Re: part 2, continued
But talking about what Snape and Granger have in common...
One of those things is that they both treated Neville terribly. I will never understand how people criticize how Snape treated Neville and talk about how Snape made it so hard for him to concentrate by hovering over him, yet gloss right over how Granger made it hard for him to concentrate by "hissing instructions" at him, etc., when he should be concentrating on his cauldron and the written instructions. Instead of encouraging Neville, she reinforced Neville's insecurities over whether he was too stupid to learn how to make potions on his own. In addition to undermining his confidence repeatedly, Granger was one of the group that hexed him in first year and was rewarded with points for doing it.
I admit, though, that I've always suspected there's a lot more to Snape's treatment of Neville that's attributable to Neville's parents than Snape's treatment of Harry is attributable to Harry's father. Harry brings most of it on himself. The only way Neville brings it on himself is to allow Granger and the other Gryffindors to bully him (which we saw DID send Snape right through the ceiling). But you know, there are stories out there that have Neville's parents gleefully taking advantage of those loosened restrictions on aurors that Alastor Moody complained about, and using them on Snape or others. They are quite believable and fit squarely into what we know of the canon about VoldyWarI, if a little stomach-turning. And it would explain the almost hysterical reaction we sometimes saw out of Snape when it came to Neville.
My bottom line: Snape did not belong in a classroom teaching Gryffindors and Slytherins together. He did not have what it took took to manage it. And Dumbledore was not only negligent as an administrator, but cruel to both the children and Snape in setting it up that way.
But Snape's failings do not refuse Granger's self-righteous refusal to try and learn. ;-)