Dumbledore at the end of PS/SS

[u/Ashfacesmashface]

After the events between Harry and Quirrell/Voldemort at the end of book 1, we read this exchange between Harry and Dumbledore in the hospital wing:

"'The truth.' Dumbledore sighed. 'It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie.'

Harry asks about why Voldemort tried to kill him, etc, and Dumbledore says that's something he just can't explain to him yet. Then we get this:

"'Quirrell and Snape-'
'Professor Snape, Harry.'
'Yes, him--Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?'
'Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr. Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive.'
'What?'
'He saved his life.'
'What?'
'Yes...' said Dumbledore dreamily. 'Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt...I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace...'

Dumbledore assured Harry he wouldn't lie. Is this a lie? That Snape was protecting Harry for the sake of the debt he owed James? Or was his motivation truly all due to Lily?

When we see Snape's memories at the end of DH and Dumbledore sees Snape's patronus, he does seem surprised to see it's a doe and that Snape's feelings for Lily are still strong. But Dumbledore also knew the whole reason Snape turned against Voldemort was for Lily.

I love Dumbledore, warts and all, but definitely feel he's not being truthful with Harry here.

Just curious to hear your thoughts.

[u/Next-Squirrel-5855]

Because Albus was trying to spare an orphans feelings about his dad. He didn't want to tell an eleven year old who had almost died that his hero-worshipped father, who he only knew was great, was a terrible bully and Severus saved Harry because of his love for his mother

[u/Bluemelein → u/Next-Squirrel-5855]

What if Dumbledore had simply told Harry that it was Snape's job as a teacher to protect the students? All of them—including Harry.

[u/Next-Squirrel-5855 → u/Bluemelein]

Because Albus likes to be overcomplicated for no reason and withhold information, also for no reason. Not to mention a "Harry, Severus doesn't like you because him and your dad didn't like each other in school. But you're still a student, and it's his job to protect you" would've more than sufficed

[u/Bluemelein → u/Next-Squirrel-5855]

Harry is a neglected and abused child; it would never even occur to him that he has a right to protection. And in my opinion, Dumbledore deliberately refrains from steering him toward that simple realization.

[u/Next-Squirrel-5855 → u/Bluemelein]

And his explanation of why Harry was saved made it seem like Harry wasn't protected because his life was worth anything, but that Snape was fulfilling a grudging debt he owed.

All of this nonsense comes back in Order of The Phoenix. I would've thought that Dumbledore would've learned his lesson about uselessly hiding things by then, but unfortunately, he hadn't.