[HPforGrownups] Lily, Hagrid, Snape, Lucius, Friends (was Re: good/bad Slyth/Disappointment

[IreneMikhlin]

No: HPFGUIDX 175408

Lanval wrote:


> Yes, half-crazed Sirius broke into the dorm and brandished a knife 
> at Scabbers. He probably did not care about whether he was 
> frightening Ron, but I also don't think his plan included Ron waking 
> up.

It's kind of hard to kill a rat sleeping in someone's bed without waking 
that person up. :-) And what if the rat started to ran around the bed, 
would he still care about Ron getting injured?


>> Irene:
>>
>> Snape's list is quite short as well: Sirius, Remus, Harry and 
> Neville. :-)
> 
> Lanval:
> My point precisely. It includes two children, both of whom were 
> eleven when it began.

OK, time for a confession. We all bring our own experiences and 
projections to the books anyway, and I'm very conscious about mine. I 
had some mean teachers, of any shape and form - from just generally 
strict and sarcastic, to really unfair and cruel, one of which was 
targeting me personally. None of them has left even a scratch on my 
self-confidence. And I also had some bullying classmates, who had 
brought me into a deep depression and to a point of seriously 
contemplating suicide. So, whatever Rowling writes, or whatever we say 
to each other in thousands of posts, *for me* James and Sirius, the 
golden bullies, will be much worse figures than Snape, the terror of the 
dungeons. You mileage may vary and I'm perfectly OK with that.


> 
> 
>> Lanval:
>>
>> Snape? Dislikes/despises the entire world, with the exception of 
>> perhaps DD and the Malfoys.
>>
>> Irene:
>>
>> He is very good in hiding it then. In the end of HBP, he could 
> have justifiably left a long trail of bodies behind: Flitwick, 
> Hermione, Luna. He seems very determined not to harm them. In DH, 
> not even Stupefy for McGonagall? Why, that's chivalrous.

> Lanval:
> See above. Quite a few characters owe their life or limbs to Snape 
> (especially during the time of DH), but I think that was for very 
> different reasons than kindness (he either felt compelled to do good 
> out of conviction, or because he gave DD his word that he would 
> protect the school and the students, or both). And he probably 
> *still* heartily disliked all of the above, after he spared/saved 
> them. :)

I don't know, it's probably some deep difference in the attitude to 
life, universe and everything. :-) I remember having this argument 
before - people saying that Lupin putting lives in danger does not 
matter that much, because he is kind, likes Harry and speaks softly, 
while Snape deeds are not enough to redeem him, 'cause he is mean.
For me deeds just matter more than words, and having the "right" 
motivation for the deeds matters even less.

Remember what Aberforth said about Dumbledore? Something to the tune of 
how many people Albus cared about ended up dead? Well, it's opposite 
with Snape - if so many people he allegedly hated and despised ended up 
owing his life to him, he can't be all that bad?

He even saves Lupin, whom he has every reason to hate. Even after 
Dumbledore tells him he should be very convincing in that raid. And 
coming from Dumbledore it probably equals to "Severus, I won't hold it 
against you if you kill a read-shirt or two". I'm not a great fan of AD 
after book 7, if you couldn't tell. :-)

Irene