General Thought/Question about Potions, No Spoilers

[jsmithqwert]

No: HPFGUIDX 66872

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jsmithqwert" 
<jsmithqwert at h...> wrote:
> I was thinking about the whole "is Snape an effective teacher" 
thing 
> that has been battered around indirectly on a number of posts and 
> suddenly came to the realization that it doesn't matter because 
> potions, as a subject, is generally (not always but almost always) 
> excessive.  With very few exceptions, the various potions that we 
> have read about so far are complicated and unduly awkward 
> replacements for a much simpler spell.  For example, isn't the 
> complicated "Draught of Peace" that Snape has the students make is 
> really an overwrought, time consuming, and resource intensive 
> substitute for a cheering charm.  
> 
> Even in what common sense would tell us is a very difficult task is 
> more simply performed through wandwork.  Imposter!Moody tells us 
that 
> using and Imperius curse to make someone answer questions is just 
as 
> effective as Veritaserum, and while the former is just a simple 
wand 
> movement and incantation, the latter requires a full moon cycle and 
> (apparently) a potions master.  Same thing with polyjuice potion, 
> which according to Hermeione is immensely complex: in GoF, she 
tells 
> us that you learn how to do human transfigurations at the NEWT 
> level.  Surely if it is possible to transfigure yourself at all, it 
> is possible to transfigure yourself to look like someone else.
> 
> Of course there are some things that seem to require potions.  
> Healing seems to be very potion intensive (Skelegrow, Hermeione's 
> many healing potions at the end of OoP, Blood Replenishing Draught, 
> dreamless sleep potion, etc. . .).  But no one but healers seems to 
> prepare the stuff and, therefore, I would think that potions would 
be 
> more appropriately taught at the vocational level post-Hogwarts.  
> Obviously there are other potions (doxycide, magical mess remover, 
> etc. . .), but they mostly seem to be products, and, as with 
healers, 
> a vocational level "potions research" program would seem to be a 
more 
> manageable method of instruction.  If there really is to much 
> groundwork that has to be done for it to be post-Hogwarts, why not 
> have potions be and elective course like divination or arithmancy, 
> which seem to have as much practical use as potions does.
> 
> Many of the above points seen to apply to herbology as well.  I 
don't 
> think we have yet to see a non-superspecialized example of magical 
> plant use.  Sure there was the mandrake restorative draught, but 
> that's pretty speciallized isn't it (must be if they couldn't just 
> send for some from St. Mungo's).  Gillyweed goes the same rout as 
> Draught of Peace: a bubble-head charm is just as effective and 
> doesn't necessitate procuring in advance a particularly rare plant.
> 
> In closing what I apologize for being a (very) long post, I will 
ask 
> a relatively simple question.  Why are potions and herbology 
> considered "core" subjects that _every_ witch and wizzard needs to 
> know pretty extensively?  What makes them worth pursuing to a great 
> degree when there seem to be spells for almost all of their uses?  
> I'm probably overlooking something and I'm quite sure that I don't 
> understand the WW very well, but, what gives?  Any thoughts.
> 
> jsmithqwert

One more thought I wanted to add to this.

Isn't potions pretty straight-forward anyway.  Just look up what you 
want to do and follow the instructions.  What is there to learn?  
Sure its great to expose the students so they know what the stuff 
looks like, but is that really an education, does it build skills or 
demand analysis.  I don't think so.