graduation / Veritaserum

[Catlady (Rita Prince]

No: HPFGUIDX 188322

Brian wrote in <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/188285>:

<< The reason I get annoyed by US writers putting in a totally illogical graduation is that they are writing a story set in Britain. Is it SO hard to expect an American writer to respect British culture when writing about Britain? >>

Yes, but British wizard culture is not exactly the same as British muggle culture, and Hogwarts is a unique institution. It was founded at a time when there were no universities in Britain or Western Europe, and I don't think there were any schools not associated with monasteries, and Hogwarts must have awarded its own qualifications (degrees, diplomas) for the centuries before OWLs and NEWTs were invented, so it may have had graduation and degree-granting ceremonies before universities did.

Steve bboyminn wrote in <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/188316>:

<< I believe JKR was asked this question and pointed out that Veritaserum and its use is strickly controlled, and that there are way around it, the same as there are ways around lie detectors. If the speaker believes that what he says is true then he is able to speak it as if it were truth. >> 

<http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/faq_view.cfm?id=105> is where Rowling was asked this question, and her answer includes "Veritaserum works best upon the unsuspecting, the vulnerable and those insufficiently skilled (in one way or another) to protect themselves against it. Barty Crouch had been attacked before the potion was given to him and was still very groggy, otherwise he could have employed a range of measures against the Potion - he might have sealed his own throat and faked a declaration of innocence, transformed the Potion into something else before it touched his lips, or employed Occlumency against its effects. In other words, just like every other kind of magic within the books, Veritaserum is not infallible. As some wizards can prevent themselves being affected, and others cannot, it is an unfair and unreliable tool to use at a trial."