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

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 164184

Magpie:
I don't.:-) Because in HP, Harry wouldn't be wiser than Dumbledore. 
He's
based his belief that Snape is working for Voldemort not on wisdom 
but on
anger. Understandable anger, but anger that makes him *unwise.* It 
makes him
look for evidence that supports what he wants to be true, and it 
doesn't
come from his heart or the still portion of his mind, but his angry 
desire
for Snape to be wholly evil. (And also on his anger at things Snape 
has
done, like kill Dumbledore right in front of him--everybody believes 
Snape's
evil after that.)
Alla:
But that is what I am trying to say and obviously not saying well. If 
Harry is right about Snape, he does not need to go and look for 
additional evidence, the evidence is right  there, in front of him, 
starting from Snape treating Harry like dirt in the classroom and 
escalating to Harry learning ( he did not go looking for this one 
either, it came to him, lol) that he gave Prophecy to Voldemort and 
going to the peak of it on the Tower.
So, I guess I disagree that Harry based his belief that Snape works 
for LV based on anger. Oh, as we all know Harry is really, really, 
really angry with Snape, but he is angry because of what happened, so 
I am trying to say that Harry's wisdom in this situation may be shown 
as **seeing** clearly of what is happening around him in this 
situation. Not that he has those extraordinary powers of perception, 
just that he does not close his eyes to the obvious, as Dumbledore 
did, if Snape is not loyal to him.

Magpie:

If Harry was right about Snape it wouldn't be because Harry has a 
feeling
for these things--if Snape had been the same person and been nice to 
Harry I
doubt Harry would have thought this way about him (he didn't with
Fake!Moody, for instance). His wisdom would just be that he really 
doesn't
like people who treat him like dirt.
Alla:

Yes, what I said as well – certainly not extraordinary powers of 
perception, but just not closing his eyes and um, of course if Snape 
treated him differently Harry would not have thought about him that 
way.
He would have no reasons too. Observe fake Moody, certainly Harry did 
not see his evilness because of Moody treating him nicely.
There was no **obviousness** in Fake Moody behavior IMO, and who 
knows maybe in case of Snape it would be obvious.


Magpie:
The other importance difference is that Luke, unsurprisingly, is the 
one
with Dumbledore's view--the view that is more hopeful and sees human 
beings
as more complex and redeemable. It's fine for the hero to surpass the
mentor, but he needs, imo, to stand for something bigger than the 
mentor if
he's going to do it, like Luke did. The risk Luke takes is more in 
keeping
with his power being love, I think, than would be a Harry who was 
right
about Snape, but didn't spend the rest of his life angry over it.

Alla:

Yes, as I said I was analogizing the **principle** - Hero being right 
and his mentor being wrong, NOT what they were right and wrong about.
And in this situation Harry being right may stay for the humongous 
importance of learning why to trust people for yourself and not 
relying on second hand trust.
I understand unwillingness of seeing JKR teaching that lesson ( not 
yours, DD!M Snape theorists in general), but I see nothing in the 
books that prevents her from exploring that angle.
In fact, members of the Order looking like total idiots (IMO) with 
theirs we trusted him because DD did, may hint IMO that JKR really 
wants Harry not to be like them in years to come, IMO of course.

Having said all that though, I must say that IF Snape is not fully DD!
M and Harry would be at least partially right about his nature, I 
strongly suspect that JKR would not place much importance on Harry 
being wiser than DD or something like that.
I think that would be shown as unfortunate thing, that is just 
happened and Harry forgiving that Snape too. And Harry would be shown 
as accepting DD lessons in forgiveness and/or mercy LOL and giving 
the bastard third or fourth chance.

IMO of course.