Potions vs. Charms

[Joywitch M. Curmudgeon]

No: HPFGUIDX 27754

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Cindy C." <cynthiaanncoe at h...> wrote:
> Hogwarts students spend a great deal of time in Potions class.  
[snip]
> But why bother with Potions?  Charms (including spells, hexes, 
> jinxes, and curses) are so much more handy.  All you need is a wand 
> and an incantation, and you're in business.

One possibility is that potions are portable, and can be used by 
anyone.  In practically every work of literature that involves magic, 
as well as for all we know in real life, there are witches and 
wizards who make a living selling potions to muggles.  Charms can 
only be used by wizards and witches.  If there were no potions, the 
magical community would be deprived of an important source of their 
income.

Also, the difference between potions and charms may just be a 
question of style.  After all, we have both cars and motorcycles; 
both trains and buses; both cough drops and cough syrup; etc.

--Joywitch