Harry and Snape's Salvation (Re: No progress for Slytherin?)

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 173779

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "montavilla47" 
<montavilla47 at ...> wrote:
<SNIP>
> 
> Montavilla47:
> In the Bloomsbury Chat (which I haven't read but I've seen bits 
of), JKR
> was asked if the absence of Snape's portrait in the Headmaster's 
office 
> was deliberate.  Her reply was that it was, because Snape had 
> abandonned his post and therefore did not merit inclusion.
> 
> She added that she hoped Harry would have seen to it that Snape was
> later included.
> 
He's the one telling
> his kid it's "okay" to be in Slytherin.  He's the one who might, 
just 
> might, allow Snape into the office by grace of Harry.
> 
> So, is Harry Snape's personal savior?
> 


I think this is a very good question, but the issue it gets at is 
terrifically complicated.  I'll approach it here by breaking it down 
into two aspects:  Harry and Snape after Snape's death, Snape and 
Harry before Snape's death.

It seems clear to me that what JKR is getting at with her comments is 
that Harry, as appropriate for a Christ-like figure, has transcended 
much of what went before -- particularly he has transcended and 
become superior to certain personalities.  He has moved beyond both 
Snape and Dumbledore.  Dumbledore says that he has long known that 
Harry is a better man than he.  Harry is becoming the true figure of 
forgiveness and light and compassion that Dumbledore appeared to be 
but never really was.  If Harry were to be confronted with a living 
Snape, he would probably view him with pity and compassion.

It is the tragedy of Snape, however, that he would find Harry's pity 
and compassion infuriating and worthless.  Before Snape's death, I 
think Harry represents something very important for him -- a way 
out.  If he could come to terms with Harry, he could in many ways 
come to terms with his own past and the anger and hatred and 
bitterness that have warped him and twisted him into a stunted image 
of what he could/should have been.  So, in that sense, Harry could be 
a savior to Snape in that he offers an opportunity for salvation.  
But, as shown in the scene where Snape reveals his patronus, the 
damage and bitterness and hate and cruelty run too deep for 
salvation.  Snape cannot find it within himself to embrace the 
salvation Harry represents, and thus it remains a door never opened.

So, before Snape's death Harry is for him a salvation unrealized.  
After Snape's death Snape is for Harry an object of compassion and 
transcendence.  It was never the fate of Harry and Severus to meet as 
equals.  Harry was always meant to move beyond Severus and to be 
greater than him, even as he moved beyond and was greater than 
Dumbledore.


Lupinlore, who thinks that compassion is an ironic thing, in that it 
tends to scald those to whom it is extended like concentrated acid