Blood Lollipops (wasWhy ole Snapey is a vamp was Re: No fire in the office)

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 88145

Not so long ago, Kneasy speculated that the blood flavoured lollipops 
in Hogsmead may have also been a treat for hags, given their 
propensity to eat children and raw liver.  Unfortunately, that was 
snipped, and I am forced to paraphrase.  (Asking Kneasy's indulgence)

Pippin replied:  
> Pippin: (on blood  flavoured lollipops) 
> > Well, I've got to go with Hermione here. She said they were for 
> > vampires, and on matters of fact she has never yet been wrong.
> > 

To which Kneasy countered:
> Kneasy:
> A fact or an assumption? Usually when Hermione states a fact she
> quotes her source, when she makes an assumption or supposition
> she gets it wrong as often as anyone else (nature of Lockhart,
> Kreachur, Hogwart Elves wish to be free, bewitched broom, etc)

Now Ginger joins in:

I like the hag theory, although I would think that vampires would be 
the primary target group.  I must point out that Hermione 
said "...They're for vampires, I expect." (PoA US paperback p. 197)
suggesting uncertainty.  So they may even be a novelty item 
classified under "unusual tastes".  I once got a tequila lolly 
complete with the worm, but I never ate it.  Certainly an unusual 
taste.  

It's too bad Hermione didn't look up the ingredients.  Had they 
actually been made of real blood, we may have our answer.  OTOH, had 
they been made with artificial flavours, we'd be back to wondering if 
vampires in the JKR world eat human food, artificial though it may be.

What I am now wondering is if British slang for lollypop is sucker, 
as it is here in the US.  If that is the case, maybe JKR figured that 
we'd heard enough about vampires that we'd expect to see a 
bloodsucker and enjoyed a play on words.  

Ginger, who doesn't think that Snape is a vampire, but has full 
confidence that JKR could pull it off should she so choose.