Somewhere in Hogwarts Castle, the summer before the 5th Book:
Dumbeldore: now, let’s discuss this year’s 5th year prefects
Magonigill: I recommend Herminie Grandure for Giffindor house
Snape: Malfoy will expect me to recommend his son
Dumbeldore: you must keep up appearances with him and the other Death Eaters. Draco will be a Slitherin prefect
Magonigill: Then I recommend Harry Potter for Giffindor!
Snape: I hardly think Potter needs MORE of an excuse to go wondering off where he shouldn’t be.
Dumbeldore: He’s right, we need a prefect who can help keep an eye on Harry now that Voldermont is back.
Magonigill: (sigh) Ronald Weasly then
Author: JK Rowling
Once again Dumbeldore’s inaction is the root of all the problems. If Dumbeldore had just sat Harry down and had a talk with him explaining things a bit we could have avoided a whole mess of problems in this book and future books. I can just picture the scene:
“Harry, You know, I believe, that your parents were at Hogwarts the same time as Professor Snape?”
“Yeah, I know he hated my dad.”
“It is true they did not get along, but that does not mean that Snape reveled in their deaths. On the contrary, the deaths of his schoolmates is what made Snape see just how evil Voldermont truly was.”
“Snape turned against the Death Eaters because. . . because of my parents?”
“Yes Harry. I know Snape is not your favorite teacher, nor are you his favorite student, but I tell you that you can trust Professor Snape with your life.”
See? See Dumbeldore? See how we ended all this pointless hostility without betraying Snape’s personal life? and nobody had to die!
I like that JK Rowling doesn’t make Harry perfect, but I just have a problem with the fact that the climax here is 100% Harry’s fault! Harry’s study group, poking around Snape’s memories, and worst of all, not trusting Snape!
I don’t blame Harry for starting the defense study group, and naming it “Dumbeldore’s Army” was very cutie. A recipe for disaster, but very cutie. Seriously Harry, you kids weren’t THAT careful, you shouldn’t have been surprised that news leaked, and then having a secret club called “Dumbeldore’s Army” well, no wonder Dumbledore got in trouble.
Why would you invade Snape’s privacy? You thought he would put the memories of his supper secret evil plain in the open where Dumbeldore could see it? Come on! and when you did see his memory of being bullied by your dad, did you apologizes for invading his privacy? Sympathize and explain to him that your cousin bullies you? Apologize on your father’s behalf? Nope, you blame Snape more. I know Harry is a teenage boy, but how can you be that dumb?
Stop being suspicious of Snape! For five years you were convinced that Snape was up to something, and for five years you have been wrong! Snape has done nothing to warrant your suspicion. Harry loves Dumbeldore despite the man constantly throwing him into death traps, but Harry hates Snape who has done nothing but try to keep him safe. You have F-up emotional attachments Harry!
Snape is awesome! He keeps his cool when Harry almost blows it, with that “snuffles” line, and he does the logical thing and handles the situation like an adult. If Harry has just ONCE trusted Snape- a man who earned your trust way more than Dumbledore ever did- the climax of this story would never have happened. I know that we need it to happen, but Harry is almost 100% responsible for the death of his godfather, and he NEVER takes ownership of that guilt. Not at the end of this book, or the start of the next. You’re a jerk Harry.
Odd Librarian Out 
I gave up after book 2, but why do so many ‘great books’, for this age group at least rely on the protagonist’s first opinion of someone? Someone walks into you in a crowd – blame them for the destruction of the universe.
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