An Ageing Potion is a potion which causes the drinker to become older. Whether this is in body only or in body and mind is unclear. It is clear, however, that the more of the potion is drunk, the larger the aging which occurs. The effects of this potion are to be temporary.
A most famous use of the potion occurred when Fred and George Weasley and Lee Jordan attempted to use it to enter the Triwizard Tournament when they were still underage. Dumbledore had placed an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire to prevent anyone under the age of seventeen from approaching it. Hermione Granger warned Fred and George that the Age Line wouldn't be fooled by an Ageing Potion because Dumbledore himself made the age line and was convinced that Dumbledore would have thought of an Ageing Potion in advance. Fred, George and Lee thought however that an Ageing Potion would be enough to fool the Age Line magic, but they were wrong. Fred and George were ejected forcefully back over the line and both sprouted long white beards for their trouble. Lee, much to his relief, never attempted to cross the line and so escaped such humiliation. S. Fawcett and Summers also tried to use the potion to age themselves to be eligible for the Tournament, and both also grew white beards from the Age Line.
On this occasion, George reported that they had taken only a single drop of potion each, as they only needed to increase their age by a few months. This indicates that the more of the potion is drunk, the larger the degree of aging that occurs. It is also clear, however, that other magic can see through the effects of this potion, as Dumbledore's Age Line proved.
Behind the scenes
- In the English subtitles it is spelled Aging Potion.
- In the book version of Goblet of Fire, after Fred & George were rejected and were sprouted beards, they only laughed. In the film version, after they were rejected and sprouted beards, they playfully fight each other.