Potions Master Question

[Andrew]

No: HPFGUIDX 93881

Viridis :
> > [Dumbledore] is famous for defeating the dark wizard Grindelwald 
> > in 1945, for discovering the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and 
> > for his work on alchemy with his friend Nicolas Flamel. (HP 
> > Lexicon quoting Chocolate Frog Card)
<snip>

Kathryn Cawte: 
> There have been a lot of interesting answers to all of this - none 
> of which addressed what I thought was the flaw in your logic - 
> Potions making and alchemy aren't necessarily really the same 
> thing. If the twelve uses of dragon's blood are alchemical in 
> nature rather than as potions ingredients then there is no reason 
> why Dumbledore should have any knowledge of potions at all. 
<snip> 
> However one of the main aims of alchemists throughout the 
> centuries is to change base metals into gold - which could well 
> mean that someone skilled at transfiguration is as likely to 
> become a good alchemist as a 'Potions Master'. We don't know 
> enough about JKR's version of alchemy to say for certain - but 
> Flamel is always called an alchemist, not a Potions Master.

I think Kathryn has hit it.  Alchemy is really just a subset of 
transfiguration concerned with transmuting base metals into gold and 
producing the elixir.  So the chocolate frog card is really just 
telling us that Dumbledore is very experienced many fields of magic.

Defence Against the Dark Arts
- Dumbledore is famous for defeating the dark wizard Grindelwald 
  in 1945

Potions
- For discovering the twelve uses of dragon's blood

Transfiguration
- For his work on alchemy with his friend Nicolas Flamel. 

There is also evidence elsewhere in the books suggesting that 
Dumbledore has mastered other branches of magic not listed in the 
chocolate frog card.  These include Care of Magical Creatures 
(phoenixes are supposedly difficult to domesticate), Occulmency and 
Legilimency, Charms, and more. I think the purpose of mentioning 
these things is just to establish the extent of Dumbledore's 
understanding of magic.  It gives him credibility and influence.

-RF