Why did Snape remove *that* memory? Was:Taking memories out of your head?

[anne_t_squires]

No: HPFGUIDX 164137


> 
> 
> Cyril here:
> 
> In general I agree with the gist of Carol's post on the aspect of 
> the secondary memories being the cause for someone to remember that 
> he had a memory, which needs to be reinserted into their minds.
> 
> The one aspect that I have a concern with is why would Snape place 
> that memory into the Pensieve (or three memories, using Carol's 
> examples above), readymade for Harry to look at. He could easily 
> have extracted the memories and placed them into vials or containers 
> similar to what Slughorn did in HBP, and how DD actually stored 
> memories of those he had tracked down. Why would Snape even need a 
> Pensieve if he just wanted to store the memories, and not to look at 
> them for some information or clues.
> 
> Looks like Snape had that (and maybe) other memories in the Pensieve 
> because he was looking for something. I see no other reason for him 
> to borrow DD's Pensieve.
> 
> Cyril, going to reread that chapter looking for reasons why Snape 
> would want to be reviewing that particular memory (though none come 
> in mind offhand)
>


Anne Squires now:

I believe the entire episode was a set up.  

I think that Snape's worst memories are, indeed, stored in vials or
containers.  Either that or he knows that his worst/most incriminating
memories are so well protected by his skills at Occlumency that there
is absolutely no way that Harry will ever discover them, Protego spell
or not.  I think the memories that Harry did end up seeing when he
cast the Protego spell were memories that Snape had allowed to come to
the surface.  He was prepared to sacrifice these memories just in case
Potter did manage to achieve something during the lessons. 
Considering the fact that Snape is a former DE who had direct dealings
with LV, I just don't believe that his memories of a troublesome
broomstick, shooting down flies, or of domestic troubles are very
problematic for him.  I don't think he is overly concerned that anyone
should view these memories, not do I think Snape considers these
memories to be *that* bad, relatively speaking.  These are the
memories that he allows LV to view as well as Potter.   His memories
of listening in on the Trelawney Prophecy and of whatever brought him
back to DD were *not* in the pensieve. I don't think they ever were.

I think the pensieve contained memories which were guaranteed to show
James Potter and Sirius Black in a very negative way.  I think Snape
knew that at some point he would be called away.  Probably he is used
to being interrupted while in his office; I'm fairly certain that
being called away for whatever reason is not highly unusual. 
Considering the fact that the school had disintegrated into such
complete chaos under Umbridge, I believe that Snape was fairly certain
that at some point he would be called away.  In fact, when Harry took
the plunge into the pensieve it was the second time that Snape had
left him alone with the pensieve.  I think Snape was somewhat
surprised that Harry didn't take the bait the first time.

Snape knows Harry's shortcomings fairly well; he knows that Harry
sneaks around and does not respect the privacy of others, especially
not when it come to Snape's privacy.  It is also possible that Snape
knew that Harry had been in DD's memories uninvited the previous year.
 Then what does Snape do?  He makes a big show of extracting his
memories and placing them in the pensieve right in front of Harry.

I think Snape was thrilled when Harry finally, finally took the bait
and went into this memory of the Mauraders.  Snape was not angry.  We
saw Snape when he was truly in a rage at the end of PoA.  In PoA Snape
completely lost control.  He certainly didn't have enough enough
control to throw a jar of cockroaches and make sure it missed its
supposed target.  The jar toss was for show.  Snape wasn't really
trying to actually hit Harry.  Also, Snape had enough control to grab
a jar of bugs, not a jar of some rare, expensive potion ingredient. 
Nope, he was not in a rage;  he was feeling triumphant.