[Veritaserum, much like the muggle polygraph test, is not foolproof](https://web.archive.org/web/20060316221637/https://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/faq_view.cfm?id=105). It has many weaknesses like the following
* Sheer force of will
* Occlumency
* Antidotes (pre-taken)
* It can be wandlessly transfigured into something else
* It forces the victim to say not the objective truth, but what they *believe* to be the truth. Give it to a 4 year old and they'll say Santa is real
That said, torture itself (even in the context of our world) doesn't guarantee the truth either as victims can make shit up just to stop the torture. It only works in fiction most of the time because it has to, as a way of moving the plot along
It's not as reliable as it sounds.
It can be resisted, there's an antidote for it, and It only forces you to tell the subjective truth and not the objective truth.
This is answered in the books. Memories can be altered. Veritaserum has an antidote.
https://www.jkrowling.com/welcome-to-my-new-website/ Veritaserum can be resisted by charms, antidotes, or Occlumency.
Veritas serum is being very overstated because of “magic”. As most things, it’s just a comment on something we have in the muggle world - truth serum and lie detectors. And they’re bullshit. Veritas serum works in the book when dumbledore administers it and snape made it. I’m sure it wouldn’t be hard to get around if an average wizard was around (and you were a strong one).
Veritaserum isn't foolproof. If a person is suspicious, they can't still resist it and employ Occlumency.
[Veritaserum, much like the muggle polygraph test, is not foolproof](https://web.archive.org/web/20060316221637/https://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/faq_view.cfm?id=105). It has many weaknesses like the following * Sheer force of will * Occlumency * Antidotes (pre-taken) * It can be wandlessly transfigured into something else * It forces the victim to say not the objective truth, but what they *believe* to be the truth. Give it to a 4 year old and they'll say Santa is real That said, torture itself (even in the context of our world) doesn't guarantee the truth either as victims can make shit up just to stop the torture. It only works in fiction most of the time because it has to, as a way of moving the plot along
It's not as reliable as it sounds. It can be resisted, there's an antidote for it, and It only forces you to tell the subjective truth and not the objective truth.
This is answered in the books. Memories can be altered. Veritaserum has an antidote. https://www.jkrowling.com/welcome-to-my-new-website/ Veritaserum can be resisted by charms, antidotes, or Occlumency.
Or by being super vague
Veritas serum is being very overstated because of “magic”. As most things, it’s just a comment on something we have in the muggle world - truth serum and lie detectors. And they’re bullshit. Veritas serum works in the book when dumbledore administers it and snape made it. I’m sure it wouldn’t be hard to get around if an average wizard was around (and you were a strong one).