Mandrakes / Potions - Muggle parents - Ghosts

[bboy_mn]

No: HPFGUIDX 41167

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Freiol at a... wrote:
> In a message dated 7/12/02 4:49:58 AM Mountain Daylight Time, 
> crana at n... writes:
> 
> Rosie said: 
> >I was just wondering about this because of what
> >Hermione says - that the Mandrake is an important 
> >part of many healing potions (or  somehing similar). 
> >If it's so useful, why doesn't the school have any 
> >in stock? Does  Prof. Sprout have to grow all the 
> >things for making potions?
> 
Freiol replies:
> Ok, it just something just occurred to me and it seems 
> a wee bit suspious.  How is it that HP's Herbology class 
> was going to learn all about Mandrakes and its healing 
> properties in their 2nd year [COS] I mean, don't you all 
> think it's kinda weird that they started planting the young 
> Mandrake before the first attack even took place [Mrs. Norris].  
> It's almost as if someone [the administration, teachers, 
> headmaster???] knew something like this was going to happen. 
> I don't know, I  suppose I'm being silly and wack, but then 
> I'd blame it on the fact that I'm still waiting for the 5th 
> book.
> 
> 
> Sian

We could consider this a 'conspiracy theory'.

How about some counter-logic?

Why did they have a store of this Mandrake?

Maybe they did, maybe at the beginning of every year, they start
growing a new batch. This was their first year in Adavanced Herbology,
so we have no way of knowing that this isn't standard procedure.

So why don't they have a huge barrel full of it? Why don't they have
gallons of the potions available?

Well, maybe because the mandrake and the potions have a limited
shelf-life. Maybe the potion is only good on the day it is made. Maybe
the herb is only good while it is fresh, and after a week of storage,
it is only good for minor potions.

Just some thoughts.

BBOY_MN