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"I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses.... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death"
— Professor Severus Snape on the nature of brewing potions[src]

A potion (Latin potio, 'beverage') was a magical mixture,[3] commonly brewed in a cauldron[15] which was used to create a number of magical effects on the drinker.[3][1] Potions ranged in effects, nature, and brewing difficulty.[3]

An example of a beginners potion was the Cure for Boils, which was the first potion learned at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.[1][16] An incredibly advanced and challenging one was the Polyjuice Potion, that even adult witches and wizards had trouble with.[17][18][19]

A wizard or witch who specialised in potion brewing was known as a potioneer[20] or a Potions Master.[1] Potion-making was also the wizarding equivalent of Muggle chemistry.[3]

Nature[]

"Potions are not for the impatient, but their effects are usually difficult to undo by any but another skilled potioneer. This branch of magic carries a certain mystique and therefore status."
— The nature of potion-making[src]
Potion ingredients

Various potions and potion ingredients

According to former Hogwarts Potions Master, Professor Severus Snape, potions could be used for numerous different magical purposes.[1] Potions were able to give the drinker any magical effect from strength enhancement[21] to immunity to flames.[22] They could also be used as poisons,[22] or as antidotes or medicines.[23][2] Additionally, their effects were usually difficult to undo by any but another skilled potioneer.[3] Some potions duplicated the effects of spells and charms, such as the Babbling Beverage and the Babbling Curse both causing the victim to talk nonsensically, or the Hair-Dyeing Potion and the Colour Change Charm both being able to change a persons hair colour. However, there were also certain magical effects that could only be induced through the use of potions. For instance, the Polyjuice Potion, which temporarily transformed the drinker into the physical likeness of another person, and Felix Felicis, which temporarily made the drinker lucky and allowed them to succeed in all their endeavors, had effects that were impossible to achieve any other way.[3][18][20] Generally speaking, witches and wizards favoured whichever method they found easiest, or most satisfying, to produce their chosen end.[3] Potions were usually meant to be drunk, but not all potions were used by drinking them, as some could be applied by physical contact or create an effect simply by being created, such as the Swelling Solution or the Regeneration potion.[24]

Potions were capable of incredible feats; for example, in the 1992–1993 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a number of students were petrified by the Serpent of Slytherin. Albus Dumbledore, who was considered the most powerful wizard of the age, was unable to revive the victims, even with the Elder Wand in hand. However, the petrified victims were easily revived by a Mandrake Restorative Draught. Notably, even Nearly Headless Nick, a ghost, was revived by the Mandrake potion. Although the method by which it was administered is unknown.[25]

PotionsClassroom lab

A potions lab in the Potions Classroom, containing various ingredients and equipment

Potions were brewed through manual step-by-step processes not unlike the culinary, thus requiring the necessary utensils, hands-on skills and, of course, some knowledge of the potion recipe or formula.[3][1] They were made from all sorts of ingredients, such as plants and animal body parts, some with magical properties, others not. It should also be noted that some recipes called for the stirring to be done in a certain direction (clockwise or counter-clockwise), and some ingredients had to be harvested in certain ways or at certain times. Additionally, the ingredients had to be added with the cauldron at the correct temperature (with the cauldron on the fire or off it).[1]

Once finished, a potion could be identified by its characteristics, including (but not limited to) its colour, smell, and the way the steam coming from it behaved. For example, the Love potion Amortentia had a Mother-of-pearl sheen, smelled like whatever the person smelling it was attracted to, and produced steam in a spiral.[20]

Potions had a distinct advantage over typical spells in that they could be used even by the non-magical. Although, contrary to the introductory speech Professor Snape gave to his first years in 1991, potion brewing always required some degree of wand work to complete the brewing process.[3][1] Hence, non-magic people could not brew them even if given the ingredients and instructions, as it would only result in nasty-tasting (and not to mention poisonous) soup with no magical effect whatsoever.[3] Still, provided that they had the potion itself at their disposal, non-magic people could still use it just as easily as any witch or wizard.

This branch of magic carried a certain mystique and therefore status. There was also the dark cachet of handling substances that were highly dangerous. The popular idea of a potions expert within the wizarding community was of a brooding, slow-burning personality.[3]

Limitations[]

The first and foremost weakness of the art of Potion making was the difficulty of the art itself. Furthermore, potion making was an exact art and everything had to done the right way. Doing something wrong could result in the whole potion going wrong, although in some cases, a Potioneer might discover an alternate method of preparation that can actually make the potion better, as was the case for numerous potions in the Half-Blood Prince's book.[20] A Potioneer might have also used a Counter-ingredient, which counteracted the effects of an incorrect ingredient.[26] Still, figuring out these workarounds required a great deal of skill.

