Comments | deathtocapslock: The (Mis)Education of Harry James Potter

condwiramurs in deathtocapslock

The (Mis)Education of Harry James Potter - Part I

Aug 13, 2015 13:44

I promise I’ll be continuing my “Indestructible” series soon. I’m working on another long piece, but I got slightly distracted in the middle of it. ;) Plus there’s my dissertation calling ( Read more... )

meta, teaching, author: condwiramurs, harry potter, albus dumbledore, severus snape, morality

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Severus and the Slytherins terri_testing August 17 2015, 06:13:03 UTC

So a part of me wanted to argue, "But if Severus were not rather insensitive to anything beyond protecting his charges' bodies, if he were concerned about their moral growth as well, why did he fail so miserably with his Slytherins ( ... )

Re: Severus and the Slytherins: Quidditch terri_testing August 17 2015, 07:22:01 UTC

It's really in Quidditch that we can see most clearly the difference that Albus made to the Slytherins. It's the only place at school where, once a year at least, Harry has to notice Slytherins who aren't Draco ( ... )

Re: Severus and the Slytherins: Quidditch condwiramurs August 17 2015, 16:11:43 UTC

Yes, precisely. One of the - I don't know if it's simply an example of collateral damage, or an actual secondary target here - one of the unspoken casualties of Albus' game for Harry's soul is the relationship between Severus and his Slytherins, their respect for him and his ability to guide them effectively. And thus protect them from Voldemort, as well as other moral hazards ( ... )

Collateral damage or secondary target? terri_testing August 19 2015, 04:26:18 UTC

Secondary target, definitely. Remember what Swythyv noted, that Albus hated and targeted his "inner Slytherin."

Well, he killed it.

Utterly.

After his shining example, no Slytherin in canon, EVER, ever admits publicly to any ambition that isn't completely self-referential.

Re: Collateral damage or secondary target? condwiramurs August 19 2015, 15:07:38 UTC

Ouch. Yes.

Plus, this has the (subconscious, I'm sure) benefit of leaving them prey to Voldemort and thus continuing the threat that he uses to claim power for himself. And it nicely puts a certain restive minion back in his place and keeps him manipulable.

And very very conveniently gives Harry plenty of proof to support those biases Hagrid fed him at his introduction to the ww, confirming the Headmaster's view of things as correct.

Damn it.

Re: Severus and the Slytherins jana_ch August 19 2015, 07:31:09 UTC

But still, it's canon that all the Slytherins are all cheating scum. Start to finish. Can't find, in canon, a one of the Slytherin students under Snape's tutelage worth spitting on if they were on fire.There are very few Slytherin students whose actions and allegiances we know in any sort of detail. How many do we see cheating? I mean really cheating, not just playing a rough game of Quidditch? And really, how many are Voldemort supporters ( ... )

Re: Severus and the Slytherins condwiramurs August 19 2015, 15:11:10 UTC

JKR certainly means us to see all Slytherin students, without exception, as cheaters, bullies, and incipient Death Eaters, but she shows us only a few.

Yeah, there are several Slytherins we really know almost nothing about. Including their allegiances and attitude toward Harry. And none of the "good guys" ever makes room for them or invites any of them to the table to see if they can be won over - they're immediately identified as enemies on the basis of House and shunned.

That's...not really going to give even the best of them any motivation whatsoever to do more than, at best, ignore Harry and co.

Which, we do see them do.

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