The Student Room Group
I think its a bit to do with that as well.

However, Harry was able to block his mind from Voldemort when Dobby died because of his powerful emotions, so maybe Snape's grief for Lily acted the same way.
Reply 2
Also, if Snape was teaching Harry Occulemency (ok no idea of the spelling but you know what i'm getting at) then he must have been pretty darn good at it - and surely that's to do with not letting someone read your mind and know you are lying to them?
Reply 3
Bekaboo
Also, if Snape was teaching Harry Occulemency (ok no idea of the spelling but you know what i'm getting at) then he must have been pretty darn good at it - and surely that's to do with not letting someone read your mind and know you are lying to them?


Close, it's occlumency :biggrin:

And yeah, it seems a bit odd because we're repeatedly told how Voldemort is a good legilimens, yet he was unable to see through Snape. I guess Snape was just incredibly good at occlumency.
Reply 4
And it mght also be that Voldemort doesnt see anything in Snape that would make him good.

He thinks that Snape just desired Lily...whereas really he loved her and because of this was continuing to protect Harry.
Voldemort would'nt have got that.
Reply 5
Can Voldemort actually tell that? I got the impression that everytime Harry could see into his mind, he was always accusing somebody of being a liar, when they weren't lying. :s: He was a muppet in Book 7. :p:
Yeh old Voldy got a bit mental near the end - more than he already was like :tongue:
Reply 7
I dont believe he ever truly lied to Vold. He didn't like Harry but kept him safe. He gave Voldy the correct inside info, but enough to be worthwhile and yet not cause harm to the Order. In Chapter 1 of DH they look at each other but snape's expression is entirely fearless and truthful (which it was) which places emphasis on the cowardly accusation
Reply 8
The defence that every1 seems to be giving here is that Snape is immense at occlumency, however, in the order of the phoenix, when he was teaching Harry, Harry got really angry once and burst into Snape's mind. Surely if Harry is able to do so, Voldemort would have been able to do so as well.
Spider58
The defence that every1 seems to be giving here is that Snape is immense at occlumency, however, in the order of the phoenix, when he was teaching Harry, Harry got really angry once and burst into Snape's mind. Surely if Harry is able to do so, Voldemort would have been able to do so as well.


Yeah, interesting how they changed that in the film to Harry delving into Snape's memory through a pensieve.

I assume Snape just let his guard down for a second, and was certain never to do so around Voldy. It is said (by Dumbledore, I think?) that Snape is an extremely good Occlumens, hence why he teaches Harry.
Reply 10
Awww...I feel well bad that at the end of Book 6, Snape was so upset over being called a coward. He was probably doing the hardest tasks and being the most brave character out of all the books.
Reply 11
Barry C
I dont believe he ever truly lied to Vold.
A very good point. I don't remember Snape ever lying to Voldermort either (but it's been a while since I read the older HP books).
Reply 12
On a related note, I don't understand why Dumbledore didn't tell Snape his plans with Harry? Well, he did tell Snape about Harry having to die at the end, but only because Harry had to know.

I respect Snape because even though Dumbledore didn't tell him about everything, he didn't do anything stupid or go against him (which might have been hard not to do).
The combination of being good at occlumency and his love for Lily protected him, I think.
Reply 14
JaneThePain
The combination of being good at occlumency and his love for Lily protected him, I think.


Yup, thats about right
I agree
bruisepristine
Yeah, interesting how they changed that in the film to Harry delving into Snape's memory through a pensieve.


Harry did look into Snape's memories through a pensieve. Remember Snape's Worst Memory? That was the chapter where t'was all done. Snape was called out of the lesson I believe, and Harry was a nosey bugger.