Harry's OWL in Potions

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 125514


Vineet wrote:
>  Since rivalry between the potions master and Harry has been a 
> central theme in all the books, and as it has been made clear that 
> snape does not accept anyone but students with an 'O' in his NEWT 
> classes, I was wondering if Harry(& Neville! or maybe Ron) are 
> finally gonna have two Snape free years.
> 
> My guess is that Snape will finally get his dream job: the DADA 
post. I think I may have a few reasons to support that
> 
> Firstly Dumbuledore has had quite a bit of difficulty getting 
anyone  for that job, he couldn't find anyone for the post and that 
was the  reason we landed up with Umbridge in the first place. 
(assuming of  course that Dumbledore for once will appoint a decent 
DADA teacher,  Voldemort being back and not git like Lockhart).  
maybe it will be  easier to find a new potions master instead.
>  
<snip>

Hannah: I'd like to see Snape as DADA teacher, but I don't know if 
we will until book 7 (if then).  DD seems determined not to let 
Snape have the job - and look whom he's been prepared to hire 
instead of him.  He must have a *very* good reason not to want Snape 
there.

I also think that JKR has set Harry up to take Potions for NEWT by 
making it a compulsary subject for an Auror, and by having that 
little comment about how he thought his potion was acceptable (I bet 
he gets an O).  I don't think she'd do this unless she was going to 
keep Snape as Potions teacher, otherwise it seems too improbable and 
would be pointless for her to do.  However, I doubt that Neville or 
Ron will subject themselves to another two years of it, unless 
either desperately wants to be an Auror, and gets an 'O' grade.  
That's not impossible, of course.

The problem with Snape having been trained in the Dark Arts by LV 
(which I would agree is highly likely) is that DD may not see that 
as a good thing.  He knew that LV was back in book 5 and yet didn't 
make use of Snape's skills then.  I suspect DD's fear may be that 
Snape would have trouble distinguishing between the Dark Arts and 
the Defence.

However, I do think that Harry and Snape will definitely have to 
have some classes together, so if Harry does give up Potions, Snape 
will almost certainly become DADA teacher.  

Hannah