on veritaserum and being paranoid and suspicious

[-p]

No: HPFGUIDX 126654


Is Veritaserum more or less reliable than Sodium Pentathol?  Am I
wrong to think that it is a cure-all for situations in which one party
or anoher is not believed to be telling the truth?  In situations such
as when Harry and his crew are swearing this or that about the Dark
Lord, why wasn't anyone willing to administer Veritaserum to ensure
the truth?

The use of the serum on Crouch Jr makes me think that it is a trusted
method.  Umbridge's willingness to use it on Harry also makes me
curious as to why the kids never dream of using it on character's whom
they feel untrustworthy.

I began thinking about this because I desired to choke some down
Winky's throat at the World Cup in GoF.  Her behavior seemed so
incongruous that I think that someone at the Cup should have been
suspicious enough to try it.  I can see the urge for those surrounding
Crouch Sr to trust him unconditionally - and his show of anger was
tell-tale of something suspicious to all parties involved I believe...

p