Snape and Harry

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 188935

Alla:
> 
> I guess I do not quite understand then how is  belief that Harry should have "shared his feelings of disgust for James behaviour" is not the same as demanding an apology from Harry for James' behavior.
*snip*
> It is still demanding from Harry to take responsibility for somebody else's actions, is it not?

Ceridwen:
Not the same thing at all.  Harry can share his feelings of disgust over the action without apologizing for it.  He can simply say, "Gee, that was really mean of them.  I'm disgusted."  He can say the same thing to Ron and Hermione without it being an apology, or to Dumbledore, or to Lupin, though if he said it to Lupin there would be some judgment there because Lupin was involved.  Judgment is not the same thing as an apology.  Nor is sharing an opinion.

Harry can't apologize for James.  Harry isn't James.  Only James can apologize for James.  Harry can have an opinion on James's actions, which is what disgust would be.  Now, some people might say that Harry can apologize for James since James is incapable of apologizing for himself, being dead and all, but I don't think he can.  Harry was never told by James that he regretted this action.  He would have nothing to go on other than his own feelings, which may or may not have been the same as James's.  He didn't know James so he couldn't even apologize based on what he knew first-hand, the way a parent might apologize for a tantruming child - and, the parent is responsible for the child while the child is not responsible for the parent.

I think that some readers regret the chance for some kind of reconciliation between Harry and Snape was right there but the moment passed without it being resolved.  By sharing his disgust over James's actions Harry might have been able to bridge the gap between him and Snape.  If he had apologized for his own action of Pensieve diving, that might have been more effective and believable because, after all, Harry was still shocked at his father's unexpected actions and perhaps unable to talk about his reaction until he'd processed it.  Just speaking of Harry here, not of Snape.

Ceridwen.