[HPforGrownups] Re: OoP clues?

[Kathryn Jones]

No: HPFGUIDX 158050

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> Argus Pyrites adds:
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> 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? =)]

   KJ writes:

     My theory on this is that neither Dumbledore nor Snape were good 
candidates to teach Harry Occlumency.  Every time Harry looked DD in the 
eye during OotP, he wanted to attack and bite him. Not good for 
effective teaching.  Snape on the other hand knew that Harry was an open 
conduit for Voldemort.  Snape is trying to convince Voldie that he is a 
loyal DE, and perhaps, being seen teaching Harry Occlumency would be a 
very dangerous thing for Voldemort to observe through Harry's eyes. It 
would be even worse if Voldemort could see Snape successfully teaching 
Occlumency. If Snape had a brain in his head, he would try to appear as 
incompetant as possible. Snape showed obvious discomfort when he 
discovered how far into Harry's mind Voldemort could reach.

    This whole Occlumency thing was so poorly done, I'm beginning to 
believe that it was a trap set for Voldemort which worked until it got 
out of control. No one thought that Harry had any way of getting to the 
MoM.  JMO

KJ