Abuse, etc., was Snape, Apologies, and and Redemption--Lupin vs. DD

[mandorino222]

No: HPFGUIDX 152608

Pippin:

Draco's success, despite having a teacher who is far more sadistic 
than Snape, shows us what JKR had already told us herself:the reason 
for Harry's failure to learn occlumency was that he's just not 
equipped for it. Snape might as well have tried to teach a giraffe to 
sing.
The antipathy between Snape and Harry made each think the other was
not trying, but they were both wrong.

Nick:

I think this has something to do with Harry's Gryffindorish nature.  
Rowling has already said that the four houses are stalking horses for 
the four elements of the Greek Esoteric tradition: Fire, Air, Earth, 
and Water (you figure it out).  Water's main characteristic is 
secrecy, thus making Syltherins (Draco, Bellatrix, Snape, Voldemort) 
good at Occulmency.  Fire's main characteristic is hot-headedness, 
making Gryffindors (Harry) bad at it.  The same hot headedness is 
probably what makes him so good at throwing off the Imperius curse.  

However, I think Rowling leaves the door open.  Snape does call 
Bellatrix "Aunt Bellatrix", indicating a much more secure and friendly 
learning environment (despite Bella's somewhat violent tendencies) 
than Harry had with Snape.  Potentially a new teacher could yield 
better results, even one not as good at occulmency as Snape.  In fact, 
teachers that are good at their subjects often make terrible teachers 
because so much of the subject is intuitive that they have a difficult 
time explaining it to minds less attuned.