On lying and cheating

[colebiancardi]

No: HPFGUIDX 165248

"eggplant107" wrote:
>
<snip>
> 
> Well OK, Harry did lie to Snape about the book, but Snape is the enemy
> and you should never EVER tell the truth to the enemy as they may be
> able to turn it to their advantage. Better to confuse the bastards
> with garbage information. If I were Harry I would have absolutely no
> moral qualms in lying to Snape about anything and everything,
> absolutely positively no guilt at all. In fact it might be fun. I'm
> sure Harry feels the SOB doesn't deserve the truth. Besides, being a
> convincing liar is a useful skill to have, but Harry isn't very good
> at it, he needs practice. Who better to practice on than Snape?
<more snipping>

colebiancardi:
well,  at this point in the book, Snape is not the enemy (and in my
opinion, never is the enemy) - he is trusted by Dumbledore.  So, that
is not the reason why Harry lied to him.  Harry lied because he knew
that Snape would take the book away and Harry didn't want that.  Harry
knew that his use of the book, even though there may not be any
*written* rules on it, was on the line of dishonesty.  If it wasn't,
why hide the book?  Why be afraid that Snape would take it away?  

Snape's comments to Harry about being a liar & cheat were, IMHO,
personal.  Snape knew that Harry had the book and the book was Snape's
as a teen.  He knew that Harry was using his notes to gain the new
title of a Potions natural & genuis.  That is why Snape called him
that - he knew about the book, he knew the real author of the notes
and he knew that Harry was trying to pass them off as his own.  

colebiancardi