Harry and Snape

[*Lily*]

With my luck, someone else will have already said this somewhere in some other forum and I'll just be repeating so apologies!

When Harry entered the pensieve with Snape's thoughts in it and saw how awful his father had been to him I couldn't help thinking why doesn't he make amends with Snape? I mean Snape hates him because he is his father's son so why can't Harry say "hey I'm his son, I'm not him. personally I was appalled at what my father did to you but I'm not him and we're on the same side in this war so couldn't we just grow up and move on?"

I think JKR added the bit about the pensieve because something WILL happen between Harry and Snape but will things get worse or will things get better? Of course I don't think everything will become peachy, I'm only hoping for less hostility, a little more peace and for Snape to resume Occulmancy lessons so Harry won't be fooled again, not think he'd fall for it again... I'm not asking for hugs and laughter here! maybe just a handshake....

ok I'm rambling.... sorry

[Phinea Rogue]

I don't think that their relationship will ever change, Snape just doesn't seem the type to change and it's not Harry's fault how they are getting along. Before OotP I thought that there may be some hope, but after the Pensieve-scene and that scene when Harry is talking to Draco and Snape emerges on a staircase, it seems that their mutual hatred is too strong. But well, everything is possible, maybe in the end there will be some "civil" relationship between them.

[Athena Appleton]

I don't think Snape and Harry will ever be close, by any means. But I do think they will come to a kind of mutual understanding where they don't like each other, there's probably still going to be snide comments and general rudeness on both sides, but they have a sort of grudging respect for each other.

As far as what Harry sees in the Pensieve, yes, it was the first time it occurred to him that his father was not all morning glory, but I don't think there's a chance that Harry, at any point, saw Snape with new eyes after that, and felt apologetic to him at all. Snape was, after all, the adult in the situation, and he was resorting to some pretty childish, mean tricks, including discarding the hard work Harry did in Potions class with a wave of his wand, and just... well, just being a jerk.

Old habits die hard, and even if Harry and Snape come to a sort of understanding, underneath it all, they dislike each other. They have very conflicting personalities.

I think modern entertainment has taught us that the "bad guy" isn't complex, and he either dies, goes to prison, or realizes the error of his ways. Rowling doesn't seem to go along with this. Her hero, even though he definately has some good qualities, is flawed. And I think there are some very complex reasons as to why Snape is the way he is. All that won't be settled and fit perfectly at the end of the story.

[Groo]

hmm....nice topic lily

firstly, i dont think there will be a spoken compromise between snape and Harry, since both of them are too stubborn to admit that they are being rude intentionally. secondly, after the pensieve, seeing snape's reaction of uncontrolled fury, i think harry did right to not raise the topic again. snape wouldnt have been able to talk with Harry sensibly if he had started any sentence with.. "sorry bout the pensieve and what i saw .."

[carsten]

IMHO their relationsship cannot remain as it is, because it would be an unsettled element in the story.
It is an interesting question, Lily. Starting from hatred, where can this lead to? Open hostility? That could mean Snape changing sides. Respect? That would almost be a kind of happy ending. Dependency between the two for achieving a common goal? That's what they seem to be condemned to.

Haven't made up my mind yet. *scratches his head *

Carsten

[D.A. Member]

I think that Snape might have a big part in one of the up coming fights with LV. Maybe he will do something for Harry or Harry will do something for Snape that will cause some sort of peace treaty between them. Although if Harry did do something to save Snape, Snape would probably make some snide remark about Harry just showing off I don't know.
As far as Snape switching sides....I don't see it happening. I think he has too much respect for DD. I have a feeling that DD would really be mad if Snape did that and I don't think that anyone would want DD to be mad at them. Maybe LV has seen him mad before and thats why he's so afraid of him
In the next book I think that DD will be giving Harry the Occulmancy Lessons. We've seen Snape's worst memory, now maybe we'll see a few bad memories of DD or stuff DD doesn't want Harry to know
( Excellent topic Lily I'll be thinking about this all day)
ps you would think that Snape would realize that Harry is not cocky like his father was. He saw what it was like for Harry to grow up with the Dursleys...

[Deedra Malfoy]

Yeah Groo! I agree!

Mutual understanding is good.

[Marcus Baker]

I think that Snape might have a big part in one of the up coming fights with LV. Maybe he will do something for Harry or Harry will do something for Snape that will cause some sort of peace treaty between them.

I was thinking of something along these lines as well. maybe in the 7th novel, Snape will release some info about Voldemort since he was a former death eater.

However, i do agree with carsten:

IMHO their relationsship cannot remain as it is, because it would be an unsettled element in the story

This is true. I wouldnt be a good book if there wasent any change between Harry and Snape. I was edging towards the better side of Snape, I mean, he is on the same side, and Im not a fan of "Snape as the undercover Order memeber". I think their relationship will improve.

[*Lily*]

Wow- what a reaction! everybody has got some great points here. I really do think their relationship HAS to get better, I mean it can't get worse can it?

[pallas artemis]

I'm still not convinced Snape is entirely on the good side. I'm stubborn!! I don't see their relationship improving and it could be the final straw that pushes Snape back to LV

[Marcus Baker]

True, howevere we really dont know the primary reason why Snape is not on voldemorts side anymore, even though he was a Death Eater. I mean, consequences could be deadly if you betray Voldemort, so he has to have quite a good reason to leave him. Anyways, Id say if he did return, he would be instantly killed for not showing loyalty. I dont think he really can go back to Voldemorts side, even if he he shows strong animosity towards Harry.

[*Lily*]

But no one on LV's side knows he hasn't been loyal! do you think IF he went back He'd be all like "Oh guess what I haven't been loyal to you?" but I like your point that he would have had to had a strong reason to switch sides.

[Gower]

I can't imagine a way in which their relationship would improve. Snape saved Harry's life in the first book and that didn't help. I bet if Harry saved Snape's life later that would only make it worse; Snape wouldn't be able to bear living in Harry's debt.
Then again it's hard to see how their relationship could worsen, if Snape starts using curses on Harry during potions lessons, that would get a bit silly

[Deedra Malfoy]

Pallas, your hurting my sparse hopes!

[Evil Wizard Petting Zoo]

I'd like to see Snape and Harry reconcile, but I doubt it will happen. Even if they do see eye-to-eye near the end, there won't be any laughing over a Gobstones game or long chats in front of the fire. Snape is a Slytherin and Harry is a Gryffindor. That makes a lot of difference in their relationship too. If Snape has truly gone on the good side, then maybe that's another reason why he hated James, because James never believed it (I'm getting this from the part where Sirius says he doesn't think Snape's reformed). So Snape feels frustrated that he is now a good guy and nobody believes it. And I'm sure Snape knows that the trio doesn't trust him completely.