After having finished his tirade, Snape stepped forward and gripped the front of Harry’s robe, hissing agitatedly to his face:
”You, Mr Potter, should expect things… You should not, at your age, display that resigned attitude… By Merlin! With everything you have achieved, you should be allowed to… You should expect great things out of life!”
Harry stared at his teacher. It truly sounded as if Snape, in his own way, was expressing some benevolence towards Harry. It confused him.
”I do expect things in life… I think…” Harry mumbled uncertainly and recoiled from Snape, shocked by his teacher’s vehemence. ”I mean, I suppose when it comes to Christmas presents, I never will learn to expect them. The Christmas that I spent at Hogwarts in my first year was the first time I got one. Mrs Weasley had knitted me a jumper. I was surprised and overwhelmed by the fact that she had done that for me. And that’s pretty much the feeling I still have today when I receive presents. I’m delighted and moved but although I’m almost certain that I will get presents from my friends and from the Weasley family both at Christmas and at my Birthday, I still cannot seem to expect it as something certain, nor would I be disappointed if I didn’t get any. It all depends on what you learnt those first years of your life.”
Snape scowled and looked even angrier.
”But, for the rest, in general I do expect things in life,” Harry made haste to proceed before the Potions Master exploded again. ”I mean, I expect to succeed in my professional life for instance. I study really hard this year to get good NEWT grades. And I’ve found myself an aptitude for learning languages. With my additional knowledge of Parseltongue that is quite unique, I expect to make a difference.”
Snape arched an eyebrow inquiringly.
”There are other Parseltongues in the world, beside Voldemort,” explained Harry ”…and I’m afraid most of them are quite evil. There are a couple of them in Central Africa, for example, who plague the Muggle population in the surrounding countries. And there’s another one in the Middle East. He’s so old that everybody has forgotten why he started the war, but he keeps the conflicts in that part of the world going on forever and ever. If someone were to try to negotiate with those wizards, the massacres might come to an end and…” Harry could not believe he was telling Snape of all people of his yet undefined future plans. He had not even discussed them with his friends, let alone with Mr Weasley or any of the other people at the Ministry that he knew.
”Those are not expectations, Mr Potter! Those are suicide plans. To negotiate with Parsel-wizards, indeed! Why on earth would you feel the need to demonstrate anything at all after conquering Voldemort?” spat Snape.
”Doing something of my own, perhaps, that wasn’t written in a Prophesy?” Harry countered heatedly. ”I’m eighteen, I want an interesting job that makes a difference in the world. And there’s nothing suicidal about it. I reverted from becoming an Auror to want to become a diplomat and work with peace making processes. It’s an honourable enough profession.”
”Of course it is,” said Snape who seemed to be calming down but still with a touch of irony in his voice. ”A profession chosen by ambitious wizards and witches who want to prove their goodness to the world. A dangerous profession, moreover. Wizard diplomacy involves a lot of fighting the Dark Arts as well as a thorough insight in wizard law. And worldwide travelling. It’s a demanding profession, Mr Potter.”
”Ginny wants to travel abroad,” said Harry. Snape arched an eyebrow.
”Have you conceived of this profession to keep up with Miss Weasley’s wishes, Mr Potter?” he sneered.
”Of course not,” protested Harry, but red spots appeared on his cheeks. Snape watched him doubtfully.
”Planning a professional career where you expect to sacrifice yourself for the good of the world doesn’t convince me that you have learnt how to expect things for you own benefit in life,” objected Snape. ”You know that you were abominably abused by your Muggle family, don’t you?” he added as an afterthought. Harry flinched.
”I was mostly neglected, I think. They didn’t beat me or anything, besides Dudley’s bullying that could get quite physical, but…” Harry said defensively.
”There is such a thing as psychological abuse, Potter - have you not heard of it?” Snape raised his voice again as the anger returned to him.
Harry averted his gaze.
”You’re an obvious victim of that kind of abuse,” continued Snape. ”When my mother was depressed enough not to get me proper clothes, that was neglect. It was not done with ill-will. What your relatives did on the contrary was to ignore you on purpose, to undermine your self-esteem and to deny you the most basic psychological needs.” Snape drew his breath. ”By Merlin, Mr Potter, how did you stay sane in that household? I have seen it so many times, among my pupils. That kind of emotional deprivation makes way for bitterness and aggression and a compulsion to assert oneself at all costs. With your history, how on earth have you managed not to turn into a new Dark Lord?” Snape spoke loudly.
”I’m not a new Dark Lord!” Harry exclaimed hotly. It was a sensitive subject with him as his powers had grown after the demise of Voldemort and there were speculations in the same direction now and again in the Daily Prophet. No names, but allusions.
”I know you’re not! I can see it for myself!” spat Snape. ”I’m asking you how you managed to avoid that turn, considering your upbringing?”
”I… I…” Harry started to say but closed his mouth. He looked reproachfully at Snape. ”Please, Sir,” he continued stiffly, ”you made perfectly clear when I visited you at St Mungo’s after the battle last spring that you did not wish to speak of my mother at all. ”Don’t you dare mention her name in my presence” - that’s what I remember you telling me.” Harry locked eyes with Snape. ”If you want me to answer that question, I need to speak about Lily.”