The ethics of Veritaserum (was "I don't expect a complete bloodbath and a Question")

[Joanne Sammer]

No: HPFGUIDX 49318

>Jim Ferer said:
>
>>  If Veritaserum is infallible, then why isn't it used in every case?
>>  They could have given it to Barty Jr.13 years before the Goblet of
>>  Fire to find out if he was a DE or not, or to Hagrid to see if he was
>>  letting the monster out of the Chamber of Secrets. Is there wizard law
>>  affecting the ability to use Veritaserum examinations as evidence?
>>  Otherwise there's not one, but a whole series of plot holes.
>

Suzanne replied:

>Perhaps it is against wizard law, in the same way that sodium pentathol
>can't be used to coerce the truth from people who are being tried for crimes
>in the US. On the other hand, though, it's not hard to imagine that in a
>time of terror, that certain laws are conveniently overlooked in the desire
>to stop the terrorists.
>

now Joanne...

This brings up something that bothered me a lot in GOF. This makes me 
more uncomfortable about Snape's true character than anything else 
I've read about him.

In Ch. 27 Padfoot Returns, Snape threatens to use Veritaserum on 
Harry during Potions after accusing Harry of stealing gillyweed and 
boomslang skin from Snape's office.

"...Snape had drawn out a small crystal bottle of a completely clear 
potion. Harry stared at it.

'Do you know what this is, Potter?'' Snape said, his eyes glittering 
dangerously again.

"No," said Harry, with complete honesty this time.

"it is Veritaserum -- a Truth Potion so powerful that three drops 
would have you spilling your innermost secrets for this entire class 
to hear," said Snape viciously. "Now, the use of this potion is 
controlled by very strict Ministry guidelines. But unless you watch 
your step, you might just find that my hand slips...right over your 
evening pumpkin juice..."

Does the theft of a few potion ingredients really warrant this 
response? It's one thing to search a student's possessions with 
probable cause, but it is quite another to search that student's 
mind. Really creepy.

And why in the world does Snape walk around with Veritaserum in his pocket?

Joanne