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

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 185870

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "potioncat" <willsonkmom at ...> wrote:
>  From the post with the header:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Geoff Bannister" 
> <gbannister10@> wrote:

> > I taught for over thirty years dealing mainly with teenagers 
> > and I know that cheek comes from those pupils who are 
> > confident, have a big idea of themselves and are prepared 
> > try it on with authority figures. Do any of these characteristics 
> > fit Harry? 
> > 
> > Let's have a look at canon:
> 
> Potioncat:
> Sounds like Geoff. Ever the voice of reason. Nice balance of personal 
> experience and canon. Hard to dispute his points, so well made.

Geoff:
Ooooh. Somebody being nice. Is that because of my celebrity? 
Perhaps I should go and see Professor What's-His-Name... er.. 
Snape that's it. He'll deflate my ego for me for a small fee.

Potioncat:
> But think people! Geoff never---ever---gets involved with Snape 
> threads. He's stated several times that he doesn't even *read* Snape 
> threads. Yet as I write this post, there are at least Geoff Bannister 
> posts on this thread.
> 
> Who is this imposter?!
> 
> (Besides, if it really were Geoff, I might have to admit that what 
> all of us are really doing is trying to explain the motivation for 
> Snape being such a Berk--and no, there isn't any real excuse for 
> treating an 11-year-old like this.)

Geoff:
The reason I have involved myself directly with a Snape thread 
(although unusually I have been following these discussions at a 
distance) is that I believe that Harry has been libelled - if only 
slightly - by some contributors over his interaction with Snape in 
the first Potions lesson.

To really get into understanding Harry's feelings and actions, I believe 
that you need to have had dealings with young male teenagers (pre
-teens in this instance) and also be male. That is why I entered the 
lists on Harry's behalf, because I meet both of those criteria. I, like 
other guys on this list, have known the uncertainty and sometimes 
the bewilderment of moving through adolescence into adulthood 
and also trying to understand and relate to what we were receiving 
- physically, emotionally and intellectually - from the adults with 
whom we were in contact.

I absolve you from the duty of having to explain Snape's 
motivation.

Benedico te, mea puella!