First potions lesson

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 145855

Irene wrote:
> People make it sound as if Snape singled out Harry for
> attacking him 

Valky:
LOL This is exactly what Snape did do. I don't see how saying he
didn't is defensible in the least.


Irene:
> with Imperio five times in the row.
> Rabid dog indeed.

Valky:
:) It's fair to say that Snape didn't go hell for leather with
physical attacks (unforgivables and the like) but I think if we really
look at the bread and butter - bread being attack; butter being verbal
- of the scenario Snape does get into it pretty rabidly. 

 
> Irene:
> He just asked him several questions, which were
> covered in the textbook. Was it so horribly unfair to
> expect Harry to know the anwers?

Valky:
Hmmm, wasit horribly unfair to expect a ten years oppressed, neglected
and battered boy deserves to be singled out, dressed down, and
verbally abused and should in response be able to demonstrate a
working knowledge of the world that was denied to him all his life?
What was horribly unfair was Snape's rude self serving assumptions
about who he was dealing with with Harry. Snape had no idea and didn't
care to know that Harry wasn't a pompous concieted celebrity coasting
easy street into glory, and the assumption that he was, well, it was
unfair and uncalled for, especially if he was, as you are saying,
Irene, *just* asking several questions.

Oh and on another note, is asking *several* questions of one singled
out student in an introductory class anything less than a personal
affront? really?


 
Irene:
> "But he lives with Muggles!", you say.

Valky:
That have oppressed him and neglected him and denied him his heritage
for ten years, I say actually. ;) He lived with Muggles who were so
rigidly opposed to anything with the connotation of magic that Harry
wouldn't even know the name Houdini, let alone specific details of
potion making, as long as they had anything to do with it.



> So what, so
> does Hermione, yet she've read the book and knows the
> answers.

Valky:
Hermione was *allowed* to read the books, Hermione was *allowed* to
know they exist. Harry, Not. However you look at it whether Snape knew
it or not, he was being horribly unfair.


> "But it's unfair to use Hermione as a yardstick!", you
> say.
> Why? Because she is clever and enthusiastic about her
> studies? 

Valky:
No, because Harry had probably only the best part of a very confusing
month of his life to learn these things, whereas Hermione clearly
describes that she has been reading about magic for a long time.
Furthermore it was Harry who Snape was holding to malicious scrutiny
during his first ever experience in the WW, lets take that into
account shall we, Snape didn't knock the breath out of Hermione before
he asked the questions it was Harry he did that to.



> 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.

Valky:
Clearly the message was "If you are famous, come ready to prove you
deserve it or suffer."

> 2. No special treatment for celebrities.

Valky:
LOL. See point one.