Potions Master Question

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 93864


> Potioncat:
> I realize you say it your impression, but I'm not sure where you 
got 
> that impression.  It seems to me that the core classes are all 
> important.  In fact, if anything, DADA can't be too important 
> because DD makes no real effort to put a qualified teacher there.  
> While he has a potionmaster with a strong reputation in Potions.  
> 
> I would compare potions to chemistry (which is very similar to 
> cooking.) But I do not see Transfigurations as superior.  In fact, 
> most of the magic we've seen so far is a type of charms.
> 
> Do you have canon for James' wand being more powerful than Lily's?  
> And if so, was it the transfiguration abiltiy that made it more 
> powerful or was James a more more wizard?


Neri:
Sorry Potioncat, I don't have the books with me right now, so I can't 
give specific canon. Having experience in science and the academy, 
however, I know that many fields are considered (frequently 
superficially and without any justification) less important than 
others. It is usually just a question of public image, but if you ask 
the average person in the street to name famous scientists in 
physics, he'll probably know the names of Galileo, Newton and 
Einstein. If you ask this person to name famous scientists in 
chemistry, he might have to think for a moment. It is more a question 
of image and public relations than true importance, but unfortunately 
it does work to give people in the more "important" fields more 
influence and reputation. There seems to be a similar phenomenon in 
the WW too.

IMO the core subjects are not equally important, at least not in 
reputation. History of Magic, for example, is clearly less important 
than the rest, or being dead would have been enough of an excuse to 
get rid of a terrible teacher such as Prof. Binns. I also agree with 
Kathryn (#93854) that traditionally there hadn't been much of a 
connection between Alchemy and Potions. Alchemy seems to be 
traditionally connected with famous scholastics such as Flamel and 
Faust (BTW also Leonardo daVinci and Newton), while Potions seems to 
be traditionally connected with the image of the old country witch 
stirring her cauldron (as in Macbeth). Also note that the Potions 
class is down there in the cold dungeons, instead of a roomy class in 
the third floor with a nice view to the grounds.

I agree these are all small inconclusive details, but together they 
are enough to create my impression. Snape seems to share this 
impression, or he wouldn't have been so keen to dump the Potions job 
and becoming the DADA teacher. DD refuses him for some important 
reason that we are yet to discover, but certainly not because he 
thinks DADA is less important than Potions (especially at these 
troubled times). If DADA were not important, you can be sure that 
Umbridge would have found a better position for herself.

Neri