Regarding the Harry/Snape eye contact..

[doddiemoemoe]

No: HPFGUIDX 181588


> Potioncat wrote:

> IMO, Snape stared into Harry's eyes to get information. He wasn't 
> looking for Lily. Before he even knew Harry, Snape had paired Harry
> with James. Remember that he wanted DD to protect Lily, and only 
> agreed to protection for her son and husband when DD pushed. 
Still, I  don't think he was trying to trap James's son. But I do 
think Snape's opinion of Harry was based on his being James's son.
> 
> Legilimency has the same limitations as other forms of human 
> communication. Sometimes you see/hear what you expect to see/hear, 
> rather than what is really there. It seems to me that Snape 
develops  his Legilimency skill over the 7 books, improving as time 
passes. Do we ever see Snape using Legilimency on anyone else in 
canon? I don't particularly remember.

Doddie here:

We actually see Snape attempt to use legillimency on Draco in HBP, 
I'm assuming he may have used it both on Quirrell and upon Krum's 
headmaster in GOF...

I agree with you about the limitations being similar if not the same 
as other forms of human communication however I also believe that 
Snape's skills in this area peaked well before the book series 
started. 

Snape was already angry at seeing Harry's as Jame's son over the 
course of the series, but he seems so much more angry or unbalanced 
during occlumency lessons..We already know that he removed memories 
concerning Lily and placed them in the pensive before said lessons. 
I would argue that the glimpses into Harry's experiences and may 
have reminded Snape more of Lily rather than James...after all I 
think DD was correct in his assumption that Harry's character 
paralleled Lily's more than James.
> 
> 
> Potioncat:
> My first reaction was to dispute this. I'm sure Snape didn't think 
> Potter was any better at potion making than he had been. But that 
> isn't what you mean is it?  You know, Slughorn is the only person 
I > can think of who compares Harry to Lily. Could this be the first 
time  Snape has had reason to see Harry Lillyson rather than Harry 
Jameson? 
> As much as we sometimes fault Snape and Black for confusing Harry 
> with James, it does seem to be a consistent opinion that Harry is 
> very much like his father. 

Doddie:
Yes, that is what I meant. Although most folks often say that Harry 
LOOKS like his father more than his being his father. I think Lupin 
may have seen more of Lily in Harry but as usual, he doesn't mention 
it but keeps his guard up..perhaps moreso after Sirius' death.
> 
> 
 Potioncat:
> Unless Severus understood that "Prongs" referred to a stag, he 
> wouldn't have reason to connect the stag Patronus to James. Snape 
> didn't know that James was a Stag Animagus and I don't think he 
would have known what James's Patronus was. If I understand JKR's 
comment, the Patronum charm wasn't taught at Hogwarts. It would have 
been  learned afterwards.  
> 
> For that matter, how did Severus know that his doe Patronus 
reflected 
> Lily? Because he clearly does know it. Argh! Now I'm going in 
circles!
>
Doddie here:

Ahh, but as members of the original Order of the Phoenix I think 
Snape knew exactly what form James', Lily's, and most members 
patronuses took..I'd argue that the marauders(or Sirius at least) 
may have had a snicker/snide remark or two about it behind Lily's 
back.
Remember Snape's snide remarks to Tonks when he intercepts her 
patronus charm in HBP?