Snape, Potions and DADA - Possible and Not

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 126505


bboyminn wrote:
<snip>
> Personally, I am forced to come up with alternate scenerios like a 
new
> Potions teacher because I simply can not believe that Harry got and
> 'O' in his Potion OWL. In the absents of that, I have to create
> alternatives.
<snip quote>
> I'm sure Harry did better than he expected, but it's a HUGE leap 
from
> avoiding a fail to top-grade Outstanding.
> 
> If I'm taking a written test that I get a 90% on, that's probably 
not a test I'm going to think is difficult; it's a test for which I 
knew 90% of the answers. I don't get the sense that Harry knew 90% 
of the answers. A difficult test is one where I struggle to bring an
> impending 60% up to a hopeful 70% (avoided a fail). Further, I 
think these percentages likely reflect the wizard grading system, 90%
+ ="O", 80%+ = 'E", 70%+ = "A", 60%+ = "D", below 60% = fail. 
Wizards really
> don't strike me as a group that grades on a curve.

<snip snip> 

 There simply is no room left for (pardon the expression) half-assed 
DADA teachers. 
> 
> Student must learn to defend themselves. So, who do we have left, 
who is both willing and able? Snape. I admit that this breaks the 
pattern of a new DADA teacher appearing in every book and driving 
the plot forward, then meeting the Curse of the DADA in the end. But 
I counter that with the belief that OotP was a great transitional 
book. What applied in the past no longer applies. With Voldemort 
back and the world at war, routine comfortable patterns have to be 
broken, and all that /could/ open the door for Snape to finally be 
DADA teacher.

Hannah:  

I think the grade boundaries that you envisage are unrealistically 
high.  In some subjects at GCSE (OWL equivalent) the percentage for 
an A* can be as low as 65% if there's a very tough paper.  Certainly 
the 'fail' mark for all subjects at that level in the RL is *well* 
below 60%, more like 20 or 30%.  For A-Level, the 'A' boundary is 
80%.  For degree level, the boundary for a first is 70%.  90% seems 
extrememly high given these RL figures (though of course, it's 
impossible to tell from canon).  

I do know what you mean about it being a bit frustrating if Harry 
does pull off a top grade in his worst and most hated subject, but I 
think JKR will do it.  Alternatively, I like the theory of him 
getting an E, but Snape having to lower the bar in order to let 
Draco into the class.

I would like for Snape to be DADA teacher, but I don't think it will 
happen until book 7 at least.  DD must have a pretty good reason not 
to employ Snape in that role, and even though he knew at the start 
of Harry's fifth year that LV was back, he preferred to have the 
Ministry's gopher than let Snape teach.  Snape may be the only canon 
character we know who appears willing and able, but there are any 
number of OC's that JKR can create that we need never have heard of 
up till now, and any number of reasons she can fabricate for why 
they couldn't/wouldn't take up the role in previous years.

Hannah