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

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 185822

> Montavilla47:
> 
> It's not like other teachers haven't touched on Harry's celebrity 
status.
> Flitwick got so excited by it that he fell off his chair when he 
said Harry's
> name.  

Alla:

Flitwick got excited **himself**, he did not call Harry upon his 
celebrity status and did not draw any conclusions about Harry's 
enjoyment or not of his celebrity status. I do not see what he did as 
nearly as bad as what Snape did.

Montavilla47:
> All Snape does is mention that Harry is a celebrity.  It's 
annoying, but 
> it can hardly be more humiliating than having your teacher fall off 
a 
> chair.

Alla:

It is not like Harry himself fell off the chair, I do not see this as 
embarassing for him at all, for Flitwick - sure IMO.

Montavilla47: 
> This takes place during the role call of names--Snape is reading out
> *everyone's* names.  He's not singling out Harry, although he 
doesn't 
> call anyone else a celebrity.

Alla:

In my book it is singling Harry out – calling him a celebrity. 
Comment which has no relationship to a lesson and directed to one 
student only, I call it singling out.

Montavilla47:
>After he makes that remark, he continues
> reading the rest of the names on his roster.  So, any chagrin Harry 
> might feel at being called a celebrity--something that's happened in
> at least one other class--he's had time to get over it.

Alla:

You seem to interpret Snape's initial comment and his continious 
questioning as two disconnected incidents? I see them as one 
connected event. I see them as Snape starting to bully Harry with his 
comment and when he starts questioning Harry as continuation.

And again, where is any mention that Snape does that all the time? I 
believe that all this questioning was done only for Harry, to 
humiliate him that is.

I am pretty sure that his speech was rehearsed, so I can believe that 
he does it every year, but questions? I do not think so, IMO of 
course. Besides no mention from older students, narrator says Snape 
starts questions "suddenly". Of course it may mean nothing, or it may 
mean that we truly mean to see that the bells went off in Snape head 
and he starts doing what he did.


Montavilla47:
> Then Snape begins the class proper by asking questions.  Once 
> Harry has failed to provide the answers, he gives the answers and
> chews out the rest of the class for not writing them down.  It's 
> clear that Snape is concerned about the *information* he imparting
> and not focussed on humiliating anyone in particular.

Alla:

LOL. No, it is really not clear to me that Snape is not focused on 
anybody in particular, in fact there is no doubt in my mind that 
Harry is his focus. I am sure somewhere along the lines he remembers 
that he is in the classroom, so I am guessing (IMO) that he decided 
to do some teaching along the line.


Montavilla47:
> After the students start writing down the answer, he mentions that
> he's taking a point from Gryffindor for Harry cheeking him.  Which
> Harry did.  So, again, I don't see his motive here as taking revenge
> on James for procreating or abusing Harry because he reminds him
> of James.  I see a teacher laying down the rules of his classroom.

Alla:

To me the revenge was (as I see it) in starting questioning Harry 
specifically, thinking that there is no way he can no the answers and 
commenting on his celebrity status, something that Snape IMO had no 
business doing in the first place.

And if Snape lays down the rules, well how about saying something 
like this instead?

"Transfiguration is  some of the most complex and dangerous  magic 
you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my 
class will leave and not come back. You have been warned" – p.134

I know, it is too impersonal and equal opportunity viscious for Snape 
dear.

JMO,

Alla