Chapter Twenty-Eight: Snape’s Worst Memory
In chapter twenty-eight of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix the twins torment Umbridge, and we get a heartbreaking and enthralling flashback of Harry’s parents.
(Please be advised that this is a reread and I will be discussing book and movie spoilers.)
Now this might surprise you if you’ve been reading my recaps up until now, considering how often I talk about what a butthead Snape is, but “Snape’s Worst Memory” is one of my absolute favorite chapters in all of Harry Potter.
Let’s get to it!
So Umbridge has been made headmistress and Ernie is off gossiping with our trio about it when Malfoy oozes over and takes away points from them for such things as “slapping me that one time in third year and making me cry” “always beating me at Quidditch” “stealing Potter from me as my BFF” “being a pure-blood and yet not sucking” and of course, “stealing my button maker of evil.” Ernie’s appalled because prefects can’t take points and SINCE WHEN? Percy took points like ten times from people! Did he abuse his power so badly that prefects can no longer take points? But D-Malfs is all “ho ho ho jokes on you I’m a little kiss-ass and am part of the Inquisitorial Squad and therefore can take points on Umbridge’s behalf” while all of us who are sane do this:
The twins swan over and inform our trio N’Ern that they shoved Montague into a cabinet and he’s disappeared and look, Hermione’s right later on that this is alarming and yet the boys are also right that Montague had it coming.
ForgeGred inform our quartet that they are about to do some mischief of the highest order and Ernie sprints off to safety. Harry’s dragged to Umbridge’s office and interrogated with Veritaserum hidden in a drink and HOW IS THIS LEGAL. It can’t be, right? RIGHT?
Harry thinks of Barty McEvil/Mad-Eye screaming CONSTANT VIGILANCE at him and doesn’t drink this spiked tea and the interrogation is interrupted when the twins set off enchanted fireworks that explode all over the school that can’t be gotten rid of by the teachers, who mysteriously have lost all of their abilities and need Umbridge to do their bitch work for them.
The chapter is already slamming with content and fabulousness is what I’m getting at, and then it’s kicked up even MORE.
Harry runs into Cho and while I’ve defended her in the past, she does what is in my eyes her worst act now. First she apologizes for bringing Marietta, which I think is generous and unnecessary. How could she know her friend sucks so badly? But then she attempts to defend Marietta. The girl who, Harry reminds her, was trying to get CHO her FRIEND in the same amount of trouble as everyone else. Marietta can’t know what Umbridge will do when they’re caught. Cho might be expelled. She might be arrested. And yet Marietta goes and narcs anyway. Harry predictably flips shit at this and then they argue over Hermione some more, and I fist bump Harry for when he tells Cho that Hermione’s idea was brilliant and demands Cho not cry.
Not even remotely zen, Harry storms into Snape’s office for some more Occlumency lessons/torture and Malfoy bursts in without knocking like it’s totally normal and maybe establish some boundaries with the little shit, Snape? Montague’s been found in a toilet (gag) and Snape leaves the room to help and Harry does something totally stupid and I will admit something I would also do, because I am a nosy, nosy person.
Yep. Harry breaks into Snape’s memories in the pensieve. The flashback that follows, where we meet the young Marauders, young Snape, and young Lily is fascinating, illuminating, funny, sad, shocking, and wonderful. Harry is at first thrilled to see James, Sirius, and Lupin in action (obviously less so for Peter) although it becomes clear Sirius is a tad arrogant and James a little full of himself. But then Snape wanders by, and things take a surprising turn. The first time I read this book I was just as shocked as Harry to see that James was an arrogant bully, so was Sirius, and Remus was pretty spineless. Our feelings on that trio mirrors Harry’s as he sees James and Sirius attack Snape for no reason while a gang of students laugh at the unpopular Snape. Then Lily shows up. This might sound odd, but Lily has always been one of my very favorite characters in Harry Potter. I already admired her before this flashback, but here we see she’s brave enough to stand up for someone in front of a large group of people, including two of the most popular students in school, because she knows it’s the right thing to do. Not only that, but her comebacks to James Potter being flirty with her are snappy and epic, and I aspire to be half as cool as Lily Evans, boss ass witch.
But just when you were feeling super sorry for Snape and his old underwear, he calls Lily a Mudblood and you remember how much Snape sucks. Harry, bless his darling heart, is sickened by the whole affair, and when the real Snape shows up, is less upset that he’s caught and more upset that he just witnessed that Snape was telling him the truth about James being arrogant.
This honestly might be the worst thing that was cut from the movies to me. Yeah, we had a tiny scene in the movie that most likely didn’t make sense if you didn’t read the book. But we got none of the nuance of Snape, Sirius, James, Lily, Remus, nothing. And of course, the fact that the reason why this chapter is called “Snape’s Worst Memory” really matters later on! The fifth movie was the second shortest of the movies, and the book was the longest. For why?! So much was cut out that was fun, interesting, important.
Next chapter Harry (and I) will discuss my thoughts on Jame’s behavior. But for now, I’m off to read some good Marauder fanfic!
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What is one of your overall favorite Harry Potter chapters?
Why are the prefects no longer able to take points?
Where Fred and George wrong to shove Montague into the Vanishing Cabinet?
Why does Cho defend Marietta?
Would you have looked into the pensieve if you were Harry?
What are your thoughts on the Marauder flashback?
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The prefects cant take points always bugged me too. I think I’ve seen it rationalized as “prefects cant take points from prefects” but that really makes. I sense either. I am looking forward to your thoughts on James. His behavior here disturbed me especially after I heard it took place after the werewolf prank. Good stuff in this chapter
I’ve got such complicated thoughts about James! Hope you enjoyed my thoughts in the next chapter. I know mistakes can happen but Percy definitely took points before!