Quote Originally Posted by Jason View Post
He became resentful of Potter's seeming ability to constantly bend or break the rules and get away without consequence or even be rewarded for it, but that was also one of the traits he hated most in Harry's father.
I suppose what Harry is a real prodigy at is getting away with crap to an insane degree, and that's a truly annoying trait to anyone who spends their days slogging away through the bureaucracy, following the rules, being called on the carpet by the boss, being stabbed in the back in tiny ways by coworkers, suffering "the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely... the law's delay, The insolence of office and the spurns that patient merit of the unworthy takes," while watching someone else end run around every rule and get away with it because they're popular and just so likeable.

I actually liked Snape (the little I saw of him in two movies, and not just because it's Alan Rickman, although that was reason enough). He's only an antagonist because he insists on Potter following the same rules as everyone else and doing the work, which Potter doesn't seem to think he should have to. That was my impression anyway. But the books and the films are written so that Harry, the protagonist, is of course right and the teachers are wrong- since it is a kids' series after all. But it grinds on anyone who thinks reality should ensue and see the little bugger kicked out on his ear.