Determining innocence, was Re: Fidelius Charm

[Berit Jakobsen]

No: HPFGUIDX 90937

LizVega writes:

So, Snape wanted to use it [veritaserum] to see if Harry had broken 
into his office, Dumbledore did use it on Crouch, jr. to find out 
exactly how he came to be at Hogwarts. And, Delores wanted to use it 
on Harry to find out where Dumbledore and Sirius were.

Berit replies:

When you're saying Snape *wanted* to use it to find out if Harry had 
broken into his office, it sounds like you mean he really would have 
done it. I think it would be more correct to say that Snape 
*threatened* to use veritaserum, not that he actually would do it. 
After all, he never did, did he? To me, reading that passage, it's 
quite clear Snape never intended to use it. Harry was seriously 
afraid he might because he happened to think Snape was poisoning 
Lupin at the time (the Wolfsbane potion), so he believed Snape 
couldn't be trusted not to slip this and that into people's goblets. 
But after reading all five HP books, I get the impression Snape's the 
kind of guy who doesn't do half of the things he threatens to do... I 
bet he wouldn't even expel Harry from Hogwarts even if he had the 
authority. He just wanted to scare the little Potter brat.

Also, from the way veritaserum is being used in the Potter verse, or 
I should rather say; from how it's *not* being used, I get the 
feeling there are strict ethical guidelines as to when it is okay to 
use it. We never see Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall or Filch forcing 
it down the throats of naughty students, do we? Not even when Harry 
was cornered at the crime scene of Mrs. Norris's petrification does 
anyone think about using veritaserum. Snape quite effectively deduces 
that Harry is not telling the whole truth, but DD doesn't ask Snape 
to fetch a bottle of veritaserum to find out once and for all if 
Harry had anything to do with the fate of Mrs Norris. Why wouldn't 
he, when veritaserum could set everything straight at once? Not even 
Ludo Bagman was forced to drink veritaserum at his trial, instead the 
jury had to decide to trust his words that he was innocent of the 
charges made against him...

I think the wizarding authorities normally won't use veritaserum 
because it would be a violation on "human rights"; the integrity of a 
person. Since Umbridge's attempt of using veritaserum (she is 
scrupulous) and Snape's threat doesn't count (it was only a threat), 
the only incident we've got where veritaserum probably was 
used "rightfully" was when DD used it on Crouch Jr. I can easily see 
why it was okay in that situation: DD had just caught Impostor!Moody 
red-handed as he was attempting to murder Harry, and he had reason to 
believe he had more crimes on his conscience (DD deducted there was 
something fishy going on when Mad-Eye Moody removed Harry from DD's 
presence). Also, Harry informed DD that Voldemort and his DE's were 
back, so there was no time to lose: DD needed vital information 
quickly to be able to counter-act and prepare defensive actions 
against Voldemort.

It's an interesting ethical dilemma; to what lengths is it okay to go 
to "force" the truth out of suspects in order to reveal the truth and 
protect the larger community... This question is widely discussed in 
the Muggle world as well (the police, the military)...

Berit
http://home.no.net/berjakob/snape.html