Harry Potter: final predictions

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yeah, I mean what kind of argument is that a character can't be in the "good" camp (or slightly more good, if you prefer) if he holds decade long grudges?! What does that matter? As LOTM said, he has plenty to hate about Harry.

Furthermore, Snape helps Harry a good deal in learning about Occlumency, which is necessary to fight Voldemort. At the end of HBP, he even gives Harry a quick lesson in that he cannot hope to win unless he closes his mind. And, of course, he saves Harry's life in the first book.

[Sandman]

Fudge is just an example of the there-is-no-problem bureaucratic mindset, he's not ambiguous exactly.

Snape actually says in book 6 that he thought that Harry might be a dark wizard he and the other ex-Death Eaters could rally around. Remember the Malfoys try to be friendly with Harry. Strange behaviour towards someone that destroyed their master. Until you remember that they're not so much loyal to Voldemort as in thrall to him, simultaneously afraid of and fascinated by him.

He's just a more refined version of Peter Pettigrew.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Furthermore, Snape helps Harry a good deal in learning about Occlumency, which is necessary to fight Voldemort. At the end of HBP, he even gives Harry a quick lesson in that he cannot hope to win unless he closes his mind. And, of course, he saves Harry's life in the first book.

Harry himself feels as if Snape's Occlumency is making him weaker, and Snape abruptly halts the lessons when Harry uses the pensieve. His hatred is given precedence over whatever Dumbledore's orders were.

[Solver]

At the end of HBP, he even gives Harry a quick lesson in that he cannot hope to win unless he closes his mind.

Questionable. It can be seen as a quick lesson, but it can be equally well seen as taunting.

Harry himself feels as if Snape's Occlumency is making him weaker, and Snape abruptly halts the lessons when Harry uses the pensieve. His hatred is given precedence over whatever Dumbledore's orders were.

Harry has tried to blame Snape at every opportunity since his first year. Besides, it was Ron's idea that Snape is trying to weaker Harry, IIRC. And it's hard to blame Snape for throwing Harry out after he saw the memory... anyone would be extraordinarily ticked off in the situation. Of course, personal dislike was also a factor.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I'm with Solver on that one. Personal dislike was a factor but BLATANTLY invading someone's privacy like that would cause most to go off the handle. Regardless of "orders".

It can be seen as a quick lesson, but it can be equally well seen as taunting.

True, but I choose to see it as the former.

[Solver]

Well, as a lesson, it wasn't too valuable. I'm sure Harry could figure himself that Snape was deflecting spells so easily because Harry can't do them with his mouth and mind closed.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Well, at the time it wasn't like Snape could sit down and say Potter, this is what you have to do! He was reminding him how much he still needs to learn. If Snape could do that, imagine what Voldemort, the best Legilimans in the world (allegedly), could do?

[Solver]

I'm just saying, Snape could have said something more useful. Maybe a subtle hint to something that might help against Voldemort.

I look forward to reading the meeting between Harry and Snape in DH. If Snape tries to explain himself, that'd be quite a scene...

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Sandman
Snape actually says in book 6 that he thought that Harry might be a dark wizard he and the other ex-Death Eaters could rally around.

yes, but hes saying that to bellatrix lestrange, and narcissa Malfoy, he could hardly admit to having been loyal to Dumbledore, now could he? Of course JKR also wrote that, quite aware of the debates around Snape, and probably threw it out deliberately to strengthen the "snape is still a deatheater" camp, to keep things uncertain, to retain the shock of the end of HBP, and to keep us waiting for DH.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Sandman

His hatred is given precedence over whatever
Dumbledore's orders were.

Yes, and people on the "good side" never let their emotions get the better of their duty, do they?

[hexagonian]

Originally posted by Solver
I look forward to reading the meeting between Harry and Snape in DH. If Snape tries to explain himself, that'd be quite a scene...

Snape really doesn't have to explain himself...he could be at the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort, and then fire off a spell at Voldemort.

I was trying to figure out some sort of potential link between Lily and Snape, but the only passage I could recall where the two interacted (where Lilly tells James to stop tormenting Snape) has Snape calling Lily a Mudblood. Still, she may have rejected him earlier in a scene to be revealed in DH.

My totally off-the-wall theory that probably is 99% false (and I know this is totally wacky), but who knows...

The connection between Lily and Snape has something to do with Petunia.

Originally posted by Solver I'm with Solver on that one. Personal dislike was a factor but BLATANTLY invading someone's privacy like that would cause most to go off the handle. Regardless of "orders".

On the flipside, Harry probably felt that Snape was not playing on a level playing field because Snape took that one memory and stored it in the Pensieve. Harry could have never seen that memory through Occlumency.

Actually, I'm not so sure why Snape was so disturbed that the memory was revealed - other than because Harry was taking his usual shortcuts...

It was exactly the type of memory that reinforces Snape's feelings about James as a bully. Harry was always protecting his dad in front of Snape - that memory shatters Harry's preconceptions about his Dad's character.

At that point, Snape gets the upper hand...

[Imran Siddiqui]

But it is also one of his more embarrassing memories. Where Snape is shown to be weak and helpless. And now Harry has seen him in that state.

[Solver]

Snape really doesn't have to explain himself...he could be at the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort, and then fire off a spell at Voldemort.

I believe Harry and Snape will meet before the final confrontation. It would be a shame to only see Snape towards the end.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
yes, but hes saying that to bellatrix lestrange, and narcissa Malfoy, he could hardly admit to having been loyal to Dumbledore, now could he? Of course JKR also wrote that, quite aware of the debates around Snape, and probably threw it out deliberately to strengthen the "snape is still a deatheater" camp, to keep things uncertain, to retain the shock of the end of HBP, and to keep us waiting for DH.

Yes, but as I said, the Malfoys were initially warm towards Harry. And in this section, Snape is admitting quite freely not being 'loyal' to Voldemort, but to dark magic in general.

Yes, and people on the "good side" never let their emotions get the better of their duty, do they?

How could someone on the 'good' side not have noticed that Harry was shocked as well (and indeed was empathising with Snape)?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Then again, just because Harry and Snape don't meet until the end doesn't mean we won't see Snape throughout the book.

Btw, I think it'd be great (Rowling won't do this, but... I can imagine) to do a Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead / Ender's Shadow like book about the Harry Potter epic through the eyes of Snape (if he actually do turn out to be good in the end).