One of the biggest limitations was that potion making required one to prepare. As opposed to spells, which could be done on the spot and required only the wizards own magical abilities, and maybe a wand, a Potioneer could not make a potion without all the necessary ingredients and equipment.

Another limitation was how long it took to make a potion. Some potions could be brewed in a matter of minutes, while others could take several months. Potions were not for the impatient, as opposed to spellcasting, whose effects were instantaneous.

While potions were capable of powerful and incredibly magical effects, there was no such thing as magic that could bring the dead back to life.

Dangers[]

Potions had to be brewed carefully to achieve the proper effects.[3] In certain cases, those that were brewed incorrectly or in a dirty cauldron could become poisons.[27][28] In other cases, even potions that had been brewed correctly may have had deleterious side-effects, even if their intended effect is beneficial; for example, Felix Felicis caused recklessness and overconfidence when not used sparingly.[20][14]

Notably, some potion recipes could have been modified to reduce these side-effects; for example, the Elixir to Induce Euphoria might have caused excessive singing and nose-tweaking, but these effects could have been counterbalanced by adding a sprig of peppermint to the potion while brewing. This was considered unorthodox, but a stroke of inspiration all the same.[29]

Origin[]

Naturally, every potion had to have been invented by someone. Gregory the Smarmy invented Gregory's Unctuous Unction, the One-Eyed Witch, Gunhilda de Gorsemoor invented the cure for Dragon Pox, and Zygmunt Budge invented a multitude of different potions during his time living in seclusion, Felix Felicis chief among them.

In some cases, a Potioneer might have developed an entirely new version of an already existing potion. Zygmunt Budge for instance developed his own recipe for the Beautification Potion. His artificial good-looks attracted the attention of Muggle women, who started to circle his island home, calling for him to "give us a kiss, handsome!". Though, Budge's version had the limitation of only working on humans, or creatures of human-like appearance.[30]

Toads were particularly useful to Potioneers, as the fact that they absorbed liquids through their skin allowed for easy testing of potions that were normally required to be ingested orally.[14]

Teaching and labeling[]

"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic."
— Professor Snape in Potions class[src]
Potions

A first-year Potions lesson

There was a Potions class at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, devoted to the study of potion recipes, practising the correct way to brew potions using various magical ingredients, and the effect's of the resulting mixtures.[1] This class started with simple and easy ones first,[1] then moved on to more advanced ones as they progressed in knowledge.[20]

Slughorn pottermore

An advanced N.E.W.T.-level Potions lesson

It was a core class and mandatory throughout the first five years of a students education.[1][31] It was optional to N.E.W.T.-level students in their sixth and seventh-years to those who achieved an 'Outstanding' or 'Exceeds Expectations' on their Ordinary Wizarding Level exam.[32][20] Anyone who achieved anything less would not be able to keep up with the more difficult material and more advanced course work. Potions was also noted to be a hard subject to achieve an O.W.L. in, as proven when only twelve students advanced to N.E.W.T.-level class in 1996.[20]

According to Professor Aesop Sharp, Herbology class was just as important to the learning of Potions as Potions class itself. It was good to have a solid grasp on not only how to combine ingredients, but to have an understanding of the ingredients themselves. The plants nurtured in Herbology class were often essential in Potions.[33]

There existed a Potions Association that oversaw the labelling of certain potions, and possibly other aspects of the field. The association was directly associated with the Ministry of Magic.[34][35]

Supplies[]

Equipment[]

Ingredients[]

Related jobs[]

Potioneer

A potioneer brewing potions

A potioneer, also known as a potion-brewer or potion-maker, was a witch or wizard who made potions for a living,[20] meaning that their primary source of income came from making potions or in someway related to potions in general. This could include working as a professional brewer, studying or inventing potions, or teaching potions as a subject at a wizarding school.[1] A N.E.W.T. in Potions was one of the necessary qualifications required to become a Healer and an Auror.[40]

A person who taught Potions was sometimes known as a Potions Master,[1] one who had achieved a N.E.W.T. in the subject.

