Potions (class)

"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 Severus Snape's introduction of the subject

Potions is a core class and subject taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In this class, students learn the correct way to brew potions. They follow specific recipes and use various magical ingredients to create the potions, starting with simple ones 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.

The professor of this subject is referred to as a potions master. The potions master at Hogwarts for many years was Horace Slughorn and later Severus Snape. It is unknown if Professor Slughorn stayed as potions master or if someone else took over following the Second Wizarding War.

Class information
"When they arrived in the corridor they saw that there were only a dozen people progressing to N.E.W.T. level."

- Harry Potter on the very few people who were able to advance





At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Potions is a required subject for students, from first year to fifth year. 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 start of the year at the apothecary. 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.



Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations are taken at the end of a student's fifth year; as such students are spent learning Ordinary Wizarding Level potions and possibly revisiting the past four years of lessons. As part of their Potions O.W.L., students must sit a written exam one of the questions asks to describe Polyjuice Potion and its purpose and after students must complete a practical exam. Professor Snape mentions that achieving a high mark at Ordinary Wizarding Level is difficult., which was later demonstrated in 1996, when only twelve students reached the required level to advance to N.E.W.T.

When Severus Snape was the professor, students had to achieve an 'Outstanding' on 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 however, Horace Slughorn was more lenient; Harry and Ron were both allowed to continue to 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.

Location and time
Potions lessons take place in the Dungeons.

Classroom layout
The classroom used to be squared-sized, very large, with large tables and windows. In the corner resides a stone basin used to wash students' hands and ladles. From 1992-onwards, the classroom was of an oval shape and relatively smaller, with small work tables. In 1996, the classroom was extended, adding space for more work tables.

First year
"Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness Potion."

- First year exam in 1992

Potions


 * Aconite, bezoars, some basic details on preparation of the Draught of Living Death such as what would be created if powdered root of asphodel was added to an Infusion of Wormwood, and the difference between Monkshood and Wolfbane.
 * Types of Cauldrons
 * Types of Vials
 * Antidote to Common Poisons
 * Wiggenweld Potion
 * Collecting the ingredients for Wiggenweld Potion
 * The 12 uses of dragon blood
 * Potion Ingredients such as: Moly, Wiggentree bark, Puffapod spores, and Moondew

Second year

 * Wiggenweld Potion
 * Sleeping Draught
 * Hair-Raising Potion
 * Swelling Solution
 * Girding Potion
 * Essay of Flobberworm Mucus uses in potions

Third year
Potions


 * Effects of Wiggenweld Potion
 * Girding Potion
 * Confusing Concoction
 * Undetectable Poisons
 * Potion Ingredients such as: Chizpurfle Carapaces, Graphorn horn, and Flying Seahorses.

Fourth year

 * Poison Antidote
 * Girding Potion
 * Wit-Sharpening Potion

Fifth year
"I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting a important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions."

- Professor Snape regarding the Potions O.W.L.


 * Draught of Peace
 * Strengthening Solution
 * Calming Draught

Sixth and seventh years
"[...] These are the kind of things you ought to be able to make after after completing your N.E.W.T.s."

- Professor Slughorn referring to the potions that will be covered in sixth and seventh year


 * Golpalott's Third Law
 * Elixir to Induce Euphoria
 * Wit-Sharpening Potion
 * Volubilis Potion
 * Love Potion Antidote
 * Wiggenweld Potion
 * Other advanced potions

Required textbooks

 * Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
 * One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
 * Advanced Potion-Making by Libatius Borage

Known O.W.L.s

 * Theodore Nott

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. This was a glarring mistake on the director's part.
 * In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Severus Snape claims that there will be no "wand waving" in his class, though potion-making spells are always needed to complete the brewing process.

Author's comments
''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 stopper 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.''

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Characters of the Magical World
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
 * Harry Potter for Kinect
 * Harry Potter Trading Card Game
 * Pottermore
 * Harry Potter: The Character Vault
 * Harry Potter: The Character Vault

Notes and references
Zaubertränke Pociones (clase) Potions Pozioni (classe) Toverdranken Eliksiry Зельеварение pt-br:Poções (matéria