Polyjuice Potion



The Polyjuice Potion is a very complicated (and probably illegal) potion that allows the drinker to assume the form of someone else. This potion allows the drinker to take on the likeness of another person. The effect lasts for an hour, but as Barty Crouch Jr proved when he kidnapped and impersonated Alastor Moody for an entire Hogwarts school year, continual dosing can draw out the effects indefinitely.

Ingredients required

 * 1) 12 Lacewing flies
 * 2) 1 oz. crude Antimony
 * 3) 4 Leeches
 * 4) 16 scruples of Fluxweed
 * 5) 3 drams of Sal Ammoniac (crystalized ammonia, made liquid)
 * 6) Knotgrass
 * 7) 1 pinch of powdered horn of a bicorn (lunar extracted)
 * 8) Shredded skin of boomslang
 * 9) Filings and rasplings of Salpeter, Mercury and Mars.
 * 10) Extract of The-Transfigured-Being-To-Be

The fluxweed and horn must be selected picked at full moon, and the Lacewing flies stewed for 21 days before the potion is even made. The filings and rasplings most likely refer to pieces of meteorite or minerals. Most of the ingredients are available in the students' cupboard at Hogwarts, although some of them are only available in Severus Snape's private stores.

Effects
A piece of the person who is to be imitated (usually hair) is needed for the transformation. When the piece of the person to be imitated is added, the potion changes colour; it seems to react according to the nature of the person to be imitated. Harry Potter described the taste as "overcooked cabbage" when he intended transform into Gregory Goyle. It is likely the taste differs from potion to potion.

The potion is complicated and can go awry. Hermione Granger intended to use the potion to transform into Millicent Bulstrode, but unfortunately the hair she used came from Millicent's cat and not Millicent herself. The resulting potion caused Hermione to partially transform into a cat. As the Polyjuice Potion cannot be used to successfully transform into an animal, Hermione's change did not reverse after an hour. She went to The Hospital Wing and did not recover until after the winter holidays.

The potion is capabel of mimic all physical traits of a person, even the ones who aren't genetic, such as scars and haircut, it appears that turns the drinker in a perfect copy of the person body.

Usage by Hogwarts Students
Throughtout 1996-98, Polyjuice Potion was used extensively by students at Hogwarts. Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe used it continually throughout the 1996 school year to cover their comings and goings while in search of a Vanishing Cabinet.

It was used by a group of six other people to impersonate Harry Potter during the Battle over Little Whinging. Harry himself used it to disguise himself at Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding. It was further used by Harry, Ron and Hermione to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic to search for Salazar Slytherin's Locket.

Harry and Hermione used it later on to impersonate two Muggles when they visited Godric's Hollow. Hermione used it to impersonate Bellatrix Lestrange in order to retrieve Helga Hufflepuff's Cup from Bellatrix's vault at Gringotts.

The lack of suspicion in anyone in all these incidents leads one to the understanding that Polyjuice Potion is very uncommon. Granted, Severus Snape knew someone was stealing the ingredients from his cupboards and suspected Harry Potter, but that is more indicative of Snape's eagerness to blame Harry for anything than any actual guilt.

Behind the scenes

 * In the film version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Polyjuice Potion does not cause the drinker's voice to change as well as their appearance. However, Barty Crouch Jr's voice does change to Moody's in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film).

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)


 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)


 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows