How recently did SS write in Potions book?

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 141710

~aussie / norbertsmummy:
> 
> - Why call himself a Half-Blood while in Slytherin?

Ceridwen:
Suggestion:  It's his own made-up nickname for himself.  He only uses 
it for himself and in only the presence of himself.  Like a kid 
fantasizing about being SuperTeen! or some other superhero/heroine, 
but unwilling to share such a childish and foolish practice with his 
friends or acquaintances.  Didn't anybody else have such a fantasy 
life, like Walter Mitty's?  Come on, 'fess up!

~aussie / norbertsmummy:
> - Who could he practise the "sectumsempra" curse on while a student 
> without getting expelled. (Remember, McGoonagall heard what Harry 
> did to Draco, yet didn't recognise the injuries from Snape's years 
> at school. Both she and Mdm. Pomfrey were at Hogwarts then and 
would 
> have remebered Snape for inventing something that causes such 
wounds)

Ceridwen:
Why would he need to practice it on some person?  Couldn't he have 
used mice, or even trash or old parchments?  I don't think it says 
anywhere that Sectumsempra only works on people.

~aussie / norbertsmummy: 
> - Much of the hand-written entries were faded and hard to read ... 
> but not all.

Ceridwen:
Maybe those chapters were gone over in more detail during homework.  
Maybe those notes were the ones Snape worked over more than others, 
changing them as he tried new things, until he got the results he was 
looking for.  Maybe a change of ink.  Maybe referred to much more 
often later on as new potions referred back to the earlier potions in 
the book.  Maybe he just ran his fingers over them more.

*(snip as I have nothing to add)*

~aussie / norbertsmummy:
> That would also explain how Harry could surpass Snape in potions 
> during Severus's student years according to Slughorn. Why?, because 
> some techniques were added on after Snape finished being a student.

Ceridwen:
As the originator of the revisions, Snape would have had to go 
through trial and error to get to the results he wanted.  So his 
potions in class would reflect that.  They wouldn't have been perfect 
first off.  He probably did very well on his N.E.W.T.s.

Harry had the full revisions from the beginning so he didn't have to 
make mistakes.  HBP had already gone through that process for him.  
The potions in the book were sixth-year potions, so Snape wouldn't 
have had to wait to become an adult to try, then revise, them.  IMO.

Ceridwen.