First lesson WAS: Re: Marietta, was Slytherin's Reputation

[happyjoeysmiley]

No: HPFGUIDX 185677

> Leah:
> >Snape does not know Hermione.  He's not interested in Hermione 
> > or in whether Harry is like her or not. He wants to see what 
Harry 
> > is like. He learns that Harry is not a bookworm, not someone who 
is 
> > desperate for academic success etc.  He is not that particular 
sort 
> > of child.  I fail to see why asking a child three questions is in 
> > anyway vile or petty, and most certainly not abusive.  
 
> Alla:

[snip] 

> But it is the way Snape asks them that pushes his behavior to me 
from 
> silly to abuse of his power. Mr. Potter, our new celebrity, fame is 
> not everything and all that crap. Snape has NO clue what Harry is, 
> you just argue that he is trying to learn things about Harry, don't 
> you?
> 
> Snape talking about celebrity to me means that he **already** made 
a 
> conclusion and as I know clearly wrong conclusion, Harry does not 
> like his fame and wants nothing to do with it.

Joey now:
 
I agree with Alla here. 

If knowing about Harry is the sole objective, why not ask the 
questions and stop at that? All Snape knows about Harry at this 
juncture is his name, parentage and his uncanny escape from Voldie's 
AK curse when he was about *an year old* (which is the *sole* reason 
for his fame at that point). Harry has not made even the slightest 
fuss about his fame yet! So, why make taunting comments about Harry's 
celebrity status and about fame not being eveything?? 

Protecting Harry is a separate, secret project for *Severus* Snape, 
the individual. The agenda for *Professor* Snape is different. In the 
classroom, he is yet another professor who is supposed to be trying 
to know (and thus guide) *each* student - not just Harry. Why not go 
for a one-on-one to understand more about the child he wants to 
protect instead of doing that job in a classroom filled with other 
students of his? A teacher is supposed to be fair to all students. 
So, why ignore that person who is eager to answer the questions and 
focus *only* on Harry? Being in the teacher's position in the 
classroom, I'm sure Snape had a much better view of Hermione dying to 
answer! Why not try anyone else other than Harry? He can, of course, 
*watch* Harry silently, as Alla mentioned in an earlier post. 

> Leah:
> Unfortunately, Harry doesn't know the answers and makes matters
> worse by cheeking Snape. 

[snip]

> Alla:
> No, it is not just cheek, in my opinion it is not cheek at all. I
> read it as Harry sincerely answering Snape that Hermione knows.

> Leah: Hermione has put her hand up to every question.By this stage 
> she is standing up waving her hand in desperation to show she's not 
> a dunderhead. Unless Harry believes Snape to be blind and deaf, 
> Harry must understand that Snape knows Hermione knows the 
> answers. "Why don't you try her?" is cheek pure and simple. How do 
> you think Minerva would have reacted? The class laugh so they too 
> can see that it is cheek. 

> Leah: 
[snip]
> It is cheek, but I can understand it because Harry is reacting 
because he feels got at, and 
> that is the way he would have reacted to Vernon. 

Joey:

I agree with Leah. It *is* cheek, as per me. I remember gasping 
slightly when I read this "Why don't you try her?" for the first time 
ever and was waiting to watch what would follow. :-) And like Leah, I 
fully agree with the reasons why Harry cheeked. But *I enjoyed* the 
cheek. :-) Definitely reckless and far-fetched for a first-day-at-an-
indeed-new-school, yeah, but hey what are fantasy stories for if they 
are *too* usual? :-)
 
Cheers,
~Joey :-)