[HPforGrownups] The Potions Book: Is Snape *really* the HBP?

[Michael McHenry]

No: HPFGUIDX 133903

> Adesa writes:

> >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? 

Ray said:

Certainly
> possible,
> >given  he was at the school on a need-based scholarship.
> 
>   As you say, young Severus' texts were probably purchased used.   I was
> immediately annoyed at Harry for missing the obvious fact that this book  1) has
> obviously been the standard text for NEWT potions for a half-century or  more
> (Hello!  It's still being assigned now!) and the Half-Blood Prince  could
> easily could have attended Hogwarts at any point during that time, and 2)
> obviously contains errors - or at least the recipes/methods used to brew the  potions
> can be (and have been) improved.

I don't think the book contains errors.  If it did, Hermione wouldn't
remain loyal to it.  My pet theory is that the Ministry book contains
the safest and most reliable way to brew these potions, but not
necessarily the fastest or most powerful.

Red Hen has a workable theory the MoM attempts to discourage
channeling unsafe amounts of more dangerous (dark) magic.
(see http://www.redhen-publications.com/HistoryofMagic.html )

A person drawn to dark wizardry would be less concerned with this and
willing to put more on the line while brewing potions.  It is quite
likely that an average Hogwarts student attempting to follow the
prince's directions might endanger him/herself or ruin the potion.  No
one else ever tried following HBP's directions.  Maybe they knew
better.  There must be a reason Snape didn't teach these types of
non-MoM techniques to his own students in earlier years, not even DM.
 
Ray said:
>   Another thing that bothers me, though ... Snape with his strict
> interpretations of Hogwarts' rules (at least when Harry is around) does not  strike me
> as the kind who would write in his textbook,

Are we absolutely sure the handwriting in the book is Snape's and not
Eileen's?  I think we're meant to believe that it's Snape's.  As
intelligent as Snape seems to be, it's hard to imagine he would have
to write any of that information down for later.

Perhaps he struggled as much as any other Hogwarts student at the
time, wrote his notes in his books by necessity.
Perhaps he had to write them down because the material came from
someone else to begin with.

-mgm