CHAPTER DISCUSSION Chamber of Secrets Ch. 5. The Whomping Willow

[jerrichase]

No: HPFGUIDX 188800

Alla's question:
> > 3. What was your first impression of Whomping Willow? Did you expect for it to make another appearance in the series?
> 
> Montavilla47:
> I thought it was a cool idea.  I also thought it was funny that Snape
> was more concerned about the tree than about the kids.  I had no 
> idea it would become important later.

For some reason this discussion just made me realise, perhaps one reason that Snape was so upset is that he knew better than most that the Whomping Willow was put there to guard something!  The incounter that Harry and Ron had with this plant may well have brought his memories of "the prank" fully to the top of his mind, thus making him more emotional than normal.

I never thought that Snape seriously tried to get Harry expelled.  Even when I wasn't sure which side he was on, I felt he knew Dumbledore too well, and was certain that DD would always do everything in  his power to keep Harry at Hogwarts.  His making comments that sound like wanting to get Harry expelled were either to make Harry afraid/upset or to put memories of his actions into his mind that he could show to Lord Voldemort to demonstrate how much he disliked Harry or BOTH.  But, he knew his position in the pecking order.  He couldn't get Harry expelled as long as DD wanted him kept in school.

In fact the one time that Harry does something that may well have been worthy of being expelled, or at least suspended (his attack on Draco in the bathroom in HBP) is the one time that Snape never mentions expelling him!  Detentions that keep him from playing Quidditch, but not kicked out of school.  

If Snape had really wanted Harry out of Hogwarts, why didn't he suggest it when Harry had actually attacked someone in a way that could well have caused death?  Yes, it was selfdefense of a sort, but it would have been difficult for Harry to prove that.

Jerri