Choices/Snape as abuser, SKIP if not interested WAS :Re: CHAPTER

[SteveE]

No: HPFGUIDX 188593

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> Jean:
> I grew up knowing the
> difference between being hit and being yelled at, folks, and they are not
> the same. It's clear that Harry can't seem to distinguish between the
> Dursleys, Snape, Voldemort and the other DEs, which I find rather odd.
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Could it be that Harry cannot distinguish between Snape and Dursleys is because while Snape and Dursleys act differently, Harry is picking up on how they feel about him and to me the feeling is pretty much the same – Snape hates Harry and Petunia hates him? IMO of course.
>

Steve:  I agree that Snape, LV, DE's, and the Dursleys all are abusive to Harry in different ways by the way they act toward him.  The Dursleys abuse and neglect him, LV tries openly to kill him and killed his parents, DE's also have tried to kill him, and Snape albeit unknowingly to some degree betrayed his parents and verbally abused him and has a history of hating those Harry loves.  I don't know if Harry has trouble distinguishing between all of these different people, or not, I'm not aware of canon supporting that doesn't understand the differences of how they treat him and view him.  All I know is that Harry is justifiably angry at all of them and dislikes being mistreated, abused, yelled at, or treated unfairly. I think it's the actions and feelings of those people towards Harry that Harry is opposed to.

> Jean:
> It would have served the Order right if he'd snapped his wand out of
> Hogwarts and left for the Muggle (and then find a magical community
> somewhere else and get a new wand). I'm sure there would be lots of people
> volunteering for his role, right?
> 
> Alla:
> 
> You mean volunteer for the role of the man who sold young couple and their baby to a monster and then agreed to atone for that role by doing a dangerous job of the spy?
> 
> Well, I sure hope that a person who committed such act in the first place and would claim to want to be a half decent human being would want to do something to atone for his mistakes.

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Steve: I agree that Snape has reasons to feel unappreciated, perhaps, at least from his pov.  However, given his actions as a DE and his offering up info on the Potters to LV, Snape is also lucky to even be teaching at Hogwarts.  He has a position of respect and power, he is given a chance by DD to atone for his mistakes, and he is the one who chose to be a double agent.  He wasn't under the Imperius spell or anything.   

> Jean:
> Frankly, I have to wonder why Snape _left_ Voldemort given how he was
> treated by those he died for.
> Alla:
> 
> I don't know, maybe because he realized that Voldemort's goals are pretty horrible and he would agree to do anything he could to atone for supporting these goals in the first place, even if he does not get pat on the back for that? IMO of course
>
Steve:  It is unfortunate that Snape's actions against LV and his real role in DD's death wasn't wider known.  It was a natural consequence of being a double agent however, and Snape did know the risks that that entailed. Unsung heroes are a mainstay in literature as they are in real life. Snape sacrificed himself in many ways throughout the 7 novels. And many people didn't realize this, at least while he was alive. And while I don't really like him as a person, I am grateful to him for the sacrifices he made that helped Harry overcome LV and allow good to triumph over evil in the end.
 
> Jean:
> But of course he gets no credit for it _here_.
> Toodles. Have a nice we-all-hate-Snape group.
> Without me.
> 
> Alla:
> 
> This group has a lot of Snape's fans for whom Snape gets a credit for everything. It is just not too many people post here anymore, but even in this thread there seems to be only one person who hates Snape – myself. Pippin and Potioncat are Snape's fans. Nikkalmati is a Snape fan, etc, etc, etc.
> 
> This is certainly not a group, whose predominant mood is to hate Snape, I am sorry if it feels to you that way, I wish you would reconsider leaving. 
> 
> Alla

Steve:  I will agree that I am not a big fan of Snape and have disliked him in several ways throughout the books. Believe me, there are major Snape supporters on this group.  So much so that I refrained from posting often because I didn't feel like I would objectively be listened to.  But I've enjoyed your posts, Jean, and have respected your pov a lot.  And, when all is said and done, in retrospect after DH, and in part from reading passionate and articulate posts like yours, I am willing to forgive Severus Snape for his transgressions. And, for me that's a major concession...lol.