Lupin, Snape and Potions (was Re: Is Snape really THAT good in Potions?(

[imamommy at sbcglobal.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 119556


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "potioncat" <willsonkmom at m...> 
wrote:
> 
>  
> > Neri:
> > If I remember my canon right, the little of what we know about 
> > Lupin's brewing abilities comes from the same passage in PoA that 
> (I 
> > still maintain, in the absence of counter-examples) is our sole 
> > direct canon for Snape's brewing abilities. 
> 
> Potioncat:
> I agree, that the only character who ever speaks about Snape's 
skill 
> at potions is Lupin.  Now, if the reader feels Lupin is pretty much 
> trustworthy, the reader will believe him.  If the reader feels he 
is 
> ESE or just not trustworthy, the reader will reserve judgement.  I 
> will have to say that I am enough of a hypocrit to believe Lupin is 
> correct about Snape, but may not be telling the truth about himself.
> 
> 
> Neri:
> snip 
> > It is reasonable to suppose that Lupin completed a Potions NEWT 
> with 
> > a good grade: he is intelligent, was probably a good student (a 
> > prefect and a "good boy" who started studying for the 
> Transfiguration 
> > OWL minutes after getting out of the DADA exam) and he had a 
> strong 
> > study group. He also has the disposition for Potions: quiet, 
> patient, 
> > subtle and motivated. In fact, in the Pensive scene 15 yrs old 
> Remus 
> > seems to be more patient and subtle than 15 yrs old Severus.

imamommy:

Snape speaks for himself in a very indirect way.  He tells Harry that 
the same weaknesses that make him sloppy in potions are making him 
sloppy in Occlumency.  Snape, whatever his faults, does (imo) act 
very methodically in most instances.  Notice when he gets angry, 
rather than yelling, he gets quieter.  It is rare that he gets upset; 
usually he gets revenge.  Now, I'm not trying to say that Snape isn't 
a grouchy git who needs to get over his issues, but my point is that 
he tends to be very calculating, very methodical, dare I say anal? 
about many things.  He knows about the gillyweed and boomslang skin 
pretty quickly, I would guess because he keeps his cupboard well 
organized.  

Potions making is, in my little Suzy Homemaker's brain, a lot like 
cooking or a sewing project.  Miss one seemingly small step, forget 
one ingredient, put fabric together backwards, and suddenly you've 
got a big problem.  Only with potions it seems to be very 
difficult,if not impossible to fix something once it's gone wrong.  
So my point is that while we don't hear from others very often about 
Snapes potion-making abilities, I would conjecture from his behaviour 
that he would have an aptitude for the methodical planning involved 
in potions.

imamommy