Polyjuice Potions... Dead or alive?

[Linda]

No: HPFGUIDX 59261



 Becky ("gopotter2004") wrote:

 <<<Now, I realize that Crouch, Jr. had to keep Moody
 alive to get hair and ask him questions and such like
 that. But was it indeed necessary to keep him alive in
 a potion sense? Couldn't you just keep a few finger
 nails (already dead anyway) of anyone dead, and pop
 them in for a quick-use potion? >>>

 
  Me(Linda):

    Now this makes me look at polyjuice potion use from a muggle 
pov. An organ transplant can not take place unless the organ in 
question has been out of the donors body for a very short period of 
time. Perhaps a similar principle applies to whatever is taken from 
the person being impersonated for the potion. Notice also that 
Hermione tells HR to get hair from Crabbe and Goyel. She herself 
takes a hair off Millicent's robes. Dumblefore points out that 
Crouch Jr has been pulling out Moody's hair all year. I don't think 
the time contraints are quite as stringent as an organ transplant. 
After all, Hermione got her hair at the dueling club. But maybe it 
has something to do with the degradation of what muggles call DNA or 
something along the same lines?

   -Linda