First potions lesson/Harry getting special treatment

[h2so3f]

No: HPFGUIDX 145928

Magpie  wrote: 
"I think the main point here that's getting lost here is that 
regardless of whether Harry could have done this, the point was that 
he wouldn't. I really don't think Snape was hoping Harry would have 
the answer or was at all disappointed that he didn't. I think he 
probably would have hated Harry all the more if Harry had answered 
like Hermione."

CH3ed:
I think Alla and Magpie are right on this one. Sure, Hermione showed 
that it was possible for 11 yrs old newcomer to the WW could have 
learned everything in the textbooks (intended to be learned over the 
whole year) by the first lesson, but it is unrealistic to expect 
that to happen. It is the difference between possibility and 
plausibility. I think Magpie has it right that Snape actually 
expected Harry to not know the answers. That class was the first 
time Harry and Snape were face to face, but we've noticed from 
Harry' eye that ever since Snape first laid eye on Harry at Hogwarts 
at the Great Hall he looked at Harry with utter hatred(that Harry 
didn't know the cause of).


Magpie wrote: <snip>
" Harry is very aware of the difficulties of his fame. He draws 
attention to them a lot. Otherwise he claims to be completely 
ordinary, but I think that like many movie stars who claim the same 
thing, he lacks perspective there."

CH3ed:
You're probably right there, but I'd say Harry's perspective is 
remarkably well developed considering his fame. He doesn't take a 
lot for granted (he was even surprised when Fudge wouldn't punish 
him for blowing up his aunt in PoA). It also seems to me 
Harry's "special treatments" aren't always of the favorable kind. 
Snape treats him specially bad... so did Umbridge.. and Fudge during 
OotP. His fellow students seem prone to over-react with Harry's 
ordeal. They're either cheering him with admiration or teasing or 
shunning him after any rumor of his 'bad behaviors.' Harry was even 
ashame of wishing his absence would be noticed as he laid injured 
and immobile on the train. 

Betsy HP wrote: <SNIP>
"Dumbledore didn't just reward Gryffindor, he punished Slytherin. It 
was an odd choice, and it never sat well with me. (Personally, I 
think he's trying to make up for the Norbert incident, and it does 
win Harry back into Gryffindor's good graces, but at what cost?)"
 Alla wrote: <SNIP>
"Again, he awarded well deserved points. It may not have sit well 
with Slytherin pride, but the point was made Gryffindor gets special 
tretment here. To me special means undeserved, unless you argue that 
Trio did not deserve those points, I don't see any special treatment 
here. As to why awarding during the Feast. well, why not? They 
behaved like Heroes and IMO School should honor their heroes."


CH3ed:
I think the last minute change in House Cup scoring by DD in PS/SS 
actually made Neville the hero. The trio's points just brought 
Gryffindor up to a tie with Slytherin. But it was Neville's 10 
points that won the cup. It may not have seem fair to the Slytherins 
but I do think the Trio's points were well deserved. They risked 
their lives and twarted the return of the most evil wizard of the 
age (a task their own teachers failed to do or anticipated (except 
maybe for DD)). And I'm glad DD recognized Neville's action(or good 
intention). DD could have given just enough points to cause a tie 
between Slytherin and Gryffindor, of course, but then that would 
seem to equate the significance of the defeat of LV with what a 
school house can normally do. ay?  


CH3ed  :O)