[HPforGrownups] General Thought/Question about Potions, No Spoilers

[Pen Robinson]

No: HPFGUIDX 67025


On Wednesday, Jul 2, 2003, at 21:46 Europe/London, jsmithqwert 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.
>

My thoughts:  what is wrong with having different methods of reaching 
the same conclusion?  There are Portkeys, the Floo network, 
broomsticks, apparition, and the Night Bus, all of which (presumably) 
have different merits and disadvantages.  We know that some witches and 
wizards cannot Apparate (Madam Marsh is probably one such); perhaps 
Portkeys are expensive, or difficult to create; perhaps some wizards 
are not good at broomstick flying, or don't like to fly for very long 
distances, etc.   After all, not everyone in the Muggle world can drive 
a car - and there are some circumstances in which it is more 
appropriate to get on a plane, or a bicycle (etc).

So, if you don't know how to do a charm or transfiguration spell, or 
are not sufficiently magical to be able to do such spells effectively, 
you can apply a different kind of knowledge and obtain an equally 
satisfactory solution.   The Trio did not know how to perform human 
transfiguration, but managed to change themselves with the polyjuice 
potion.    Similarly, Harry did not know how to do a Bubble-Head Charm, 
but managed to survive underwater because he was able to make use of 
gillyweed.   The competitors in the Tri-Wizard Tournament chose 
solutions appropriate to their own strengths and skills, and I expect 
that in general life, most wizards would do the same.  Furthermore, 
there may be differences in the effects produced by different magical 
processes, which could make one solution the optimum one for a 
particular situation *if* a wizard is capable of achieving it.

In any case, choice is good, and the variety makes the books more 
interesting.

Funnily enough, it occurs to me that Potions ought therefore to be a 
Hufflepuff speciality!  It requires hard work and concentration, 
precision, and the ability to follow instructions exactly - these seem 
to me to be Hufflepuff traits.  Perhaps Herbology - which requires 
considerable knowledge about the uses to which a goodly number of 
plants can be put - ought to be the Slytherin discipline.

Pen