Harry's Characterization/ Snape teaching Harry or taunting him

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 163505

Alla:
> Right, as I was just telling you even though I truly believe that 
the possibility that Snape was taunting Harry that he is uncapable of 
using unforgivables is there, I can totally see that Snape believes 
that this is the way to get rid of LV ( closing his mind, shutting 
emotions, whatever) if he is DD!M of course.

Ceridwen:
I think Snape is written to be seen as smart.  He's been shown to be 
detailed on his essay questions on the O.W.L.s, he's been shown to 
have made improvements in his Potions book and to have invented his 
own spells.  But smart doesn't mean he knows everything.  I can so 
completely see him actually believing that, in beating LV, his way is 
the only way.  This could be foreshadowed by Harry's disagreement 
with his way of dealing with Dementors.

Alla:
> What I do not buy **at all** that this is an advise Harry has to 
follow, that this is wise advise, that unless Harry does as Snape 
says, he is **doomed**.

Ceridwen:
Right.  I think that's what this thread has evolved into.  From 
Harry's point of view and that of others, Snape's advice may come 
across as the only way to do it, from a rational standpoint.  How do 
you beat a powerful opponent?  Become more powerful.

Alla:
> I have a feeling that given all that we see - Harry's powers as 
emotionally based IMO, hints at Love as power, etc, Harry will have 
to do the exact opposite of what Snape says and of course that would 
lead to Snape dearest being surprised and boy, am I looking forward 
to that scene, if it is to come :))

Ceridwen:
Yes, everything we've been told by Dumbledore goes against what 
someone might logically think is the way to do it.  So part of the 
fight in DH will be to go against logic.  It's counter-intuitive.  
Steve, I think, or maybe it was Ken, had an example of fighting 
soldiers with either a gun or with candy and flowers.  I think candy 
and flowers might have been just a little off.  The analogy that 
would make more sense, *to me*, would be a choice between a gun and a 
good meal.  The soldiers chasing you might be hungry and out of 
rations.  The meal, to them, would be more effective.

Snape created the logic problem in PS/SS.  But Dumbledore's challenge 
was to just have the stone come to whoever wanted it without wanting 
to use it.  Their approaches are very different in those protections, 
and they're different in the way they see as the right one to fight 
LV.  They both work, but Hermione was the one to crack Snape's 
puzzle; Harry was the one to retrieve the stone.

Ceridwen.