OWL Potions

Lesson:

Welcome to Potions Classroom! I, Dakota Kane, have high expectations from all of you, which is natural since you have almost reached the graduating stage. Let us have a flashback, as to what Potions are. They are liquids made by ingredients with magical properties generally, which could be used in the field of magical medicine, day-to-day life, or for that matter even for wrong things. If you want to pursue a career in the Ministry or any high-profile job, you won't stand anywhere without mastering Potions. Only three ingredients are required to make you a successful potionmaker- concentration, guidance and the required ingredients. Take my assurance for the second and third one, while the first thing is purely in your hand. So good luck!

Each and every potion is created by wizards for specific purposes, which we have categorised in the above paragraph. However, you must realize one thing, that a minor mistake in potion-making or addition of ingredients at the wrong time might book a ticket to paradise for the whole class. The point to be emphasised is that you must have proper knowledge about all ingredients.. Time for you to deal with more dangerous potions, and none of you are babies that I will give you some information, and questions based on it. Time for you to challenge your own intelligence, and develop your own ideas and views on matter regarding various potions.

Since you have reached such a high level, I expect you to know all about the following potions even though you may not have made them all. Some of them fit in the category of Advanced Potions, but they have been taught to you by previous professors. Let us survey them once again beginning from Medical potions, since if your base is not clear, no point in moving into advanced things:-

Boil Cure Potion: Used to cure small boils on the skin originated.

Murtlap Essence: Heals cuts and wounds, giving relief to the injured person.

Pepper-up Potion: Immensely used in St.Mungos for curing common cold.

Swelling Solution: Increases the size of something, like the name suggests.

Forgetfulness Potion: Makes a person forget all that happened to him in past 2 days.

Love Potion: Develops a strong obsession with the intended target. Banned from Hogwarts, beware.

Hate Potion: Shows the weak points to the drinker of the target.

Now moving to Advanced Potions about which most of you may have heard of. We will study about them in a little more detail:-

Draught of Peace

The Draught of Peace is used to cool down a person who gets frustrated and agitated quite easily. There are rumors in the air that this potion is consumed by the officials of French Ministry of Magic when they can't cope up with rising corruption and are unsuccessful in controlling it. It is highly suggested that regular taking of Draught of Peace should be avoided, or you might end up in St.Mungos. The effect of the potion starts taking place a few minutes after drinking it. Its ingredients are powdered moonstone and hellebore syrup.

Polyjuice Potion

A potion which makes you transform your appearance and voice exactly like someone else. It can be used for cross-gender transformations, but not human-animal transformations unless you want to spend a few months in the Hospital Wing. Its use is banned, but we need to study this since many times questions pop up regarding the potion in your OWL exams. Its ingredients are lacewing flies, bicorn horn, fluxweed, leeches and when the boomslang skin, the final ingredient is added, the color of the potion changes from a thick dark color into a lighter color.

Strengthening Potion

The Strengthening Potion provides a weak person with physical strength, not mental. This potion takes minimum 7 days to make, and partially fits in the category of Medical potions since it is given to patients at St.Mungos who have undergone blood loss. Its ingredients are thickened salamander blood and pomegranate juice. The rare availability of thickened salamander blood adds to the odds of making the Strengthening Potion.

Luck Potion

Commonly known as Felix Felicis, this potion provides a person with immense luck & confidence, or in simple, success in whatever work he wants to do. The color of this potion is like molten gold, and the drops of this potion jump up and down when kept in open to air. If you make even some minute mistake while making it, a catastrophe strikes. When taken in excess amount, the Luck Potion makes you giddy, over-confident and provides you with the desire of taking up dangerous tasks that can risk your life immensely

Mess Removing Potion

Invented by Virginia Scower, this potion is popularly known as Mrs. Scower's Magical Mess Remover. Your mother will be very happy if you try making it, since it will save the cost of buying this Potion. It is a complex potion manufactured commercially to remove stains, marks etc in house. The word "scower" means "to clean thoroughly", and its ingredients are a few Joberknoll feathers, asphodel and knotgrass. When the potion is not made properly, the stains become worse.

Mandrake Draught

The Mandrake Draught is used to revive the people who have been petrified. Petrification means to become stationary, which can be done by Petrificus Totalus or by staring into the eyes of a Basilisk. Mandrake is an essential ingredient in this potion, about which you must havebeen taught before. However, the cry of a mature Mandrake proves fatal to a person around, and unfortunately, only mature mandrakes can be used to make the Mandrake Draught.

Examination:

Like every other OWL class, the assignment will be categorized in two sections- Theory and Practical. Your quill we be based 50% on each. Please, no flattery, it gets on my nerves. And remember, quality of what you write matters more than the length. Assignments as you will soon find out, are not comprehensive-type such that you can simply read and copy answers. I want you to do your research, express what you feel. To turn in your homework, please PM Prof. Elizabeth Peevison.

Theory:

Answer the following questions:-

1)Explain in short, the relationship between Potions and Alchemy.

2)Which potion do you find more useful- Love or Hate potion? Why?

3)What is the reason that made you take Potions subject? (Be frank, you won't lose any points)

4)Write a short paragraph on the medical potion which you find the most useful.

5)What is the one ingredient in Polyjuice Potion which I have not mentioned?

6)Write 2-3 lines on the Mandrake plant.

7)If/when you graduate from Hogwarts, will your career be in any way related to Potions? Elaborate.

8)What type of potion would you like to invent in future life? Elaborate its properties and characteristics.

Practical:

Choose ONE of the following for your practical assignment:-

1)You are a healer at St.Mungos and due to some reasons, there is no other healer in the whole hospital, leaving a burden of three patients on your shoulder. The first patient has been a recent victim of a broom crash, and both of his legs have been damaged severely. The second patient has dog-like hair growing all over his body, and is sobbing continuously. While the third patient seems physically fit, but seems to be constantly praising himself, and is expressing the desire to do acts of heroism. Using suitable ingredients, prepare and provide the first two patients with the required potions. Just make a diagnosis as to what the third patient must have done.

2)Imagine you have taken excess Felix Felicis potion, and are acting in a weird fashion. You may play others saying that they watch you, or try to investigate whats wrong. At the end, you can say that you feel peculiar as the effect of potion wears off. BE CREATIVE AND HUMOROUS!!!

Good Luck!

Prof. Dakota Kane