Another Observation about Harry's First Potions Lesson

[terri-testing.livejournal.com]

It’s been pointed out before, it’s very easy to read the series of questions in Harry’s first Potions lesson as Snape’s attempt, having pulled Potter up sharply for making faces with Ron (and given the whole class the salutary lessons “do the reading” and “I won’t favor someone even if other teachers are fawning over him”) to let the boy save face by getting an answer right. Others have commented before that the questions get progressively easier, more general, and more likely for a Muggle-educated child to know.

But I just noticed something else. Look closely at what happens after Harry fails to answer the second (bezoar) question.


“Thought you wouldn’t open a book before coming, eh, Potter?”

Harry forced himself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. He had looked thought his books at the Dursleys’, but did Snape expect him to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi?



Severus is a Legilimens, and Harry’s meeting his eyes.

But, of course, the set text for Potions is Arsenius Jigger’s Magical Draughts and Potions. Harry’s thinking about his Herbology text. Maybe the kid would do better with a botanical question?

Comments

[night-axe.livejournal.com]

Well, for one, Harry hates being made to feel stupid. His dislike of Draco began when Draco innocently expected him to know about Quidditch and such. This is more of the same, except that he assumes Snape's doing it on purpose. From Harry's POV it's obvious after he flubbed question #1 that he's never going to know the answer, but Snape keeps asking do you know this, do you know that, with sarcastic comments on Potter's ignorance. The point (as Harry sees it) must be to make him look foolish in front of the class. It's not that Harry thinks the other kids know more about potions, but he resents being put on the spot like that.