Potions (class)

Potions
Class information
Professor	Aesop Sharp (formerly) Bartholomew (formerly) Swoopstikes (formerly) Severus Snape (formerly) Horace Slughorn (formerly)
Required textbooks	Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore Advanced Potion-Making by Libatius Borage
Required equipment	Cauldron Brass scales Phials Mortar and pestle Various ingredients Wand Textbooks Parchment Quill

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. 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 the human veins, bewitching the minds, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

— Professor Severus Snape's introduction of the subject

Potions was a subject and core class taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In this class, students learnt the correct way to brew potions. They followed specific recipes and used various magical ingredients to create potions, starting with simple ones and moving to more advanced ones as they progressed in knowledge.

A standard potions kit included plant ingredients such as belladonna, and supplies such as glass phials and weighing scales, along with a standard cauldron that all students were expected to bring with them to lessons.

The Professor of this subject was referred to as a Potions Master. The Potions Master at Hogwarts for many years was Horace Slughorn and later Severus Snape. By 2016, Professor Slughorn had retired for a second time, and by 2021, another new teacher had taken over.

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 to sixth-year Potions

A first-year Potions lesson

At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Potions was a required subject for students, from the first year to the fifth year. Potion recipes could be found in many books, including the books the students at Hogwarts used 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 could be found in the cupboard in the classroom, but others had to be bought before the start of the year at the apothecary. Around 1981, Severus Snape became the professor of Potions at Hogwarts. Snape served as the school's potions professor through 1996, until he became the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor and was replaced by Horace Slughorn.

A N.E.W.T.-level Potions lesson

Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations were taken at the end of a student's fifth year; as such students spent time learning Ordinary Wizarding Level potions and possibly revisiting the past four years of lessons. As part of their Potions O.W.L., students had to sit a written exam; one of the questions was to identify the effects of Polyjuice Potion and its purpose, and after students had to complete a practical exam. Professor Snape mentioned that achieving a high mark at Ordinary Wizarding Level was 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 did not grant Slytherins special treatments, thus having them lose their advantage in good classwork.

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.

Location and time

Potions lessons took place in the Dungeons.

Classroom layout

The classroom used to be squared-sized, very large, with large tables and windows. In the corner resideed 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.

Lesson times

Year	Day	Period
First	Monday	first
	Wednesday
	Friday	first/second
Second	Monday	third
	Wednesday
	Friday
Third	Monday
	Tuesday	afternoon
	Thursday	third
	Friday	first
Fourth	Tuesday	third
	Friday	fourth/fifth
Fifth	Monday	second (last half)
Sixth		afternoon
Seventh	Unknown	Unknown

Curriculum

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

Besides potions and their ingredients, other information was covered in the first year as well. Students were informed of the basic details on preparation of the Draught of Living Death, along with the nature of various ingredients, such as Infusion of Wormwood, Powdered Root of Asphodel and Aconite. The class also covered the twelve uses of dragon blood, the types of cauldrons, and the types of phials used in potion-making. Bezoars were briefly mentioned and the Standard Ingredient was also used in most beginner potions.

Potions Cure for Boils Forgetfulness Potion Wiggenweld Potion Herbicide Potion Antidote to Common Poisons Pompion Potion Strength Potion Hair-Raising Potion

Ingredients Infusion of Wormwood Flobberworm Mucus Aconite Asphodel Dittany Dragon blood Moly Wiggentree bark Moondew Salamander blood Sloth brain mucus Spine of Lionfish Fanged Geranium Snake fangs Bones Flitterby Moth Bouncing Bulb Foxglove

Second year

"Thursday afternoon’s lesson proceeded in the usual way. Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients."

— A second year Potions lesson

Second-year students were set an essay on Flobberworm Mucus and its uses in potions. In addition, homework included something that involved Hair-Raising Potions. This year appeared to focus more on actual potion brewing then the previous one.

Potions Fire Protection Potion Strengthening Solution Swelling Solution Wiggenweld Potion (Revision) Hair-Raising Potion Girding Potion

Ingredients Wiggentree bark Flobberworm Mucus Lavender Valerian Nettles Puffer-fish eyes Bat spleens Rat tails Salamander blood Griffin claw

Third year

"They were making a new potion today, a Shrinking Solution."

— A third year Potions lesson

Third-year students learnt about Undetectable Poisons and were instructed to write an essay on Shrinking Solutions.

Potions Wiggenweld Potion (Revision) Girding Potion Confusing Concoction Antidote to Common Poisons Antidote to Uncommon Poisons Shrinking Solution Wideye Potion Doxycide Undetectable Poisons

Ingredients Daisy roots Shrivelfig Rat spleen Leech juice Chizpurfle carapaces Graphorn horns Flying Seahorses Fire Seeds Billywig sting Doxy egg Fairy wings Dragonfly thoraxes Snake fang Bezoar Unicorn hair Mistletoe berries Dragon liver Hemlock Cowbane

Fourth year

"Professor Snape was forcing them to research antidotes. They took this one seriously, as he had hinted that he might be poisoning one of them before Christmas to see if their antidote worked."

— Snape setting fourth year Potions homework

Fourth-year lessons included information on Poison Antidotes. It was unknown what type of poison these potions referred to, common or uncommon. Also, this lesson was most likely a theoretical one. Mixing antidotes is complex and advanced, which were also covered in the sixth year as well as this one.

