Water

"Harry's heart gave a huge leap every time he saw the word 'water' on a page, but more often than not it was merely 'Take two pints of water, half a pound of shredded mandrake leaves, and a newt...'"

- Harry searches for references to water, hoping for help on the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament.

Water is a colourless, odourless molecule consisting of two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen. Regular consumption of water is vital to the survival of humans and most other living organisms, and it has a number of other practical uses, including its use in bathing and cooking. It most often appears in liquid form, but at high temperatures becomes a vapour, and when chilled becomes either ice, or snow when falling as precipitation. Water can be found in large amounts in lakes, such as the Black Lake, or in oceans, in which it takes the form of salt water, water with a heavy concentration of salt.

In the Wizarding world, water has a number of applications, such as its use in Potions, the preferred form being standard potioning water. It can be produced at will using magic. Lethe River Water is a special type of water with magical properties, collected from the Lethe.

Humans can normally not survive underwater, as gills are required to breathe in water, but wizards can survive using charms such as the Bubble-Head Charm, or magical plants like Gillyweed.

Baptism is a Christian ritual that normally involves the use of water.

A water jug is found in the Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory.

The cry of the Augurey was once believed to signify impending death, but it was later discovered by Gulliver Pokeby that it merely signals the coming of rain, liquid water falling from the sky.

Water can be used to put out most normal fires.

History
Harry Potter's owl, Hedwig, had a water tray in her cage. When tropical birds arrived during the summer holidays of 1994, bearing letters from Sirius Black, she was "most reluctant" to let these "flashy intruders" drink from it. A bit later that year, at the Quidditch World Cup, the Weasley family's tent had an interior complete with a bathroom and kitchen, but lacked a working tap. As such, Harry, Ron and Hermione used a tap provided at the campsite to get some water.

At the beginning of the 1994-1995 school year, Peeves threw balloons filled with water at students arriving at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

In 1995, while searching for information that would help him survive the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry Potter searched books feverishly for references to "water," but generally found unhelpful information such as Potions suggestions with phrases like "take two pints of water..."

Later that year, the cauldron that was used in the Rebirth of Tom Riddle was said to be filled with what appeared to be water.

The Horcrux cave was enchanted with a spell that caused all water-based magic to fail, making it such that the only source of water was the lake within the cave, attracting the attention of the Inferi. The Drink of Despair caused anyone who drank it to desperately crave water, thus laying the trap.

Water-based magic

 * Water-Making Spell
 * Snowflake-creating spell
 * Aqua Eructo
 * Eye of rabbit, harp string hum, turn this water into rum (Alleged)

Types of water

 * Gillywater
 * Lethe River Water
 * McSpratts
 * Salt water
 * Standard potioning water

Behind the scenes

 * When Harry Potter was attempting to remember his vision of Lord Voldemort and his murder of Frank Bryce in the summer of 1994, trying to recall the details was said to be "like trying to keep water in his cupped hands," with the details "trickling away as fast as he tried to hold on to them."

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 (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
 * 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)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
 * The Tales of Beedle the Bard (real)
 * Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Characters of the Magical World
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Motorbike Escape
 * Harry Potter LEGO Sets
 * Pottermore
 * Harry Potter Trading Card Game
 * Wonderbook: Book of Spells
 * Harry Potter for Kinect