The Isolated Headmaster: Implications for Snape and Harry

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 163631

> Alla:
> 
> So, does Dumbledore know everything or does he not? I mean, how long 
> could he plan the betrayal if he did? Since Harry come to school?

Pippin:
How long was Dumbledore planning to use Snape as a double agent?
Probably since GH.  So when would he start planning Snape's exit
strategy? At once.  Snape couldn't keep up his double agent dance
indefinitely. Sooner or later his bridges would be burnt. 

If Snape appeared to abandon an active Voldemort, then he would 
be out of the fight, so the only way to keep Snape in it would be 
to have him appear to abandon Dumbledore. 

Alla:
> I mean, even if DD indeed planned that betrayal for the years 
> before, would it still made more sense to make sure Harry and Snape 
> does not hate each other, but then for Harry to be just as shocked 
> as everybody else did?
> 
> That would made his education from Snape more um...
 educational IMO.
>


Pippin:
Um, where does this idea that Dumbledore can resolve hatred come
from? Is there anybody in the Potterverse with that power? 
Harry might have it, but he hasn't learned to use it yet.

How can Dumbledore make sure Snape and Harry do not hate one 
another? Tell them to shake hands and be friends? That didn't 
exactly work with Snape and Sirius.


Why shouldn't Harry hate the way Snape treats him? And why
shouldn't Snape hate the way Harry reminds him of James? 
Would it be better for Snape to be forced to hide his feelings?
Maybe, if he could do so completely, but we know he can't.
Being forced to pretend he doesn't hate  would  only
make things worse in the end, especially given Voldemort's
gift for exploiting enmity and discord.


As it is, perhaps Harry's potions grades suffered. But he has
the rest of his life to learn potions. Getting the ministry to 
bend its rules about who gets to be an auror will be a lot easier
than bending the rules to bring a dead Harry back to life. 

Snape was just more important to Harry, to Hogwarts, and to
the Order, than Harry's potions grade. That's not a quesiton
of Dumbledore having too many hats, that's a question of 
realizing there are more important things in life, even for
teachers,  than grades or being successful in every class.

Pippin