First potions lesson

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 145824

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Irene Mikhlin 
<irene_mikhlin at b...> wrote:

Irene:
> People make it sound as if Snape singled out Harry for
> attacking him with Imperio five times in the row.
> Rabid dog indeed.
> 
> He just asked him several questions, which were
> covered in the textbook. Was it so horribly unfair to
> expect Harry to know the anwers?
> "But he lives with Muggles!", you say. So what, so
> does Hermione, yet she've read the book and knows the
> answers.
> "But it's unfair to use Hermione as a yardstick!", you
> say.
> Why? Because she is clever and enthusiastic about her
> studies? That's the very definition of
> Oustanding-level student, then. Oh, wait, that's the
> only kind of a student Snape wants in his classes,
> it's just he can't be selective before Year 6.
> 
> I read this scene as Snape trying to make two points:
> 1. I have very high standards here, come to the
> lessons prepared or suffer.
> 2. No special treatment for celebrities.

Geoff:
I'm afraid I don't read it in this way. This is no way to treat a 
class - or especially a single pupil - on their first encounter.

Hermione is not a suitable yardstick. Even the other pupils consider 
her to be a swot - a know-it-all. Even so, she has her hand up to 
answer the questions and is completely cold-shouldered by Snape who 
concentrates on demolishing any shred of confidence Harry might have 
in a new and unsettling environment.

He then continues to "have a go" at Neville and subsequently blames 
Harry for Neville's mishap. This will never inspire any confidence in 
Harry or any of the other pupils who happen to get in the way of his 
tongue.

I had a Woodwork master just like this when I first went to Grammar 
school at the age of 11. I have been a dead loss at the subject ever 
since because I became too scared to attempt to do even the simplest 
activity with a woodworking tool.....