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In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, how did Snape allow his old copy of "Advanced Potion-Making" to be used by Harry?

Was this by the instruction of Dumbledore in order to let Harry get closer to Professor Slughorn and therefore find out more about the Horcruxes? Or did Snape actually misplace the potions book?

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    School books are normally owned by the school, and recycled year to year....
    – cde
    Oct 24, 2018 at 23:03
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    @cde - Not at Hogwarts. Remember, Harry (and everyone else) had to go to Diagon Alley to purchase their books for the school year. In the HBP, neither Harry nor Ron was going to take Advanced Potions due to Snape's rules for OWL scores. When they got into Slughorn's AP class, they didn't have the books, so Slughorn told them where they could find a copy (on the shelf). There was the new one which Harry and Ron fought over (briefly). Ron won the battle, which left Harry with the HBP's raggedy version. Whether it was planned that Harry should get it, I don't really know. It looked random.
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2
    Oct 25, 2018 at 0:52
  • After reading the new Wizarding-World-themed issue of EW, I had this question too.
    – Meat Trademark
    Oct 25, 2018 at 2:25
  • "Was this by the instruction of Dumbledore in order to let Harry get closer to Professor Slughorn and therefore find out more about the Horcruxes?" As this doesn't seem to be covered in the books, movies, or Pottermore, I VTC,sorry.
    – Meat Trademark
    Oct 25, 2018 at 10:20
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    @MeatTrademark "We don't know from the available source material" is a perfectly acceptable answer & doesn't deserve VTC
    – KharoBangdo
    Oct 25, 2018 at 10:43

2 Answers 2

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How did Snape allow his old copy of "Advanced Potion-Making" to be used by Harry?

He wasn't aware of it until the 'Draco - Sectumsempra' incident.

In the movie: And as soon as Snape realises that Harry might be in possession of his potions book, he questions and tries to get the book (which Harry hides in the room of requirement for fear of Snape confiscating it)

In the book: Harry switches his book with Ron's and ends up showing Ron's copy to Snape claiming it as his book.

Remember that Snape did not teach Harry potions in year six, it was Slughorn. Had Snape been the potions teacher, he would have immediately caught on that Harry was using his old book.

And when Slughorn mentioned that Harry had a flair for potions, Snape was sceptical but never doubtful. He probably didn't even remember his book.

Was this by the instruction of Dumbledore in order to let Harry get closer to Professor Slughorn and therefore find out more about the Horcruxes?

Harry didn't need to even try to get into Slughorn's good books. Slughorn was anyway going to pull Harry into his 'Slughorn Club' as Harry would be his most famous student and club member. The 'potion flair' that Harry had was just an added advantage.

Coming to if this book was planned to be with Harry - No, its a mere coincidence

The potions master for that year was Slughorn, and since Harry and Ron were already sure they would not be in Snape's potions class, they never purchased potions books for year 6.

When they realise Slughorn is the potions master that year and they could take up potion classes, they were asked to take spare books from the shelf by Slughorn. When they find two books - one new and one battered, both of them quabble over the new book which Ron wins. Harry just settled for the battered one - which is purely coincidence.

Snape actually misplace the potions book?

I don't really know if this is explicitly mentioned in the movie/book but it could just be that he left it there long ago and didn't really remember.

Never know.

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I can stay firm on the fact that this was NOT planned. Let me give you 3 instances for the same.

Firstly, when Harry confronted Draco Malfoy in the washroom and he made Draco unconsious and bleeding, Snape had a doubt on Harry seeing a familiar spell used on Draco.

Secondly, when Harry tried to use Snape's spell on him, Snape was sure and replied to Harry that he is the Half-Blood prince as Snape knew the only way possible for someone to know it was through the book he himself wrote in.

Lastly, Paulster2's comment , which I would have mentioned as well, it was random, by chance, no one controls luck/fate in HarryPotter movie.(apart from the fact that Harry was the Chosen One).

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    "How did Snape allow his old advanced potions book to be used by Harry?" That is the question. NOT how did he know Harry had the book? There weren't a lot of other old books there. Was he the only one to leave one behind? A can of worms.
    – Meat Trademark
    Oct 25, 2018 at 5:12
  • So it means you need to know that Snape DID NOT actually allow Harry to use his book, he only observed/realized it that Harry actually has the book he used as a student, this is what I stated in my answer as well, supporting it with obvious facts
    – master ArSuKa
    Oct 25, 2018 at 5:23
  • No. The OP never suggested it was planned. THAT is the point. The logical assumption would be that Harry would get a NEW copy of the book. WHY did Snape allow an annotated copy circulate in Hogwarts when it even included NEW spells and NEW instructions. The last line of the OP is "Or did Snape actually misplace the potions book?" Please keep that in mind. That is what I was addressing.
    – Meat Trademark
    Oct 25, 2018 at 9:30
  • I respect your concern,we are not shown any such practice, but having an old book means there must have been some or other amount of recycling books in Hogwarts. All I meant was that it was not planned from Snape at all.
    – master ArSuKa
    Oct 25, 2018 at 9:36
  • Most students brought their own books. Harry and Ron were admitted after arriving at the castle. "When they realize Slughorn is the potions master that year and they could take up potion classes, they were asked to take spare books from the shelf by Slughorn." It seemed there were only the two books, not a recycling program. And I agree that it was not planned from the start. I think we agree and just approached at different angles.
    – Meat Trademark
    Oct 25, 2018 at 10:23

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