Snape's Psychology: WAS: More thoughts on the Elder Wand subplot - Owner?

[julie]

No: HPFGUIDX 187439


> 
> Alla:
> But the thing is though as much as those situations seem similar to you they are drastically different from the one we were discussing as far as I am concerned.  Therefore these things do not follow logically to me not just because of my emotional reactions to them, but also because I would find it **illogical** to react to them in the same way. 
> 
> I am extremely satisfied at Snape being killed as carmic punishment for all he did to Harry first and foremost and second because I am pleased that third generation of Potters, Weasleys and Grangers will not have to undergo his wrath. Yeah, yeah I know it is just a story. I am still delighted every time I imagine that kids get to study in the Hogwarts without Snape.

Julie:
As I recall (and correct me if I'm wrong), you believe Snape
atoned for his Death Eater days and for relaying the Prophecy
to Voldemort by turning to Dumbledore, and working for 17 years
to protect Harry (and later, saving all those he could). But you
think Snape was still very guilty of being abusive to Harry at
Hogwarts, both in and out of class. And that is why you are 
satisfied with his death and feel no sympathy for him or for
his suffering while he died.

Alla:
(I'm switching your paragraphs so I can respond briefly to the
second paragraph first...if that makes sense!)

> But the situation we were discussing, to me is so drastically different that I do not see any logic in comparing my reaction at all. Petunia as far as I am concerned did not do anything wrong here, so why would I be satisfied here?<

Julie:
I suppose some found it humorous that child Snape dropped the
branch on Petunia the same way some found it humorous that 
Hagrid put a pig tail on Dudley, or that the twins baited 
Dudley with the toffee. In neither case with Dudley did he 
do anything wrong at the moment (though in Petunia's case she
was actually being quite insulting to Severus). But we as 
readers know that Dudley is a little snot and if he doesn't
deserve the treatment he gets for anything in the moment, 
some see it as justice nonetheless for previous and later
actions. 

Alla: (back to paragraph one)
> And same thing with Petunia, although as much as I dislike her, contrary to Snape I would not be happy to see her dead. But little knocking on her head for all she did to Harry? Yes, did not bother me at all.

Julie: 
It didn't bother me that Petunia got knocked on the head either.
But what I really what to address is the fact that while you
dislike Petunia for her treatment towards Harry, you don't wish
to see her dead, but you did wish to see Snape dead for his 
treatment of Harry. That is a position that I don't hold at
all and it honestly confuses me.

Granted Snape was not nice to Harry. He was mean, vindictive,
and verbally abusive at times. But Snape was only Harry's 
teacher (and his protector as we later learned). Harry wanted
and expected nothing from Snape except to be taught what he 
needed to know (and if he'd been in the loop, perhaps for
Snape to watch over his physical safety). And to be treated
with some dignity.

I have no argument that Snape failed as a teacher to Harry
at least in part, and failed to treat Harry with dignity.
I will even agree that this was hurtful to Harry, if only in
a minor way, given that one teacher generally falls quite
a far behind in importance compared to friends and family.
Especially family.

And that is where Petunia comes in. Petunia took Harry in
grudgingly, then proceeded to house him in a cupboard, work
him like a slave, dress him only in several sizes too large
hand down clothing, deny him gifts and holiday celebrations
and most family outings. In fact she willingly and completely
ostracized him from any meaningful sense of family, made it
clear he was an interloper, and denied him the most basic comfort,
that of a parent's affection. For nearly ten years, while she 
was his guardian, his mother-figure and his AUNT, she denied
him any love whatsoever.

Being an aunt myself, what she did to Harry is unimaginable. 
And far more hurtful and emotionally-scarring than anything
Snape could ever do to him (Unless you count Snape telling
Voldemort the prophecy, but again, he did his best to undo
that action, and in the end it was Peter Pettigrew, and
Voldemort, who denied Harry his parents and tried to deny
him his life). Harry may be unnaturally resilient, but the
first thing he said when Dumbledore brought up Petunia taking
him in (OotP) was that "She doesn't love me! She doesn't give
a damn---"  

I still remember feeling Harry's pain and bewilderment in that
moment. How much worse can it be than someone who is supposed to
raise you and care for you doesn't give even the tinest damn?
Snape has nothing, absolutely nothing on Petunia when it comes
to meanness. And Petunia never regretted her treatment of Harry, never repudiated her actions toward him. At least Snape did
experience regret, even if it was intially only for Lily.   

So to me, Snape paid back most of what he owed Harry, by
protecting him and spying for Dumbledore, and by saving
those he could and helping to bring down Voldemort. Did he
repay everything he owed? Maybe not, given he never looked
at Harry and recognized his unjust bias and meanness toward
the boy, nor apologized for it (though he also never got
the opportunity, something I think was a mistake on JKR's
part--not whether Snape *would* have recognized his errors
and apologized--but that he was not given the opportunity).
But at least he made the effort, and quite a painful and
costly one it was in the end. Petunia, OTOH, never made 
any effort that we saw, and got off scot-free for her crime.

Which is why I have plenty of sympathy for Snape, dying in
agony with his throat all but ripped out, a gross overpayment
IMO for the balance sheet of his life, and only disgust for
Petunia, whose bump on the head didn't begin to pay the debt
on her balance sheet. And why I feel certain in the afterlife
Dumbledore so looked forward to experiencing, Snape will be
rewarded, and Petunia will see little in the way of reward. 

Julie