his class?) Neville's chronic incompetence has the same effect on him 
that Harry's cheekiness does. They are both in their different ways 
goof-offs from Snape's point of view, and Snape does not suffer goof-
offs gladly, especially in his beloved Potions class. Admittedly, the 
man is easily irritated (witness his periodic blow-ups at Hermione), 
but let's face it, Harry and Neville are extremely irritating, whether 
or not intentionally. It is not in Snape's nature to stop and ask 
himself *why* Neville keeps messing up. He simply sees a kid who 
repeatedly creates mayhem because he can't seem to follow a series of 
straightforward instructions, and forms his own conclusions.