Order of Phoenix / Employment /Potions

[blpurdom at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 25083

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., cynthiaanncoe at h... wrote:
 
> Herbology (Sprout hasn't done much useful just yet)

Actually, Sprout grew the mandrakes that revived Hermione, Penelope 
Clearwater and Colin Creevey after they were petrified by the 
basilisk.  In fact, Sprout probably grows many of the things that 
Snape and Pomfrey need for their work.  Some potions ingredients are 
from non-plant-life-forms (such as the eyes or livers or skins of 
various creatures) but quite a number seem to come from the plant 
life growing in the greenhouses.

> Divination ('nuff said)
> Arithmancy/Ancient Runes (what are these, anyway?)

Arithmancy is a form of divination that is akin to numerology.  It 
really shouldn't be a separate course from divination, except that 
JKR has said that she doesn't hold with astrology and such, so she 
may not have known this originally.  Arithmancy probably sounded like 
a magical mathematics course to her.  Ancient Runes is probably more 
useful, a way to learn to read dead or nearly dead languages which 
may the the sources for very old spells.

> Muggle Studies (muggles get no respect!)

This should be taught from day one and required of all the students!  
That it is an elective begun in the third year is mind-boggling!

> Care of Magical Creatures (an unqualified wizard can teach this one)

One caveat is that in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, there 
is a passage about owners of winged horses needing to place a charm 
on them to make it impossible for Muggles to detect the creatures (or 
it may be to make them look like regular horses--I don't have the 
book in front of me).  These spells need to be renewed frequently.  
The students may not be learning these important spells since Hagrid 
does not have seven years of Hogwarts education under his belt.  So 
perhaps someone more qualified should in fact be teaching this.  
These can't be the only creatures requiring spells for their care.

--Barb