Snape's first day of class / the Duelling Club / Alla's discussion question

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

No: HPFGUIDX 185913

Zara wrote in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/185859>:

<< Hermione had read a sixth year text and picked up a bit of sixth
year DADA curriculum, presumably because she planned to impress
Slughorn with her knowledge in DADA. >>

No, she read all her textbooks before the school year started because
an unread book is an irresistible temptation, like a wrapped Xmas gift
or a piece of chocolate. The one that Snape accused her of quoting
(The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6) was the Charms textbook, not
the DADA textbook.

Marion Ros wrote in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/185798>:

<< First Potions lesson, when Snape keeps a whole classroom
mesmerized, Harry and Ron pull faces at each other (they look at each
other and pull up their eyebrows, which, in British mime means 'who is
this weirdo?'). >>

To which Alla replied in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/185799>:

<< So, the look that they give each other **after** Snape's speech on
page 137 of my book (Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised
eyebrows), which you interpret as who is this weirdo, I interpret as a
a surprise of the kid of why this teacher singled me out, >>

The context of the raised eyebrows, as Alla said, is:

<< "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of
potionmaking," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but
they caught every word -- like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the
gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little
foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is
magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the
softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate
power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind,
ensnaring the senses.... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew
glory, even stopper death -- if you aren't as big a bunch of
dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged
looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her
seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a
dunderhead. >>

It seems to me that the raised eyebrows are only about Harry and Ron's
reaction to Snape's speech. After a speech like that, they may not
even *remember* that Snape snarked at Harry's name in the class roll.
And it is just *before* Snape calls 'Potter!' to ask questions.

It always seemed to me that Harry and Ron's reaction, as conveyed by
their eyebrows, was somewhere between 'This wizard *really* loves his
subject" and "Do you think it's *true* that he knows how to brew glory
and even stopper death? Wow!"

Thus, it seems to me that Harry would feel that he was being
particularly unfairly treated to be punished for not paying attention
when he was in fact paying intense attention, spiced with a half drop
of admiration.

I do not think it praiseworthy for a teacher to interpret intense
attention with even a shadow of admiration as being disrespect, much
less an attempt to disrupt the class. I do not think the teacher's
paranoia is the child's fault. 

By the way, just before the bit I quoted was << His eyes were black
like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold
and empty and made you think of dark tunnels. >>

Someone did an analysis of Snape's eyes and decided that many cases of
them looking like dark tunnels were when Snape was Legilimensing
Harry. If Snape was Legilimensing the whole class, he had less excuse
for mistaking attention for disrespect.

jkoney wrote in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/185899>:

<< Yes, the instructors certainly failed to demonstrate how to cast
Protego.

What they should have done is demonstrate the spell and then review it
with the students to make sure everyone had an idea of what it was.
Then if they wanted a pair of students to demonstrate whether they
learned it or not, the students would have least had a chance. Instead
Harry is left with a bumbling Lockhart and no instruction. That is not
the way to teach students, unless you want them to fail. >>

That's because Lockhart was a lousy teacher. But the Duelling Club was
his event and professional etiquette didn't let Snape outright
contradict him.

I always wonder just how delusional Lockhart himself was. Did he
believe he was actually a good teacher? 

He says he's going to do something, waves his wand, and neither has no
effect or only makes matters worse. He talks a lot of nonsense
supposed to make hearers think he's a genius, like:

Lockhart: "It was definitely a curse that killed her - probably the
Transmogrifian Torture - I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I
wasn't there, I know the very countercurse that would have saved her
......"

Dumbledore: "She's not dead, Argus," "She has been Petrified,"

Lockhart: "Ah! I thought so!" 

Does he really believe that his audience, supposedly impressed by his
first statement, won't notice that it is contradicted by his second
statement? Is that belief delusional, or is it just that Hogwarts
Castle somehow protects the characters from a constant low-level
Memory Charm he always casts on everyone near him?

Alla wrote in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/185907>:

<< Heh, okay. So basically imagine that you are single if you are not,
and obviously as you are, you are and if there is a character from HP
series you feel would be great husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend
material, please tell us and explain why **with canon examples** please.

No, I am not excluding Snape, but again, please tell us why in your
view he would be great husband/boyfriend, somebody good for long term
relationship and/or marriage. >>

The argument that Snape would have been a good husband for Lily would
be different from the argument that Snape would be a good husband for
someone else.