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

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 185816

>> Montavilla47:
<SNIP>
> Sorry to interrupt here, but I went back and read the relevant
passage
> and I'm not seeing a lot of anger or hatred in that first lesson.
Snape
> is being demanding, yes. But it doesn't seem that personal. <SNIP>

Alla:

How is addressing Harry and his celebrity status in a humiliating way 
is not personal, I cannot even understand. Seriously, even if we 
disagree on how humiliating was what Snape did, he addresses Harry 
and Harry only, he addresses unique circumstances Harry found himself 
in. I think it is extremely personal, IMO of course.

We can of course speculate that Snape does that shpil every year. 
However to the best of my recollection nobody ever mentions it. Not 
Fred and George, not Percy who supposedly had Snape already and who 
do talk about Snape to Harry at some point. One would think that if 
JKR wanted to make a point that Snape does that to unlucky soul every 
year, she would have made a point of mentioning it. She did not, so I 
choose to think that Snape does not do it every year.

Even if he did do questions, adressing Harry's celebrity status is 
something that to me makes it very personal.

And it is not like JKR does not show us Snape starting the year with 
Harry's class, she makes sure to show his speech in OOP  for example
(you will write acceptable, or suffer my displeasure - paraphrase).

It seems to me that very nice contrast can be drawn between what he 
does in first year and fifth year. He belittles whole class in OOP, 
surely he does. But I have no problem with it. What he did in the 
first year, I find disgusting. IMO of course.
 

jkoney:
You might not be seeing it now, but put yourself in Harry's place.
Your an eleven year old, who is away at school in a totally different
world, you are in your first class that had no pre-requirements and
the teacher insults you and then starts questioning you on something
you have never studied. Not only that, but he isn't questioning
anyone else. You've lived and dealt with people like this you entire
life. Now you just have to survive five years of this bully. I don't
think potions is ever going to hold an interest at this point.


Alla:

Oh, since I wrote something substantive answering Montavilla, I can 
get away with ME TOO. Very well put :-)