When Snape says “You almost died today, Potter”, what does he mean? Maybe it’s because I’m not a native speaker, but I can’t understand that part. My best guess is that Snape got so upset with what Harry said that he almost killed him in his rage. But that seems very counterintuitive to me.
That was always my interpretation, unless I’m thinking of some other chapter. What’s counterintuitive about it?
It doesn’t fit my model of human behavior. But that’s possibly just me.
I’d imagine that if Snape got really angry, but it’s only because Harry offended him without knowing, well, he wouldn’t be close to harming him. I guess it would be appropriate to say “you almost died” if it’s not true, but then Harry acted as if Snape might reconsider his decision to not kill him, rather than being just apologetic, or something like that. Or maybe he was indeed, and I am likely to be underestimating the strength of the impact that Harry’s words had on Snape.
But if others interpreted it like me, then I got it right. Hmm.
Cannon!Snape has loved Lily since the two of them were children—considerably longer than 11 years. I don’t think it’s unrealistic at all. While I wouldn’t call such a love typical human behavior, it’s also not particularly rare. There are thousands of people who still profess love for Princess Di for example.
I doubt that it was telling Snape what an idiot he is that angered him, but rather saying Lily was shallow and unworthy.
I agree that it’s weird that someone who could carry a torch for that long would stop just because an 11 year old boy gave them random advice. I think it’s likely that when Snape kills Dumbledore, it’s going to be because of his love for Lily and Dumbledore’s interference in that. His love hasn’t diminished at all.
Cannon!Snape has loved Lily since the two of them were children—considerably longer than 11 years. I don’t think it’s unrealistic at all.
I don’t think it’s particularly unrealistic coming from some unspecified hypothetical character who’s just heard the love they’ve been harboring for more than half their life insulted, but I would find it pretty weird if Snape said that to Harry in that situation, and he wasn’t exaggerating. Anyone who’d commit murder in that situation would either have to be profoundly lacking in restraint, or possessed by a really maniacal level of infatuation.
I suspect Snape was engaging in hyperbole, because if he wasn’t my judgment of his character is completely out of whack.
That was always my interpretation, unless I’m thinking of some other chapter. What’s counterintuitive about it?
It doesn’t fit my model of human behavior. But that’s possibly just me.
I’d imagine that if Snape got really angry, but it’s only because Harry offended him without knowing, well, he wouldn’t be close to harming him. I guess it would be appropriate to say “you almost died” if it’s not true, but then Harry acted as if Snape might reconsider his decision to not kill him, rather than being just apologetic, or something like that. Or maybe he was indeed, and I am likely to be underestimating the strength of the impact that Harry’s words had on Snape.
But if others interpreted it like me, then I got it right. Hmm.
Cannon!Snape has loved Lily since the two of them were children—considerably longer than 11 years. I don’t think it’s unrealistic at all. While I wouldn’t call such a love typical human behavior, it’s also not particularly rare. There are thousands of people who still profess love for Princess Di for example.
I doubt that it was telling Snape what an idiot he is that angered him, but rather saying Lily was shallow and unworthy.
I agree that it’s weird that someone who could carry a torch for that long would stop just because an 11 year old boy gave them random advice. I think it’s likely that when Snape kills Dumbledore, it’s going to be because of his love for Lily and Dumbledore’s interference in that. His love hasn’t diminished at all.
I don’t think it’s particularly unrealistic coming from some unspecified hypothetical character who’s just heard the love they’ve been harboring for more than half their life insulted, but I would find it pretty weird if Snape said that to Harry in that situation, and he wasn’t exaggerating. Anyone who’d commit murder in that situation would either have to be profoundly lacking in restraint, or possessed by a really maniacal level of infatuation.
I suspect Snape was engaging in hyperbole, because if he wasn’t my judgment of his character is completely out of whack.