GoF CH 27-29 Post DH look/ Snape and Harry and Gargoyles

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 182154

 
> Alla:
snip
> 
> The question mark which is there for me in this hypothetical 
scenario 
> is how Dumbledore had known that Harry is coming.

Potioncat:
Oh wow. I've really enjoyed the ever so slightly different scenarios 
that have come out of this discussion. And it is so good to have a 
Snape thread again! <sigh>

So, here's a thought. Neither DD nor Snape heard Harry from DD's 
office. Snape, however, knows that DD is on his way down. I still 
think DD was putting away instruments or the pensieve. But the point 
is, Snape is keeping Harry where he needs to be in order to see the 
headmaster. In that case he's acting on his own, as someone else 
suggested.

If, for example, Snape had been walking down the hall and stopped 
Harry, I'd see it differently. But knowing that Snape was just with 
DD makes me think he knows something we/Harry don't/doesn't.



Alla: > 
> Now, when we are talking about Snape doing anything of his own 
> accord, anything of good faith, I mean, that I find rather 
laughable. 
> IMO of course.

Potioncat:
I don't understand. We know that Snape is protecting Harry as an 
atonement to Lily. We know he is serving DD. I don't see why he would 
go against either of those goals in this case. Why is it laughable?


> Alla:
> No, really why? What can be simpler and more effective than to send 
> Harry straight up to Dumbledore's office if Snape really wants to 
> help that is?

Potioncat:
Because DD is coming down. Because Snape just left the office and 
thinks there is something Harry shouldn't see? Becaue it would slow 
down rather speed up the process for Harry to go up. Because Snape 
doesn't know that moments may matter. And trust me, knowing kids this 
age, things are rarely as drastic as they make them out to be. 
Because this is the man who cruelly punishes Gryffindors by sending 
them to the forest with Hagrid. BTW, did we ever figure out who 
planned the first such punishment?
> 

> Alla:
> 
> Snape is a bat after all? He has that astute hearing? But okay, 
after 
> all I cannot prove or disprove that, so let's assume he does.
> 
Potioncat:
Do we know how  thick the first door is? Does it make sense that you 
couldn't hear someone yelling on the other side? Maybe not from the 
office, but if Snape was already on his way out?
>  
> Zgirnius:
> <SNIP>
> 
> Someone said the scene would have been totally different if Minerva 
> > had been in the office instead. I beg to differ.

Potioncat:
That was me. But my point was that Minerva wouldn't have let him up 
either, just that she wouldn't have been quite so snarky. And I like 
your example, what we see is that Snape and McGonagall are a lot 
alike.
 
> Alla:
> 
> You know, yes, I would have agreed with you, except I can't for the 
> simple reason that Minerva IMO is not aware how important Harry is 
to 
> Dumbledore, Snape is and to me that makes all the difference and of 
> course she tells Trio the truth, Dumbledore is not there, she is 
not playing with them.


Potioncat:
But the point isn't "is Harry important?", it's "should Harry go up?" 
The scene is written to look as if Snape is keeping Harry from DD, 
when in fact, he's keeping Harry near DD.

I know you think Snape was trying to hinder Harry, while I think he 
was actually helping. There have been several scenes between Harry 
and Snape that have looked like nothing more than Snape goading him, 
but in fact had a different purpose. I think it was Carol who pointed 
out Snape's reaction to Harry sneaking out of the castle.

The only moment I can think of that doesn't seem to have a purpose is 
the "Oops" when Harry's potion sample breaks. Are there any others?