[HPforGrownups] Re: Voldemort's Intentions & Snape's Expectations

[Shelley]

No: HPFGUIDX 189813


> On 11/29/2010 10:38 PM, Mike wrote:
>> I don't know that memorizing a bunch of curses makes Severus a genius. Smart guy I'll grant, and probably powerfully magical; though we really don't get to see him in action other than against kids and that master of showmanship and little else, Gilderoy Lockhart.
>>
>> He did invent his own spells, well, at least Sectumsempra. But at the time of Snape asking LV to save Lily, I don't see LV recognizing anything out of Snape other than he overheard a prophesy and would probably make a good spy.
> Bart:
>       Let's see. A 10 year old having a knowledge of curses on the level
> of advanced 17 year olds is pretty impressive. Creating methodologies
> for potions that were easier and more effective than those in the
> advanced textbook is pretty impressive, too. His occlumancy skills are
> such that Morty doesn't even know that Snape is hiding his thoughts. And
> note that, other than Morty, he is the only wizard who managed to learn
> the "flying without a broomstick" method. Just to name a few things off
> the top of my head.
>
>       Bart
Shelley:
I get the idea that "extraordinary" witches and wizards are uncommon, 
and people bragging about them may tend to exaggerate their abilities. 
Take Hermione, who's main talent is research, and through it knows a lot 
about the castle even though she's a Muggle-born. Snape, upon entrance 
to school, had the ability to also do research and the drive and desire 
to do so. When you are aiming to be the top of your class, you do a lot 
of homework outside of class that isn't assigned, and thus you learn 
things "before your school teaches you that subject." We don't know if 
he was a "genius" per se, because a lot of mistaken genius to other 
people isn't so much a high IQ or high natural talent as much as a "fair 
amount" of IQ or raw talent coupled with a STRONG drive and desire to 
use one's talents. (The twins are a perfect example.) My girls get that 
a lot. Having been homeschooled before entering public school, they have 
a lot of knowledge and a good foundation academically. In the public 
school, they have a lot of ambition, and because of it they are straight 
A students. Yes, they get bragged about as "geniuses" by their fellow 
classmates, but I know their true IQ and their background, and know that 
90% of it is just drive or ambition to be the best. And yes, people tend 
to exaggerate how smart they really are, because they stick out from the 
crowd, as Snape must have.

Snape comes from a poor home, and to get anywhere, he has to be 
recognized as the top of his class. It's his one shot at being somebody. 
I don't think that he has some special talent that others couldn't 
possess, but like the rest of life, a lot of people are pretty content 
"being average" and don't push themselves to their full ability level. 
Don't mistake me as saying Snape has no talent, I didn't say that, but I 
do think his talent isn't at the genius level. I think a lot of other 
talented witches or wizards could have done the same thing if they were 
motivated to. Most people don't have a reason to need to invent new 
spells, because there is a negative social stigma about it, as we see 
with Luna's parents. Do it too often, and you are branded a loony. It 
takes guts to distinguish yourself as different in a crowd, and Snape 
did that. That is what his real talent was- he didn't care what other 
people thought, and so it didn't limit his ability to learn or create. 
It's amazing what talent you see displayed in young children if you 
don't present them a (false?) measuring stick that says "curses are 
learned in (this year or grade level)". I've seen that time and time 
again in homeschooling, when my kids "got" some level of learning that 
they would not have been taught or expected to learn until a later year 
if they were in a public school.

About the flying without a broom idea- watch the progress made in 
sports. Often, there is a standard like the 4 minute mile that is 
considered a limitation, until someone breaks it. Then, everyone is 
shooting for that new level or skill, because it's been "proven" to be 
possible. It's people's minds that hold them back, and I wouldn't be 
surprised to see the following year a handful of Hogwarts children doing 
this stunt, as if it were possible all along. Adults are shocked by it, 
but the kids would just accept that it IS POSSIBLE, and therefore, they 
just need to figure out how to do it too!