Re: part 2 A centaur was made teacher – even Dumbledore wouldn't stoop that low.
I cannot remember where I read this, but JKR made some comments about the scene with the centaurs and it was pretty clear she meant to incorporate the classic tale. Plus, IIRC, that teacher was not involved in the incident with Umbridge, and in fact was driven out of the forest by the rest of the centaurs because he was too sympathetic to humans. I'd say we're getting way too far afield here, except that Granger's ruthlessness when it comes to inflicting harm needlessly and then refusing to reflect on the cost (particularly when it is specifically raised with her) *is* one of the big issues.
Why should she think about it when the topic doesn't come up? Her past moral mistakes have little to do with the efficiency of her actions. Severus teaches her tactics and for this he uses the Art of War.
?????? Wait, you wrote the chapter and had Snape bring it up to her in response to her criticism of the idea of the ends justifying the means. Her response was to quote The Art of War, and he cautions her about inspiring personal vendettas, whereupon she responds with general stubborness and nasties. I don't understand why you say the topic doesn't come up?
And Severus? You probably see him in a much more positive light than I do, although I love him very much, as you know.
It sounds like we certainly see him in a different light, and perhaps you are correct that mine is more positive. Because I *do* see him agonizing over past mistakes. And spending decades trying to fix the outcomes of his earlier mistakes, and so trying to teach Granger (as nobody taught him) to think about these things and their long-term consequences. We don't know if Snape would have listened had somebody put this much time into working with him, although I suspect he would have, given how starved for attention he was. But we *do* know that people *have* put that much time into working with Granger, and she refuses to listen and learn. Yes, she's young. But she's not that much younger than Snape was when he joined the Death Eaters and she's had boatloads more guidance.
He betrayed people to their death and only got second thoughts after he learned about their identity.
I do NOT agree with this statement. Frankly, I vehemently disagree with it. :-) The only people we ever see Snape betraying are the Death Eaters and Voldemort, to whom he gave his oath. Lily *told* him to go join the Death Eaters and cut off all ties with him. And there's no way he had any loyalty to Potter that would mean he betrayed either one of them.