GoF CH 27-29 Post DH look

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 182270

Mike, coming way late to the discussion:
Having read all of this discussion on this scene, I find respondants 
have two ways of looking at it; from within the characters' 
viewpoints and as scene in a book set up by the author. As for the 
authorial intent, I whole heartedly agree with Zara's take:

> zgirnius:
> We'd lose a lovely scene of Harry shouting at Snape
> and Snape sneering at Harry, (a loss to mourn <g>) 

Mike:
Therefore I find it easy to overlook another fortuitous coincidence. 
This was just too delicious to pass up and yes Zara, would have been 
quite the loss. It was this richness that drew many of us in, at 
least it did me. 

When you think about it, Snape had a very minor role in GoF when it 
came to moving the story along. Yet he was at his snipingly Snapey 
best in this book. I'd go so far as to say that his character was 
defined in GoF and after this book you either loved him or hated him. 
Me, being a Marauder fan since the Shreiking Shack in PoA, GoF 
solidified my hate of Snape. No amount of heroics would or could ever 
pull him completely out of the sewer of my spite in my eyes.
(Telling you now, in the spirit of full disclosure, if you don't
 know how I feel already)

So let me move on to the character viewpoint. What were the 
characters doing and why?


> > GoF:
> > "What are you doing here, Potter?"
> 
> > "I need to see Professor Dumbledore!" said Harry, running
> > back up the corridor and skidding to a standstill in front
> > of Snape instead. "It's Mr. Crouch . . . he's just turned 
> > up ... he's in the forest... he's asking -"
> 
> > "What is this rubbish?" said Snape, his black eyes 
> > glittering. "What are you talking about?"
> 
> zgirnius:
> Did you all gather from this statement that the emergency was of a 
> nature that only Albus could handle? I know I did not, and I have
> the benefit of having read the rest of the chapter.

Mike:
Well, Harry *starts* off by saying he needs to see Dumbledore. Snape 
may have surmised there was an emergency (in Harry's demeanor), but 
Harry hasn't yet said so. And Harry doesn't get to finish his 
sentence wherein he's obviously going to say Crouch was asking for 
DD, because Snape cuts him off with his rubbish comment. 

And no Potioncat, I'm not buying Sanpe being sent down to forestall 
Harry while DD was on his way. This is simply a happy (for Snape) 
coincidence that Snape finished his business with DD and was on his 
way out when Harry came a-screamin. I can just about guaran-damn-tee 
that Snape would have stopped Harry when he was running through the 
halls under any circumstances. 

Nope, not buying any noble purpose of one S. Snape in this part of 
the exchange. He's simply tormenting the boy and enjoying every 
minute of it. As far as I can tell, Snape hasn't heard a word Harry's 
said. So Snape wasn't even close to analyzing Harry's need for seeing 
Dumbledore, he couldn't care less whether Harry's need was worthy or 
not. 



> > GoF:
> > 
> > "The headmaster is busy. Potter," said Snape, his thin
> > mouth curling into an unpleasant smile.
> 
> zgirnius:
> I am sure Snape was delighted to tell Harry this fact, but I see 
> nothing wrong with his decision to do so, with or without the 
> 'unpleasant' smile. Harry is not giving any good reason why Albus 
> should be interrupted, he just keeps shouting that he should.

Mike:
I see Snape enjoying the hell out of himself, as Harry put it, 
delighting in denying Harry when Harry was so frantic. And since when 
does Harry (or any other student, for that matter) have to justify to 
Snape his reason for seeing the Headmaster? 

You brought up the scene with MM in PS/SS when the Trio want to see 
DD. Big difference, imo. Then, MM knows Dumbledore is not home and is 
trying to find out what is so important and if she can take care of 
it. She's not *denying* anything to the Trio. Here, again imo, Snape 
doesn't care what Harry's problem is. He is just revelling in being 
Snape, the gatekeeper. (I thought that was Rick Moranis' job in 
Ghostbusters)



> > GoF:
> > "I've got to tell Dumbledore!" Harry yelled.
> 
> > "Didn't you hear me. Potter?"
> 
> > Harry could tell Snape was thoroughly enjoying himself, denying 
> > Harry the thing he wanted when he was so panicky.

Mike:
Yeah, that's the way I saw it too, Harry.


> zgirnius:
> The staff, like good, competent subordinates, are protective of
> the boss's time. Albus is busy, and will only be interrupted for
> matters that *really* require his attention.

Mike:
I mostly answered this above. But one last thing: How the hell is 
Dumbledore shaping formative minds, and how does he take credit for 
all those things about teaching that were said in "King's Cross", all 
the while locked away in his ivy covered tower and protected by 
his "competent" staff?! I agree with Montavilla, since when does the 
file "Headmaster" need to be password protected?

Mike, who wishes that the twins would've invented the nosebleed 
nougat a year earlier and substituted them for Snape's nasty pills 
that he obviously takes every morning. <veg>