Potions Wit-Sharpening Potion Calming Draught Shrinking Solution Pepperup Potion Ageing Potion Weedosoros Skele-Gro Antidotes The Famous French Method for the Bite of a Mad Dog Doxycide (Revision) Amortentia (not practically)

Ingredients Belladonna Spine of Lionfish Bezoar Ginger root Armadillo bile Scarab beetle Shrivelfig Jewelweed Newt spleen

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.

Fifth-year homework included writing an essay on the properties of Moonstone and its uses in Potion making and to write an essay on how to properly brew the Strengthening Solution. Also potions and other classwork this year was O.W.L.-level in preparation for the upcoming exam.

Potions Draught of Peace Invigoration Draught Strengthening Solution Polyjuice Potion Wit-Sharpening Potion Hair-Raising Potion Everlasting Elixirs Deflating Draught Befuddlement Draught Erumpent Potion Babbling Beverage Wiggenweld Potion (Revision)

Ingredients Moonstone Syrup of Hellebore Chinese Chomping Cabbage Salamander blood Powdered Griffin claw Scurvy grass Lovage Sneezewort Moly Mandrake Porcupine quills Billywig stings

Sixth year

"I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, just out of interest, you know. These are the kind of things you ought to be able to make after after completing your N.E.W.T.s. You ought to have heard of 'em, even if you haven't made 'em yet."

— Professor Slughorn referring to the potions that would be covered in the sixth and seventh years

In the sixth year, Golpalott's Third Law was covered in class. The Law appeared to say that the antidote for a blended poison could not simply be created by finding the antidotes to each separate poison in the blended whole and mixing them together. Students had to write an essay on Everlasting Elixirs, using their textbook Advanced Potion-Making as a source of information.

Potions Elixir to Induce Euphoria Wit-Sharpening Potion (Revision) Cure for Boils (Revision) Felix Felicis Veritaserum Amortentia Hiccoughing Solution Draught of Living Death Polyjuice Potion Garish pink blended poison Antidote to garish pink blended poison Everlasting Elixirs Wound-Cleaning Potion Cheese-Based Potions Laughing Potion Cough potion Potion for Dreamless Sleep Regerminating Potion Memory Potion Scintillation Solution Essence of Insanity Garrotting Gas

Ingredients Bezoar Sopophorous bean Sloth brain Powdered Root of Asphodel Infusion of Wormwood Valerian root Ginger root Scarab beetles Armadillo bile Newt spleens Dried Nettles Snake fangs Horned slugs Shrivelfig Porcupine quills Peppermint Wormwood Cheese Knarl quills Billywig wings

Seventh year

Potions Veritaserum Wolfsbane Potion Rat Tonic Wound-Cleaning Potion (revision) Antidote to Veritaserum Draught of Living Death Mandrake Restorative Draught

Ingredients Aconite Infusion of Wormwood Sloth brain Valerian root Sopophorous bean Stewed Mandrake

Known professors

Swoopstikes †

Aesop Sharp (19th century)

Horace Slughorn (c.1931-1981); (1996-2016)

Severus Snape † (1981-1996)

• Bartholomew †
• Unidentified 16th-century Potions professor
• Smoky-eyed Potions professor

Required textbooks

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Advanced Potion-Making by Libatius Borage

A Collection of Above Three Hundred Receipts in Cookery, Physick, and Surgery by various

Grades

Passing grades Outstanding [O] Exceeds Expectations [E] Acceptable [A]

Fail grades Poor [P] Dreadful [D] Troll [T]

Known O.W.L.s

Swoopstikes †

Aesop Sharp

Horace Slughorn

Alastor Moody †

Kingsley Shacklebolt

Alice Longbottom

Frank Longbottom

Rufus Scrimgeour †

John Dawlish

Severus Snape †

Bill Weasley

Nymphadora Tonks †

Percy Weasley

Padma Patil

Pansy Parkinson

Blaise Zabini

Draco Malfoy

Theodore Nott

Ernie Macmillan

Michael Corner

Terry Boot

Harry Potter

Hermione Granger

Ron Weasley

Fay Dunbar

Jacob's sibling

Merula Snyde

Liz Tuttle

Barnaby Lee

Penny Haywood

Jacob's sibling

• All Healers and Aurors, as an O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. at Exceeds Expectations or Outstanding is a compulsory requirement in this subject in order to apply for their relevant training.

Media

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Potions with Slughorn

Potions With Slughorn

Behind the scenes

Padma Patil, Dean Thomas, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasley, Lavender Brown, Leanne and Seamus Finnigan in Potions class, as seen only in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

• 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, along with Leanne, whose year is unknown. Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe are Slytherins depicted as attending sixth year Potions class in the film, which also contradicts the novel.
• In Hogwarts Mystery, if players take Jacob's sibling to the O.W.L. through an optional side quest, they will definitely gain at least an A, even if they fail to answer every question and make every potion.

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 (First appearance)
• 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) (Not in console versions)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (Not in PC version)
• 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 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 (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film) (Mentioned in newspaper)
• LEGO Harry Potter (Mentioned only)
• LEGO Creator: Harry Potter
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• LEGO Harry Potter
• Wonderbook: Book of Potions (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter for Kinect
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• Pottermore
• Wizarding World
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault
• The Making of Harry Potter
• Fantastic Beasts: Cases from the Wizarding World (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
• Hogwarts Legacy