Headmaster for a day (was Prank WAS :Re: CHAPDISC: DH33, The Princ

[catiatm]

No: HPFGUIDX 184957

Please be patient with me.  I have enjoyed this list for some time,
but this is my first post.

Alla wrote, "Maybe we will finally get to the crux of the matter for
me. So, here is the follow up question. How can **anybody** think
that if somebody gives them the information, dangerous information to
be sure, but information how to get to the place where I want to go
myself, is planning on killing them. Meaning, that no matter what
that other person gives me, without **me going** their plans are
**not going to happen**, ever.  ..."

To which Leah responded: "Honestly, no. You tell me that you really
want to go to Placeville. I tell you that the way lies across that
field. Unfortunately, I really dislike you and have forgotten to tell
you that the field has been planted with landmines. ..."

This passage has always puzzled me.  I'm see Leah's point, except
that Severus knew he was getting information from a known enemy, had
more or less surmised Remus' problem, and knew it was a full moon.
He was only a teenager, but he was a keenly analytical, intelligent
one, so it's hard to imagine he truly had no idea what he was getting
into.  I suspect that his desire to get the Mauraders into trouble
overrode his common sense.

What I have never understood about the Prank is the subsequent
psychology.  Sirius goes to prison when he was barely out of his
teens, and having worked with inmates, I know that time sort of stops
for them on the inside.  Without development programs, many
prisoners age chronologically but remain about the same
psychologically.  (And I'm pretty sure the Dementors weren't big into
enrichment programs!) While that helps explain why Sirius sometimes
behaves like an overgrown boy, Severus is harder for me to understand
for two reasons.  First, he remains in the world and should continue
to mature.  Why has he not gained any perspective on the incident?
Secondly, if my maths are correct, he was a Death Eater for at least
two years.  During that time, it's hard to imagine that he wasn't
involved with some really nasty, terrible things.  I suppose it was
just a decision on JKR's part to limit what we learn about that
chapter of his life, but I'd think that some of those memories would
remain with Severus as far worse than anything he ever experienced at
Hogwarts.

I suppose I view him as emotionally stunted and unwilling (unable?)
to accept responsibility for his actions because the consequences
(losing Lily and then really losing Lily) were so traumatic to him.
The problem I see with the line of thinking is that he is such a
disciplined, controlled, intellectual person that it's hard to
believe he so completely lacks insight into his own behaviour.

Thanks for "listening"!

-- Cat