Was it Slughorn? (was: The potion maker)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 141572

Betsy hp:
> The fact that Harry was able to recognize Slughorn's weaknesses
> (and I think Harry *does* realize that he's benefitting from his
> fame and possible his mother) but still not classify him as evil
> is the first step in Harry realizing the worth in Slytherin.

Jen: Hang on, I'm having another one of those Harry-is-acting-like-a-
Slytherin moments :). Is that what you meant here, about Harry 
benefitting from his fame and his connections? I don't mean to step 
on your theory, it just suddenly seems so obvious why Harry could 
have been in Slytherin house. Look at him--"those cunning folks use 
any means to achieve their ends"--like pulling a bezoar out of the 
hat to much adulation and praise? Like using Felix to get an old 
wizard drunk, then employing emotional manipulation to talk him out 
of his memory? Like using a potion book of unknown origin so he can 
meet Slughorn's expectations for his superior potions ability? 
Sheesh! I know everyone doesn't read HBP this way, but I suddenly 
feel like JKR is banging us over the head with it. 


Betsy:
> What I'm hoping for is that rather than a single "good Slytherin" 
> we'll finally see the good *in* Slytherin, and Hogwarts will be 
> healed of the rift made by the founders.  

Jen: Only when Harry sees the Slytherin in himself <g>. I'm not sure 
any of these outside folks can turn him as much as he can turn 
himself. Maybe Lily's memories will help him, she apparently learned 
to see the good in others. If Slughorn was telling the story 
accurately, she would have made a good Slytherin herself and didn't 
think that was a horrible thought.

> SSSusan:
> <snip>
> So that leaves me pondering a couple of questions:
> 1)  Who DID brew the potion?  Was it Voldy? Voldy alone? Voldy    
> with someone's help? If with someone's help, then WHOSE?  
> 2)  What WILL Slughorn's role be in the remainder of the saga?  
> Anybody want to make some predictions on this??
 
> Betsy Hp:
> Of course, I could be wildly wrong and Slughorn will actually 
> provide some crucial information (he was, after all, Snape's head
> of house).  And it could turn out that it's *very* neccessary for
> Harry to find out what potion was in the cave and therefore seek
> out its brewer.  However, JKR rarely travels back over familiar 
> ground, IIRC, so I suspect she's going to move on.

Jen: I hope not! Not so much about Slughorn, your thoughts on why he 
was included for thematic reasons rings true. However, I can't let 
go of learning what happened to Dumbledore while drinking the 
potion, and suspect Slughorn is the only one who could tell Harry 
that information (whether Sluggy unwittingly helped make the potion 
or not). If Dumbledore didn't even know the effects of the potion, 
then it must be pretty rare. 

Also, that moment was one of only two in HBP I can think of to 
answer the following question, which JKR wouldn't:

ES: "What would Dumbledore's boggart be?"

JKR: "I can't answer that either, but for theories you should read 
six again." 

Right after HBP my vote was for the potion experience as the boggart 
moment, that Dumbledore envisioned his greatest fear which was 
something akin to what happened later that night--his students in 
danger from a mistake he made, people being hurt or tortured to the 
point he was willing to die to save them. That one still seems like 
a good bet.

The only other boggart moment I can think of was on the tower. 
Perhaps if Dumbledore's boggart was Harry being killed before 
Voldemort, then his plea on the tower was for Snape to please keep 
his word that in Dumbledore's absence, Snape would watch over Harry 
and help him in the final stages of his quest. No wonder the look of 
hatred etched across his face.

Jen