It was also a way of hitting back at Harry. Snape is still a vindictive man, after all, and I've no doubt he took some measure of satisfaction at the chance for vengeance. But there were also very, very good reasons there for what he did. Staying alive, for one. Don't forget, Snape is the one person on the side of Light who has to deal with Voldemort every day. He's a spy. Voldemort is not some distant enemy to be defeated in a far-away final battle to him. He's a fact of Snape's daily life, someone he has to report to and placate on a regular basis. Which, completely aside from the risks involved, is also enough to a legitimate stress for him not to want to have to deal with someone who hates him and can put him in danger on a regular basis. Not only does he have to spy, and teach, and risk his life, now he has to muck around in Harry Potter's head too? *I'd* be nasty under those circumstances.
*sighs* That memory. Sirius and Remus ... Okay. Harry had to grow up. He had to realise that ... well, he had to realise that nice does not always mean good, and good not always nice. The Marauders did what they did. They were kids. They didn't mean to almost kill Snape, but that's what almost happened. Snape was a kid. He did what he did. He didn't know when he joined what Voldemort was going to turn into, going to make him do. None of them knew, back then. If you blame any of them for their part, you have to blame all of them. If you forgive any of them for their part, you have to forgive all of them. Snape grew up, changed sides, learned how far he could push his hate. Sirius never had the chance, with Azkaban, but once he got out he did his best in the time allowed. And Remus ... Remus was always the weakest of them, but he did try.
*sigh* I shouldn't rant. But all those men and women, from the first war ... they all made their mistakes. They all lost something. And they all did their best to learn from them. Snape included. You don't have to like any of them. But for what they lived through, and for the side they came down on in the end ... I think you have to respect them. All of them.
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Date: 2010-02-15 09:31 pm (UTC)*sighs* That memory. Sirius and Remus ... Okay. Harry had to grow up. He had to realise that ... well, he had to realise that nice does not always mean good, and good not always nice. The Marauders did what they did. They were kids. They didn't mean to almost kill Snape, but that's what almost happened. Snape was a kid. He did what he did. He didn't know when he joined what Voldemort was going to turn into, going to make him do. None of them knew, back then. If you blame any of them for their part, you have to blame all of them. If you forgive any of them for their part, you have to forgive all of them. Snape grew up, changed sides, learned how far he could push his hate. Sirius never had the chance, with Azkaban, but once he got out he did his best in the time allowed. And Remus ... Remus was always the weakest of them, but he did try.
*sigh* I shouldn't rant. But all those men and women, from the first war ... they all made their mistakes. They all lost something. And they all did their best to learn from them. Snape included. You don't have to like any of them. But for what they lived through, and for the side they came down on in the end ... I think you have to respect them. All of them.