Harry's potions O.W.L - Outstanding-NOT.

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 103091

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "amycrn4230" <amycrn4230 at y...>
wrote:
> This is just a thought on Harry's Potions O.W.L. in OotP, but I
> think he just may get an O(utstanding). After Snape stopped teaching
> him Occlumency, Harry was worried how Snape would treat him, and 
> Harry says that...
>
> (page 660, American version)"Snape,meanwhile, seemed to have decided 
> to act as though Harry were invisible....and was pleased to find out 
> that when left well alone, he was able to concoct an Invigoration 
> Draught quite easily."
> 
> During the actual test, Snape probably won't be monitoring the
> exam...
> none of the other teachers seem to monitor their own subjects...so 
> Harry may very well do a great job...he's smart enough, just has bad 
> luck concentrating when Snape is around...
> Maybe he'll have more courage when he gets an "O" on the exam.
> 
> IMHO.....Amy

asian_lovr2:

I know I'm out numbered on this, but I just don't see how Harry could
possibly get an 'Outstanding' on his OWL. Even when we factor in -

- Snape's students generally achieve a 'High Pass' in their test 
(They are generally above average).

- Snape wasn't in the room while the tests were administered, and
therefore, wasn't able to harrass and distract Harry (or Neville).

- Harry is smarter than he thinks.

By Harry's own admission, the Potions tests were difficult, and he
doesn't think he did well, but thinks he may have scraped by with a
pass (Acceptable).

Pg 631 UK HB Ed-

"...Potions on Monday... which he was sure would be the downfall of is
ambition to become an Auror. Sure enough, he found the written paper
difficult,..."

pg 631-632 UK HB Ed-
"When Professor Marchbanks said, 'Step away from your cauldrons,
please, the excamination is over,' Harry corked his sample flask
feeling that he might not have achieved a good grade but he had, with
luck, avoided a fail."

Using American Muggle grades as an illustration, Harry thinks he may
have scraped by with a low 'C'. I think Harry certainly did better
than he thinks he did, but that would NOT be very likely to raise him
much above a basic 'B'. To leap from 'avoided a fail' to the highest
possible 'Outstanding' grade is just too great a leap to make. Harry
is generally no better than OK at potions, making adjustments for
Snape's persecution of him, and he is on par with the rest of the
typical students. 

His potion, in the examples we see in the books, are usually very
close to what they are suppose to be (usually based on color), and not
as bad as the worst in the class, but neither as good as the best.
Conclusion; he's in the middle, a typical average potions maker.

To say Harry got an 'Outstanding' is roughly the same as saying that
you believe that nearly every student in the class got an
'Outstanding', and I just don't see that happening.

Snape's student are above average in Potions making skills, that puts
them at a 'B' or 'Exceeds Expectation', not at an 'A' or 'Outstanding'.

Others put forth the logic that Harry needs Potions to be an Auror,
and the story needs Snape as an antagonist, but it doesn't take much
imagination to find ways around those things.

First, McGonagall didn't say that Potions was an absolute must to be
an Auror, she suggested the most common classes and subjects that an
Auror would typically need. 

I imagine that a student with overal outstanding ability, especially
in DADA, demonstrated skill, and an 'Outstanding' OWL and NEWT in
Herbology would be just a valuable, functional, and knowledgable as
someone with a basic 'B' grade overal and a basic 'B' grade in
Potions. Potions, afteral, is just applied Herbology (or very close to
it). Note that the primary textbook for Potions is not a potions book
but '1000 HERBS and Fungi'.

Certainly, we all /want/ Harry to get an 'Outstanding' but I think it
is just too great a leap for it to happen.

Steve/asian_lovr2