Golpalott's Third Law

"The antidote for a blended poison will be equal to more than the sum of the antidotes for each of the separate components."

— Golpalott's Third Law.

Golpalott's Third Law is a law for making antidotes. The book Advanced Potion-Making contains this law, but doesn't explain it at all. The law appears to say that the antidote for a poison created by mixing several poisons together must be made up of more than just a blended antidote; which is to say, an antidote made up of the different antidotes for the different poisons mixed together in the blended poison. Creating an antidote following this law may be quite difficult; Hermione Granger made an antidote that was half finished, included fifty-two ingredients, including a chunk of her own hair.

The law dictates the protocol for making antidotes for all poisons. In the Potions class during which Professor Slughorn asks the class to make antidotes according to Golpalott's Third Law, Harry (under the directions of the Half-Blood Prince) uses a Bezoar. While Slughorn is thrilled with Harry's "cheekiness," he explains that "the Bezoar would act as an antidote for most of the poisons in this room."

The name of the law suggests that there may be a Golpalott's First Law and Second Law.

Classroom work

At Hogwarts, the Sixth years learn to produce antidotes referring to this law, under the instructions of their Potions master, Horace Slughorn. In the 1996–1997 school year, Hermione Granger "recited this law at top speed", upon being asked about it by the Potions master, Professor Slughorn.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Mentioned only)