OoP clues?

[Brett]

No: HPFGUIDX 158046

> Abergoat wrote:
> <snip>Snape is the odds-on favorite.<snip>

Argus Pyrites adds:
    I know that many people have taken that particular quote and run 
long with it. I haven't been convinced  - yet, I'm still pondering 
this one. While I am of the 'Snape is good, he is a mole' school of 
thought; this particular quote, for me, need not tie in to that 
plotline. It very easily 'could' be one of Mrs. Rowlings sleight of 
hands, meaning to cover up that "awful boy" was Snape -- or it could 
be that it was meant to be taken at face value, and James was meant, 
and we are all just jumping at shadows. (Remember mark Evans?)

> Abergoat said: 
> Which brings us back to the Dog Lady at St. Mungo's....<snip>

Argus Pyrites adds:
See, now that is exactly why I've come to the HP4GU group. Fresh 
Ideas! New angles! Now, let me tell you why I think the turquoise 
Ford Anglia is a horcrux....

An unresolved plot point for me from OotP, perhaps a clue(?), has to 
do with Snape and the Occlumency lessons. IF Snape is Good, and 
Dumbledore has sacrificed all to be able to place him in a position 
to help Harry, then why wouldn't Snape try harder to help Harry 
learn this skill? In the book, as it occured, it made sense, but 
when one looks back on it, in particular remembering Snapes cries 
of "Blocked, again & Again, etc." from HBP; I've never understood 
why Snape didn't make it a top priority to force Harry to learn this 
skill that he seems to need so desperately. Why would Snape, who is 
perhaps committed to helping Harry at a Life or Death level; not 
find a way to break through the BS and get Harry to sit down shut 
up, and learn.

Since I am of the "Snape is good, and going to be rather important 
to the plot of the book-that-is-yet-to-be-named" camp; this failure 
to help Harry with this has always bothered me. My thoughts have 
always been - it happened because Mrs. Rowling was focused on the 
short term goals of the current book at that point, at the expense 
of logical consistency in the overall plot (an understandable and 
forgiveable offense, in my opinion.

But, does anyone else have any better thoughts or actual theories on 
this? [or is there an old thread to point me too? =)]