Veritaserum & Hagrid and Wizard Lawyers

[Scott]

No: HPFGUIDX 19565

I can't find the exact thread to which I'm replying so I hope this 
makes sense. The two subjects don't have anything to do with each 
other but were together in the original post.

Veritaserum

I really wish that JKR hadn't created Veritaserum, because it makes 
way for tons of plot holes. My guess is that the person who pointed 
out it probably didn't exist at the time of Sirius'(s) trial was 
right. Only I'd imagine that it didn't exist in JKR's head, and 
thereby didn't exist in canon. (At the same time this seems pretty 
unlikely as it's a major plot point. Then again if it's so important 
why didn't JKR just drop it in a earliar book like PJP? I still think 
it was a GoF invention.) However I can't think of a better 
explanation. Anyone else want to try?


One thing I know we discussed in the past, but I can't remember and 
I'm not going to bother going through the archives for is whether a 
person under Veritaserum's influence would remember an event as it 
actually happened, or as they experienced it. For example if we gave 
Harry and Voldy Veritaserum and asked them what happened in the 
Graveyard would we get the same story?

Hagrid and Wizard Lawyers

Someone asked why Hagrid didn't hire a lawyer (barrister in the UK?) 
to represent Buckbeak at the trial in PoA. My first thought was that 
he didn't have enough money, but wouldn't/shouldn't the government 
provide a lawyer. Is that only valid in cases involving humans. 
Seriously though shouldn't he have some type of legal council 
provided. 

My second thought was that perhaps no one would represent him given 
the small size of the WW, the nature of the case, and his own 
history, I'd imagine that they'd be just a bit wary. As far as they 
know Hagrid's creatures have done far worse than this. Then again 
Hagrid isn't the one on trial so I'm not entirely sure.

Do they have lawyers at all? From what we saw in the Penseive the 
answer seems to be no, but I think we all agree that mightn't have 
been regular circumstances.

Scott