Severus Snape was the Potions Master at Hogwarts from 1980 to the fall of 1996.[1][41] Horace Slughorn, who had taught Potions many years before, took over as Potions Master in 1996.[42] Other known Potions professors were Swoopstikes and Vindictus Viridian. Swoopstikes was an entomologist, with a vast knowledge of magical insects and Viridian was a former Headmaster at Hogwarts and author.[43]

Known potioneers[]

Texts on potions[]

Potion-related businesses[]

An advertisement could be seen in The Quibbler about a potion-making business or potioneer called Ancient Potion Maker.[56]

In 1996, a business called Potions Lady that specialised in making potions for women placed an advertisement in The Quibbler.[56]

The Apothecary[]

"Then they visited the apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, Harry himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop)."
— Description of the Apothecary[src]
Apothecary

The Apothecary was a shop located at North Side, Diagon Alley. This shop was devoted to potions and potion-making. It was a shop favored by many Hogwarts' students. Penny Haywood obtained a job as a Potioneer at the Apothecary after she graduated from Hogwarts. She would brew potions and gather ingredients every day. The famous Harry Potter made several trips to the Apothecary during his time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This shop was were he would buy his cauldron and ingredients.

Slug & Jiggers Apothecary[]

Slug & Jiggers Apothecary was a shop in Diagon Alley, established in 1207,[57] which sold potions and potion ingredients.

Behind the scenes[]

  • As brewing potions only requires minimal wand magic, Snape's warning against "foolish wand-waving or silly incantations", likely means that he expects the students to limit themselves to the task at hand and not attempt any other spells in class.
  • In the Harry Potter films, for scenes which required actors to be seen consuming potions, soup was typically used as the stand-in, with carrot and coriander being some of the flavours preferred by the actors.[58]

Author's comments[]

  • It is often asked whether a Muggle could create a magic potion, given a Potions book and the right ingredients. The answer, unfortunately, is no. There is always some element of wandwork necessary to make a potion (merely adding dead flies and asphodel to a pot hanging over a fire will give you nothing but nasty-tasting, not to mention poisonous, soup).[3]
  • "Chemistry was my least favourite subject at school, and I gave it up as soon as I could. Naturally, when I was trying to decide which subject Harry's arch-enemy, Severus Snape, should teach, it had to be the wizarding equivalent. This makes it all the stranger that I found Snape's introduction to his subject quite compelling ('I can teach you to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper on death...'), apparently part of me found Potions quite as interesting as Snape did; and indeed I always enjoyed creating potions in the books, and researching ingredients for them. Many of the components of the various draughts and libations that Harry creates for Snape exist (or were once believed to exist) and have (or were believed to have) the properties I gave them. Dittany, for instance, really does have healing properties (it is an anti-inflammatory, although I would not advise Splinching yourself to test it); a bezoar really is a mass taken from the intestines of an animal, and it really was once believed that drinking water in which a bezoar was placed could cure you of poisoning."[3]

Appearances[]

Wiki
The Harry Potter Wiki has 966 images related to Potion.

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 8 (The Potions Master)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 18 (Birthday Surprises)
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Potions" at Wizarding World
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 4.30 4.31 4.32 4.33 4.34 4.35 4.36 4.37 4.38 4.39 4.40 4.41 4.42 4.43 4.44 4.45 4.46 Pottermore - Apothecary
  5. 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 15 (The Forbidden Forest)
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
  7. 7.0 7.1 Pottermore (archived)
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
  9. 9.0 9.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 23 (The Legend of Dai Ryusaki and the Dark Scroll)
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 J. K. Rowling's official site
  11. 11.0 11.1 Daily Prophet Newsletters, Issue 4
  12. 12.0 12.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 38 (The Second War Begins)
  13. 13.0 13.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 12 (And Hello Magical Accidents and Catastrophes)
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Wonderbook: Book of Potions
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Cauldrons" at Wizarding World
  16. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 1, Chapter 2 (Welcome to Hogwarts) - Potions Lesson "Cure for Boils Potion"
  17. 17.0 17.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 10 (The Rogue Bludger)
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 12 (The Polyjuice Potion)
  19. Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Polyjuice Potion" at Wizarding World
  20. 20.00 20.01 20.02 20.03 20.04 20.05 20.06 20.07 20.08 20.09 20.10 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 9 (The Half-Blood Prince)
  21. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 15 (The Hogwarts High Inquisitor)
  22. 22.0 22.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 16 (Through the Trapdoor)
  23. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 9 (The Writing on the Wall)
  24. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 32 (Flesh, Blood and Bone)
  25. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  26. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act One, Scene Four
  27. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 7 (The Boggart in the Wardrobe)
  28. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 22 (St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries)
  29. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 22 (After the Burial)
  30. Wonderbook: Book of Potions - Chapter 4 (Beautification Potion)
  31. Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Hogwarts School Subjects" at Wizarding World
  32. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 12 (Professor Umbridge)
  33. 33.0 33.1 33.2 Hogwarts Legacy
  34. Harry Potter Wizard's CollectionLabel Collection book (see this image)
  35. MinaLima Design - Potion Labels - The Printorium (see this image)
  36. 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 36.4 36.5 36.6 36.7 36.8 36.9 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 5 (Diagon Alley)
  37. Pottermore
  38. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 27 (Padfoot Returns)
  39. 39.0 39.1 39.2 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
  40. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 29 (Careers Advice)
  41. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 8 (Snape Victorious)
  42. 42.0 42.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 4 (Horace Slughorn)
  43. 43.0 43.1 43.2 43.3 The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
  44. Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, The Mysterious Malady
  45. 45.0 45.1 Fantastic Beasts: Cases from the Wizarding World - Case 5: Trouble Brewing
  46. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 7 (The Slug Club)
  47. The Art and Making of Hogwarts Legacy
  48. 48.0 48.1 Writing by J. K. Rowling: "The Potter Family" at Wizarding World
  49. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
  50. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 13 (Nicolas Flamel)
  51. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
  52. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Four, Scene Fourteen
  53. Harry Potter Trading Card Game
  54. Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey, p. 504 (see this image)
  55. Wonderbook: Book of Potions (see this video)
  56. 56.0 56.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
  57. The Making of Harry Potter
  58. Harry Potter: The Artifact Vault‏‎, p. 28

