The Potions Book: Is Snape *really* the HBP?

[adesahafford at wmconnect.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 133054

Or did JKR make a mistake? Snape claims, at the end, to be the Prince, and 
yet...

"Ron fell asleep almost immediately, but Harry delved into his trunk and 
pulled out his copy of Advanced Potion-Making before getting into bed. There he 
turned its pages, searching, until he finally found, at the front of the book, 
the date that it had been published. It was nearly fifty years old. Neither his 
father, not his father's friends, had been at Hogwarts fifty years ago...." 
(HBP, US, Ch. 16, p. 337)

Neither, I might add, was Snape. So, are we to assume as Harry did that the 
Prince must have been at Hogwarts *50 years ago*, based on the *publication* 
date? Snape must have had a second-hand book then, right? Certainly possible, 
given he was at the school on a need-based scholarship.

Or is this a mistake on JKR's part? You know her and "maths," as she says.

Or, is Snape covering for someone else who *was* there 50 years ago? Riddle 
was there, as was Hagrid. Both are half-bloods, though Hagrid would probably 
not have the magical ability demonstrated by our friend the Prince. Who else was 
there? The Prewitt's? Neville's Gran or other relatives? All purebloods. 
Hmmm...

Adesa, really ticked we didn't find out about the gum wrappers yet


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