Would Harry forgiving Snape be character growth for him? Re: CHAPDISC: HBP 29,

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 164148

Alla: 
> I mean, I see what Dumbledore did to Draco is complete and absolute
> forgiveness. Otherwise, I would have seen Dumbledore talking that 
> Draco deserves to be punished, not come to hiding with his family.
 
Betsy Hp:
> And I don't. <g>  People go into Witness Protection all the time.  
> The FBI doesn't claim to have forgiven all their past sins.  It's 
> generally a very tit for tat arrangement, which is not a part of 
> forgiveness, IMO.

Jen: Dumbledore showed Draco mercy on the tower, which I view as 
falling somewhere in between both these views.  Since Dumbledore 
didn't feel resentment or hatred toward Draco, he wasn't really 
offering forgiveness in my view.  But he was doing more than just 
wiping away his potential criminal record because he felt compassion 
for Draco and his circumstance and wanted to offer him a second 
chance.  I believe this will prove to be the case with Snape as well, 
Dumbledore showed mercy rather than forgiveness.  Second chances 
imply absolution but don't require forgiveness.

Most of the circumstances we've seen are about mercy so far so the 
more I think about it, so I'm not sure what JKR's take on forgiveness 
is.  Many of the key people in Harry's life *can't* forgive, can't 
move past their resentment towards each other and put the past behind 
them.  Harry has done that somewhat with the Dursleys although not 
consciously so I'm not certain it's a good example.

Jen