[HPforGrownups] Re: Nice vs. Good, honesty, and Snape: Was Snape, Apologies, and Redemption

[IreneMikhlin]

No: HPFGUIDX 153270

lupinlore wrote:

> 
> DID he take the first tack?  I would say DD actually came down 
> somewhere between your first and second examples, largely by using 
> the Harry/Draco relationship as an illustration.

But the thing is, the whole Harry/Draco parallel is misleading. Even if 
we accept that there was more to Snape/James&Co dynamics than popular 
bullies vs. asocial victim, then the only "noble" explanation I've seen 
offered is Snape's political views. But it's impossible for a half-blood 
boy to cross two pure-bloods from prominent families on this basis.
I wonder whether it was JKR being careless, or Dumbledore being 
intentionally misleading, or just blind, or all of the above.

Unless she is going to repeat the trick with Tom and Merope, and make 
the parallel with James==Draco.


> 
> Now, I grant you that doing so did nothing whatsoever to help with 
> the Harry/Snape problem.  One way of helping with that, in this 
> particular conversation, would have been for DD to say to 
> Harry "Look, Professor Snape really isn't the monster you think, 
> look how he worked so hard to help you," (which would have only 
> worked in the long term if DD had followed this be telling Snape 
> very firmly to KNOCK IT OFF).
> 
> But, for whatever reason, DD did not make that attempt that we know 
> of.  Instead, he basically told Harry "Professor Snape saved your 
> life, but you needn't bother being grateful -- he only did it 
> because he hated your father and wanted out from under the debt."  
> 
> Strange, strange Dumbledore.  Or perhaps WalkingPlotDevice!
> Dumbledore is more to the point.  This seems to be yet another point 
> where Dumbledore shows up as mind-numbingly incompetent because it 
> suits the needs of the plot for him to act in stupid ways.


I hope the elves don't kick me for it, because it's so much more than 
"me too". It's something worth recording - I've agreed with your every 
word, and on a Snape related topic, no less! :-)

Irene