Taking Lupin his potion (WAS: What is brave?)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 35184

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "porphyria at m..." <porphyria at m...> 
wrote:
> Some of you were wondering whether Snape brought the 
werewolf-pacifying potion with him to the Shrieking Shack when 
he went after Lupin, and if not, why not.
> 
> Marina suggested:
> "I think he must've left it in the office.  There was no mention of 
him having it in the Shack, and I suspect that shlepping a full 
goblet from Lupin's office all the way to the Shrieking Shack 
would've been impractical, unless the goblet had a really 
well-fitted lid."
> 
> Yeah, that was my thought for a while, but now I've come up 
with a better theory <snip quote from PoA>
> My theory is that it has to be drunk right away, as Snape 
suggests, while it is still smoking, otherwise the effectiveness 
will be lost. After all, it's a fussy, unstable potion; even sugar will 
neutralize its effectiveness. So while it might keep long enough 
for Snape to walk it to Lupin's office, maybe it won't stay fresh 
while he hikes all the way to the Shack.   
> 

Er, in that case, why does Snape make it a cauldronful at a time?

"I made an entire cauldronful," Snape continued, "if you need 
more." (same scene, a little further down the page)

No, I think it keeps all right, but has to be drunk while it's hot.  It 
will stay hot in the cauldron, but can't be reheated by magic as 
it's too unstable. There! How's that?

Pippin