CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 29, Career Advice

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 116195


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "potioncat" <willsonkmom at m...>
wrote:
> 
> > 
> > catkind:
> > 
> > It would be hideously unprofessional if she were to try to make an 
> > exception for Harry, on the other hand I can't see Snape 
> > volunteering, or Harry proceeding without Potions.
> > 
> > The only way out I can see is for there to be a new Potions 
> teacher  next book.  Perhaps Snape can finally be given the DADA 
> job? 

 
> Potioncat:  
> There are some interesting assumptions in our group, so I'd like to 
> send out a challenge.  What is the answer to this?
> 
>  Do you think Harry could get an "O" in Potions in a way that 
> wouldn't have us rolling our eyes?  
> 

bboyminn:

There is just NO WAY that Harry can get the highest grade/mark of 'O'
on his potions test. We know Harry is average in potions, he's OK,
he's adequate. We know he had trouble with the Potions OWL test,
although, he found it much easier since Snape wasn't around. When
Harry hands in his test potion, he admits to himself that it may not
have been perfect, but he was sure that he had at least passed. 

I get the impression that Harry expects to get a muggle 'C' or an OWL
'A'. I would agree, and on this point I think we have concensus, that
Harry did better than he thinks he did. That means he got a muggle 'B'
 or an OWL 'E'. That's all very reasonable; that reflects Harry's true
ability in potions when Snape is factored out, but to think he jumped
from his expected OWL 'A' all the way up to an OWL 'O' is just too
great a leap. Harry stuggled with the written test, and while he did
better that usual, his own impression is that he passed but no more
than that. Conclusion, the leap to the highest possible grade/mark is
just to great to be credible under any circumstances.



> Potioncat:
>
> Snape fans don't want him in DADA (come to think of it, neither do 
> his foes.) The assumption is that if a person teaches DADA they must 
> come to a bad end at the end of the book.  So, would JKR be arrested 
> if someone lasted to the following book?  Would we be on the edge of 
> our seats waiting for the ax to fall...and could there be a 
> satifying resolution to a happy ending for the DADA teacher? (Be it 
> Snape or Alberforth or person of your choice)
> 
> What would be a good and resonable way for Harry to take Potions?  
> And, BTW, McGonagall wasn't convinced Harry would get an E on 
> Transfigurations. How do you think it will work out?
>
> Potioncat

bboyminn:

Possibilities-
1.) Snape agrees to accept Harry even though he only got an 'E'.

2.) Harry doesn't take Potions. I've said before that McGonagall
wasn't giving the exact specifications for an Auror, just giving the
classes that would most logically serve an Auror. Harry might take
Herbology, and if he does well in his Herbology NEWTs, that combined
with an 'E' in OWL Potions might be enough to get him in. I'm sure the
Board that reviews applicants will take into consideration that Harry
is the boy who has defeated the darkest wizard in a century over and
over again.

3.) There is a new potions teacher with less strict standards, which
means Snape has taken a new position. So, under this circumstance, he
is either out of the school on other business, or the is teaching a
new subject. The most logical subject for him to teach; DADA.

Scenerio number One does not allows Ron to continue on the same
educational track as Harry. I can see Snape being forced to let Harry
in Potions, but it's debatable if Ron would get in too. Remember, it's
also Ron's ambition to become an Auror. Although, given everything Ron
will have done by the end of the series, I think the Auror selection
commitee will look pretty favorably on him too.

The easiest and smoothest transition seems to be number Three. But we
know that the DADA teachers rarely last more than a year. That would
imply deep deep trouble for Snape. It would seem that Snape would
either be dead or disgraced by the end of the next book. 

As to the curse on the DADA job, first I don't think, as others have
speculated, that a curse was cast upon the job by someone. Sometimes
things just get jinxed by a fickled twist of fate, and I think the
fickled twist of fate that has jinxed this job is Harry. Once Harry
goes, the jinx goes with him. 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Steve/bboyminn (was bboy_mn)