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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/46341
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/46341
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Two words: **Severus Snape.**

Snape's backstory is pretty similar to your sergeant's: James Potter, who bullied Snape at school, married Lily, the woman Snape loved. Snape consequently _detests_ James, and this manifests in his hatred of James' son Harry, who looks just like James.

But I can only think of two occasions in the entire seven-book series where Snape gets visibly angry at Harry: when Harry walks in on him being treated for a horrible leg wound, and when Harry accidentally peers into his memories and sees him being bullied. The rest of the time, Snape shows his resentment through dry, sardonic insults, and casual abuse of his power as Harry's teacher.

Consider their first-ever meeting. He singles Harry out, asks him multiple questions about Potions that Harry can't answer, insults him for not knowing the answers ("Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?), and deducts a house point from Harry when he talks back to him. All this is designed to undermine and humiliate Harry, making him look arrogant and stupid, and sets the tone for Snape's casual antagonism of Harry throughout the novels. But Snape isn't angry; just cold. He doesn't raise his voice _once_ during that scene, though he does raise it towards Neville about three paragraphs later.

Snape is a good model for how you can portray your sergeant. His inner monologue can be as seething and vicious as you like towards the other guy, but when he actually speaks to him, it's with ice-cold venom rather than righteous fury. He uses his position for petty acts of vengeance, but nothing significant enough to constitute abuse. He clearly does not _like_ the other guy, but he's never actually _angry_ towards him.

Original score: 4