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

[clio44a]

No: HPFGUIDX 133504

> Brief Chronicles now:

>  
> I also would like to say that I felt her lack of proper
foreshadowing  
> regarding the identity of the HBP was to the point of being unfair
to the  reader.
>  
> Brief Chronicles, who is also sad there was no gum wrapper 
explanation!
> 


Well, I must say I disagree with that. 

The first and biggest hint is that the book belonged to someone who
really knows his/her potions. Aside from Slughorns repeated references
to Lily we only know Snape as someone being connected to potions.

Secondly we have seen two of the spells described in the book in the
pensieve scene in OotP. One was even used by Snape himself. Plus Lupin
says that those spells were rather fashionable when he was in
Hogwarts, which points to a schoolmate of Lupin's.

Thirdly the prince is a few times compared to Snape, e.g. Harry thinks
to himself that he learned more about potions from the Prince than
from Snape.

The only thing about the potions book I don't really get is: Why is it
still in a cupboard in the classroom? If it belonged to Snape,
shouldn't he have taken it with him when he left school? Especially if
he used it as a notebook and wrote such semi-dark magic spells and
useful additions to potion recipies into it? This book doesn't seem to
me as something you leave lying around openly. 


All in all I am quite dissappointed about that whole HBP business.
Throughout the book we have that subplot about the mysterious Prince,
and in the end it turns out to be simply a childish pun on Snape's
mother's maiden name. So? Was that significant enough to name that
whole book after the HBP and base the whole promotion campaign on the
  question "Who is the half-blood prince?"    


Clio, 
who doesn'#t really want to complain, because she is grateful about
any clue about Snape's personality thrown at the readers.