See also[]

Potions (class)
Wideye-or-awakening-potion
Potioneers
Arsenius Jigger · Baruffio · Bella Navarro · Bilius Finbok · Blossom Degrasse · Dai Ryusaki · Damocles Belby · Dorothy Sprottle · Erica Stainwright · Fatimah Lawang · Fleamont Potter · Gethsemane Prickle · Gilderoy Lockhart · Glossy · Glover Hipworth · Golpalott · Gregory the Smarmy · Gunhilda de Gorsemoor · Hector Dagworth-Granger · Hesper Starkey · Jalal Sehmi · J. Pippin · Laverne de Montmorency · Libatius Borage · Linfred of Stinchcombe · Mulpepper · Mundungus Fletcher · Nicolas Flamel · Phineas Bourne · Priya Treadwell · Quintia McQuoid · Regulus Moonshine · Rogue alchemist · Rubens Winikus · Sacharissa Tugwood · Skower · Tilden Toots · Dr Ubbly · Vindictus Viridian · Zenith Xeep · Zygmunt Budge
Potions at Hogwarts
Cauldron cupboard · Dungeon Five · Potions basement · Potions Classroom · Potions Club · Potions Staircase · Potion Master's office · Potions Storeroom
Professors Bartholomew · Horace Slughorn · Severus Snape · Swoopstikes · Unnamed Professor (16th century) · Aesop Sharp (19th century) · Unnamed Professor (2021)
Textbooks A Collection of Above Three Hundred Receipts in Cookery, Physick, and Surgery · Advanced Potion-Making · Ingredient Encyclopedia · Magical Drafts and Potions · One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
Potions studied at Hogwarts
Ageing Potion · Amortentia · Antidotes · Antidote to Common Poisons · Antidote to garish pink blended poison · Antidote to Uncommon Poisons · Antidote to Veritaserum · Babbling Beverage · Befuddlement Draught · Calming Draught · Cheese-Based Potions · Confusing Concoction · Cough Potion · Cure for Boils · Deflating Draught · Doxycide · Draught of Living Death · Draught of Peace · Elixir to Induce Euphoria · Erumpent Potion · Essence of Insanity · Everlasting Elixirs · Felix Felicis · Fire Protection Potion · Forgetfulness Potion · The Famous French Method for the Bite of a Mad Dog · Garish pink blended poison · Garrotting Gas · Girding Potion · Hair-Raising Potion · Herbicide Potion · Hiccoughing Solution · Invigoration Draught · Laughing Potion · Mandrake Restorative Draught · Memory Potion · Pepperup Potion · Polyjuice Potion · Pompion Potion · Potion for Dreamless Sleep · Rat Tonic · Regerminating Potion · Scintillation Solution · Shrinking Solution · Skele-Gro · Strength Potion · Strengthening Solution · Swelling Solution · Undetectable Poisons · Veritaserum · Weedosoros · Wideye Potion · Wiggenweld Potion · Wit-Sharpening Potion · Wolfsbane Potion · Wound-Cleaning Potion
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