mary_j_59

I would say that the fact that Harry doesn't learn anything from Snape is Harry's fault, and Harry's alone. Why? Because when Harry encounters Snape's teachings in his second-hand potions book, he laps it up! He praises 'the Prince' for being such a good teacher ("far better than Snape" - oh, the irony!) Ergo: Harry will only learn from people he *likes*. He likes Lupin (because Lupin is nice, charming, a link to his father and Lupin makes him feel special, giving him extracurricular lessons about Patronusses, Patroni?) He likes 'the Prince' because he sounds like a rebellious schoolboy - and thus Harry identifies with him - and with his illicit help he can cheat his way through Potions. He dislikes Snape and thus Harry slams down his brain when around the man and *refuses* to accept *anything* the man says of does as truth (which is ironic because Snape is one of the most ruthfully truthful persons in that whole world. It is just never the truth Harry wants to hear, but that's another issue) It's amazing; even in the first book, during his very first lesson, before Snape even adressed him, Harry and Ron raise their eyebrows during Snape's speech. And for six years after that Harry has consistantly rolled his eyes, talked cheekily back and openly challenged Snape in class. And he has consistantly *refuses* to learn anything from Snape. One only wishes Harry could slamdunk his brain shut around Voldemort as he does around Snape in class!
The only things Harry excells at are Quidditch and DADA. Quidditch is fun and DADA is necessary to survive Voldemort. The rest holds nada interest for Harry and he, stupid arrogant lazy boy that he is, dismisses it.

We see the WW through Harry's eyes. *Harry* thinks Snape is a rotten teacher, because Harry *wants* to see Snape as a rotten teacher.

Nobody said Snape was a *nice* teacher or indeed a *nice* person. Lupin is nice, yes, but Snape isn't. But, to speak in the immortal words of Stephen Sondheim: "nice is different from good".