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demarchena
First Year
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PostPosted: August 27, 2007 8:37 am    Post subject: Potions Book Reply with quote

What I don't understand is why they are using the same book they were using 50 years ago. Doesn't it seem that they should have up to date texts? Seriously. The potions books they are using don't even help much because they don't have the right way to make the potion. Now why would the book not explain it like the Half-Blood Prince's copy? Shouldn't they be learning how to do it the right way. I just found that everything having to do with the Half-Blood Prince and Potions was a little more than odd.

I also was confused at first because the potions book was in fact 50 years old and I didn't think Snape was that old...well he can't be he went to school with Lily and James Potter.
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J Seeker
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PostPosted: August 27, 2007 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did it say the book was written in 50 years ago? Maybe it was made back then and Snape wrote in it like 20 years after that... I'm not sure though.
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Excitebike
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Joined: Aug 27, 2007
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PostPosted: August 27, 2007 10:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well I think that wizards have a greater appreciation for paper then we do in the modern world.

As for the Potions book it belonged to Severus' Mother Eileen Prince, It may have been new then (50 years ago), and then Severus inherited it from his mother. It seems that most Hogwart's professors stay around for some time (minus the exception of post Tom Riddle DA teachers). It is Possible Slughorn, who taught Snape, also taught his mother Eileen. That book being his choice of text, he used it to teach Harry's group as well.

Lets be honest I don't think the fundamentals of Potions would have changed that much to call for new texts. To my knowledge it never is made clear that Snape used it as his text, may have changed what Snape became the Master of the Dungeon. Schools do a good job of hanging onto old books.
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sempra
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PostPosted: August 27, 2007 12:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The book belonged to Snape's mother, Eilieen Prince, which he inherited from her. Snape is obviously fantastic at potions, and I suspect he had more "less textbook, more risky" methods, which probably weren't approved by the ministry or were dark.
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demarchena
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PostPosted: August 27, 2007 3:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sempra wrote:
The book belonged to Snape's mother, Eilieen Prince, which he inherited from her. Snape is obviously fantastic at potions, and I suspect he had more "less textbook, more risky" methods, which probably weren't approved by the ministry or were dark.


I guess I had never really thought of it that way. I think I should go back and re-read the books. I was so anxious to finish the book that I missed on some important clues; I didn't quite put two and two together.

I assume that the Ministry of Magic would do things a different way. I don't particularly like their methods.
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teacakes
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PostPosted: August 27, 2007 8:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think Snape's versions were just lucky shortcuts and tips because Hermione could still make the potions it just took her longer.
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demarchena
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PostPosted: August 28, 2007 12:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

teacakes wrote:
I think Snape's versions were just lucky shortcuts and tips because Hermione could still make the potions it just took her longer.


But Hermione can do anything. It didn't seem anyone else could make them.
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teacakes
Mrs. Sirius Black
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PostPosted: August 28, 2007 9:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

^ That doesn't mean the text is wrong just that it really is rather advanced. She can only do things by the book.. except Quidditch.
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demarchena
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PostPosted: August 29, 2007 8:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

teacakes wrote:
^ That doesn't mean the text is wrong just that it really is rather advanced. She can only do things by the book.. except Quidditch.


Yeah, I guess.
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GinnyX
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PostPosted: August 29, 2007 11:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

teacakes wrote:
^ That doesn't mean the text is wrong just that it really is rather advanced. She can only do things by the book.. except Quidditch.


Exactly. Hence the reason why the class is called Advanced Potions.


Also, the textbook could very well be out of date. Why shouldn't Hogwarts be like most other schools in the world in that respect. Most school have out-of-date books, it wouldn't surprise me if Hogwarts books needed to be updated, too.
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.Mocking
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PostPosted: August 29, 2007 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ace-Seeker wrote:
Did it say the book was written in 50 years ago? Maybe it was made back then and Snape wrote in it like 20 years after that... I'm not sure though.


I'm sure they use magic to keep adding stuff to the same book xD.

BTW It wasn't Snapes book at first.
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teacakes
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PostPosted: August 29, 2007 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

.Mocking wrote:
I'm sure they use magic to keep adding stuff to the same book xD.


That's actually not a bad theory.
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kiorsly
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PostPosted: July 3, 2008 12:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

teacakes wrote:
.Mocking wrote:
I'm sure they use magic to keep adding stuff to the same book xD.


That's actually not a bad theory.


perhaps.. i think it could be possible too..
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HalfBloodPrincess94
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PostPosted: August 14, 2008 12:48 am    Post subject: Re: Potions Book Reply with quote

demarchena wrote:
What I don't understand is why they are using the same book they were using 50 years ago. Doesn't it seem that they should have up to date texts? Seriously. The potions books they are using don't even help much because they don't have the right way to make the potion. Now why would the book not explain it like the Half-Blood Prince's copy? Shouldn't they be learning how to do it the right way. I just found that everything having to do with the Half-Blood Prince and Potions was a little more than odd.

I also was confused at first because the potions book was in fact 50 years old and I didn't think Snape was that old...well he can't be he went to school with Lily and James Potter.


Snape was a poor kid, so It was probably a second hand bood, thus ending up 50 years old. Besides, If it was 50 years old, snape and Voldemort (*Shudder*) would have been at school at the same time. And since it was snape's book, he wouldn't want to throw it away. I think thats where he got all his instructions from, because in the other books, he puts the method and ingredients on the chalkboard for the kids to follow.

Just my theory Wink

~Jo x
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Lainah
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PostPosted: August 27, 2008 9:48 pm    Post subject: Re: Potions Book Reply with quote

demarchena wrote:
What I don't understand is why they are using the same book they were using 50 years ago. Doesn't it seem that they should have up to date texts?

Well Harry wasn't suppose to take potions so he never got the book for it from Diagon Alley so Slughorn told him and Ron to get some old text books from the cupboard till their new ones arrived....

i thought that it was clever of Harry to switch covers when he got his new book so he would still keep the Prince one...
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