Nice vs. Good - Compassion

[lanval1015]

No: HPFGUIDX 153119

> >Pippin:
> We have different definitions. My dictionary says compassion  is a 
*deep* 
> awareness of others' suffering, coupled with the desire to  
relieve it. It 
> does
> not take a deep awareness of suffering to notice when  someone is 
> dissolving in tears, under the cruciatus curse, kidnapped by a  
bloodthirsty
> monster,bleeding to death from multiple wounds or lying in a  
dementor-
> induced coma. 
 
Lanval: 
I agree, completely. And in a case like Draco bleeding to death, 
Snape's healing is hardly compassionate. Refusing aid to a 
critically injured or endangered person is not unkind, nor does it 
show a lack of compassion, it's a CRIME.



> Nikkalmati:
>  
> So a major act of compassion doesn't count because it is too 
easy?   Little 
> acts of compassion are more important?  I'm sure you have head 
the  saying 
> "handsome is as handsome does."  In my view it applies to  Snape.  
He has to be 
> judged by his actions, not what he says.  I think  we are 
discussing here in 
> another guise polite or kind vs. good.   Snape does not care for 
weakness or 
> whining (as he would see it), but he  recognizes real need and 
responds 
> appropriately.  IMO this meets  the definition of a deep awareness 
of others suffering 
> and a desire to relieve  it.

Lanval:
Yes, he was really eager to fix Hermione's teeth.... What a whiner 
she is, too. Can't even take a friendly joke, that girl.


> Nikkalmati:
> I don't see the kindness as conjuring a stretcher for Sirius, but 
as having  
> brought him back to the castle at all.  He could have left him 
there or  
> called the dementors back.  Neither of these choices is consistent 
with  Snape's 
> character IMO,   At this point Sirius is an escaped murderer  to 
DD and to 
> everyone else who was not aware of the events in the Shack,  
including Snape. He is 
> unaware of the alternate version of the events after  Godric 
Hollow and he 
> probably blames Sirius for the deaths of James and Lily as  well 
as the 12 
> Muggles and a deadly threat to Harry. 

Lanval:
Snape HATED James. And don't you think it would be a bit rich for 
Snape to blame Sirius for the Potter's death, when it was Snape 
himself (surely he can't have forgotten?) who took the prophesy to 
Voldemort?? 

Voldemort killed the Potters. NOT Sirius. NOT Snape. But if Snape 
wants to blame Sirius, he has to blame himself, too. 

Btw, how do you (and others who believe that Snape lives by the code 
of Must-Keep-Harry-Safe) deal with the fact that both in CoS and PoA 
he tries to have Harry expelled? How's that for the future of the 
WW, to kick the Chosen One out into the world without a magical 
education?


 In fact, Snape would  have been totally 
> within the law to have killed Sirius on sight. 

Lanval:
Where does it say that? I found my copy again and have been 
looking through it, yet I haven't been able to find where Open 
Season is declared on Sirius. People are warned, and are told to 
keep an eye open and remain calm, and inform the Ministry if they 
spot him.

Where does it say that any Wizard or Witch has the right to cast an 
Unforgivable Curse? To kill Sirius on sight, even if he is unarmed 
and cornered, or prepared to come quietly (as he was in the Shack)? 

Nikkalmati:
Some  listees may say he did not 
> kill him because he wanted to call on the dementors  to suck his 
soul.  Well, 
> he didn't do it when he found him lying  unconscious by the lake.  
I think he 
> threatened Sirius in the shack to  twist his chain a bit and to 
gain control of 
> the situation.  
> 
Lanval:
Certainly. I don't think he meant to take Sirius and Lupin straight 
to the dementors. He needed to do it legally.  And he knew that once 
he brought him back to the castle to hand him over to Fudge, the 
dementors would be called.

Scholastic Hb Ed, p.416:

"'...only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties,' Snape 
was saying. 'The Kiss will be performed immediately?'"

Nice.