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Potions
Class information
Professor	Severus Snape; ; Horace Slughorn ;
Required textbooks	Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger ; Advanced Potion Making by Libatius Borage ;
Required equipment	Cauldron ; Brass scales ; Phials ; Various ingredients ;

"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few... Who possess, the predisposition... I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death."

—Professor Snape during Harry Potter's first Potions class^[src]

Potions is a subject taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In this class, students learn how to brew potions, following specific recipes and using various magical ingredients to create their potions, starting with simple ones first and moving to more advanced ones as they progress in knowledge. A standard potions kit includes plant ingredients such as Belladonna and supplies such as glass phials and weighing scales. Potions lessons take place in the Hogwarts dungeons.

Class Information

At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Potions is a required subject for students, from the first year to the fifth year. During Harry Potter's first year, Snape quizzed him on One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. Some of the questions included were what would be created if powdered root of asphodel was added to an infusion of wormwood, where to find a Bezoar, and the difference between Monkshood and Wolfbane. Snape then lashed out at Harry and told the class to take careful notes. First years also brewed a simple potion to cure boils and their exam included brewing a Forgetfulness Potion. During Harry Potters second year, the curriculum included a Swelling Solution that later caused a disaster the same day it was brewed.

Around 1981, Severus Snape became the professor of Potions at Hogwarts; he served as the school's potions professor through 1996, when he was replaced by Horace Slughorn.

Potion recipes can be found in many books, including the books the students at Hogwarts use in their classes, but the intricacies of timing, ageing, stirring techniques, and bottling which are much more difficult to learn without the mentoring of the experienced masters. Certain ingredients can be found in the cupboard in the classroom, but others have to be bought before the year start at the apothecary.

When Severus Snape was the professor, students had to achieve an "Outstanding" in their O.W.L. in order to take his advanced class. As Head of House, Professor Snape tended to favour students from Slytherin House more than other students, so Slytherins tended to do better than others at the subject.

On the other hand, Horace Slughorn was much more lenient; Harry and Ron were both allowed to continue the N.E.W.T. class with an "Exceeds Expectations" O.W.L. He also does not grant Slytherins special treatments, thus having them lose their advantage in good classwork.

Curriculum

First year

Aconite, bezoars, and some basic details on preparation of the Draught of Living Death such as would be created if powdered root of asphodel was added to an Infusion of Wormwood
Cure for Boils
Forgetfulness Potion
Collecting the ingredients for Wiggenweld Potion
The 12 uses of dragon blood

Second year

Third year

Fourth year

Fifth year

Sixth year

Known professors

Required textbooks

Known O.W.L.s

Behind the scenes

In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, many more students are shown to be in Harry's N.E.W.T. level Potions class than are mentioned in the book. The book specifically names Harry, Ron, and Hermione to be the only Gryffindors to have moved on to N.E.W.T. level, but the film shows Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Lavender Brown to be in the class as well. Katie Bell and Romilda Vane are also in the class in the film, although they are actually a seventh year and a fourth year student respectively.

Appearances

Wizarding Education

Schools: Academy of Broom Flying · Beauxbatons Academy of Magic · Brazilian wizarding school · Charm School · Durmstrang Institute · Euro-Glyph School of Extraordinary Languages · Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry · Mahoutokoro · Salem Witches' Institute · Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts
Examinations: First year exams · Second year exams · Third year exams · Fourth year exams · Ordinary Wizarding Level · Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test
Core classes: Astronomy · Charms · Defence Against the Dark Arts · Herbology · History of Magic · Potions · Transfiguration
Elective classes: Alchemy · Arithmancy · Care of Magical Creatures · Divination · Muggle Studies · Study of Ancient Runes
Extra-curricular classes: Apparition · Advanced Arithmancy Studies · Ancient Studies · Art · Flying · Frog Choir · Ghoul Studies · Hogwarts orchestra · Magical Theory · Muggle Art · Muggle Music · Music · Xylomancy

Potions (class)

Professors: Vindictus Veridian · Severus Snape · Horace Slughorn
Textbooks: Magical Drafts and Potions · One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi · Advanced Potion-Making · Moste Potente Potions
Potions at Hogwarts: Potions Classroom · Potions Staircase · Potions basement · Potions Club · Potion Master's office · Potion Master's storeroom · Dungeon Five · Cauldron cupboard
Potioneers: Arsenius Jigger · Damocles · Glover Hipworth · Golpalott · Gregory the Smarmy · Gunhilda of Gorsemoor · Hector Dagworth-Granger · Hesper Starky · J. Pippin · Laverne de Montmorency · Libatius Borage · Regulus Moonshine · Rubens Winikus · Sacharissa Tugwood · Tilden Toots · Dr. Ubbly
Potions Studied: Boil-Cure Potion · Forgetfulness Potion · Hair-Raising Potion · Shrinking Solution · Undetectable Poisons · Wiggenweld Potion · Girding Potion · Antidotes · Strengthening Solution · Everlasting Elixirs · Felix Felicis · Draught of Living Death · Amortentia · Elixir to Induce Euphoria · Hiccoughing Solution · Poison Antidote · Swelling Solution · Draught of Peace · Wit-Sharpening Potion · Polyjuice Potion