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

[Kamil]

No: HPFGUIDX 164140

>  > 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.
>
<snip>

>  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.

<snip>

>  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.

<Kamil>
That makes a certain degree of sense - I've always had trouble with
the episode with the MWPP supposedly being "Snape's Worst Memory".
Seriously, if that is someone's worst school days memory, they've had
a pretty damn easy childhood. And since I get the idea we were
supposed to feel some sort of sympathy for Snape in the scene - it
always fell quite flat for me.

But then several of the things JKR has done with Snape in the last two
books have failed to resonate with me. I don't buy that he could
possibly regret what happened to the Potters enough to repent from his
DE ways (rather, I can see him dancing a jig over James' grave).

I can certainly buy that he hated James/Sirius, etc., but for the
episode we saw when Harry dived into the Pensive to be his *worst*
memory? Jeez, I should have had such an easy childhood/life - and I
had a pretty damn nice one as it was.

So I'm waiting and hoping for there to be more to it - more to why
Snape returned, more to why we were supposed to feel so very sorry for
him, when, it seemed to me to be nothing more than a normal episode of
schoolyard squabbling between two factions who despise one another,
more to why Dumbledore trusted him so.

But I fear JKR feels she has explained herself as much as she needs
to; I think from this point on the backstory is over and it's on with
the reveals.

Bah.

But if it turns out to have been a set-up to annoy Harry by presenting
his father and godfather in as bad a light as possible - I'd much
prefer that to being asked to accept that that was ickle Snape's very
worst memory.

Kamil, who, of late, has come to think that the most fascinating thing
about Snape is Alan Rickman; which is bad since I'm not all that fond
of the books as presented in that other medium