Snape teaching Harry Occlumency

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 167138

Tandra:

> Ok so as I read book 5 again this strikes me as odd and 
> makes me raise an eyebrow at Snap yet again. Is it a 
> coincidence that Snape was "teaching" him this subject 
> and Harry just seemed to become more receptive to the 
> dreams and visions?

houyhnhnm:

Back in his office after the MoM battle, Dumbledore says to Harry:

***
"I have already said that it was a mistake for me not 
to teach you myself, though I was sure, at the time, 
that nothing could have been more dangerous than *to 
open your mind even further to Voldemort* while in my 
presence--" [emphasis added]
***

Clearly Dumbledore expected Harry to become more 
receptive to Voldemort while he was learning Occlumency, 
even if he had taught Harry himself.  It sounds to me 
that anyone learning Occlumency would experience the 
side effect of becoming temporarily more vulnerable 
to Legilimancy as they were learning to resist it.