POTIONS II
Now that we understand the basics, let's move on to some more challenging potions! In today's lesson we will begin discussing potions usually covered in the second year curriculum. We'll start off with the Sleeping Draught.
The Sleeping Draught is a fairly straightforward potion in terms of its effects: it causes the consumer to fall asleep almost instantly (just enough time to put the potion down!) When brewed correctly, the Sleeping Draught will cause a deep, restful sleep which will last temporarily. Some potion-makers actually specialize in Sleeping Draughts, and are able to brew them precisely down to how many hours, minutes, and/or seconds you would like the effects to last. None of you will attain this level of expertise in this class, of course. Most of your draughts, if brewed correctly, will cause fairly restful sleep which will last anywhere from 5-8 hours. Here is the recipe our textbook provides:
Sleeping Draught is a potion that is difficult to tell whether or not you brewed it properly merely by looking at it. This is because the strength of the potion changes the way that it looks. A weak-to-moderate sleeping draught, lasting only a few hours, will be dark brown in colour with a muddy texture. A Sleeping Draught that will last longer, or provide a deeper sleep, may take on a more clear appearance, sometimes with a purple tint to it, and will also be more liquid with a swirling, cloudy texture. The Sleeping Draught is always consumed, and can even be added to food. For instance, former Hogwarts student Hermione Granger added Sleeping Draught to chocolate cakes. Sleeping Draught is effective on all living creatures - some are even powerful enough to have an effect on dragons! If the Sleeping Draught is brewed incorrectly, it will cause varying depths and types of sleep (rather a "luck-of-the-draw" type deal). Sometimes an improperly brewed potion will cause poor, light sleep, or vicious nightmares; other times it can cause peaceful sleep or wonderfully vivid dreams. Best to stick the recipe to be sure you'll achieve positive results.
Next we will cover the Hair-Raising Potion. This potion is used to make one's hair stand on end. Depending on the strength of the potion, it can be used to aid in costumes, for beauty purposes, to keep one's hair out of one's face while trying to focus on things, or to add that extra mile to an exciting Halloween party or scary movie night.
Here is the recipe for the potion:
1. Begin by heating the potion base over a medium flame for 1 minute.
2. Add 4 rat tails.
3. Stir counter-clockwise, twice.
4. Add 1 measure of Flobberworm Mucus.
5. Add 5 Dried Billywig Stings to the mortar.
6. Crush Dried Billywig Stings into a coarse powder.
7. Add 3 measures of Dried Billywing Sting powder to cauldron.
8. Stir counter-clockwise, four times.
9. Leave to brew and return in 25 minutes.
10. Add 5 Dried Billywig Stings (whole) to the cauldron.
11. Heat over a high flame for 1 minute.
12. Leave to brew for 10 minutes.
When complete, the hair-raising potion should be lime green and give off a moderate amount of green smoke. You can apply it directly to the roots of the hair, but best results are achieved by drinking the potion.
Now, on to the Swelling Solution. This potion will cause almost anything it touches to swell in size. As such, it requires a specially-made bottle or phial to contain it - I will provide these for you. If you accidentally spill the solution, I have some Deflating Draught available to fix the swelling. Let's talk about the recipe:
If brewed correctly, the potion will be black and tar-like in thickness and texture. Swelling solution is always applied topically - do not drink it! Ever! The potion will often be black, even if brewed incorrectly, but the viscosity and the texture is the tell-tale sign; a runny Swelling Solution is a bad Swelling Solution.
Finally, we'll talk about the Girding Potion. This one is popular among athletes, as it provides a boost to one's endurance for up to 8 weeks. The Girding Potion is a potion that also has a maximum dosage: two phials are the most a person should take within the span of 5 years. Let's look at the recipe:
As mentioned in the recipe, the proper colour of a successful girding potion is dark blue. It is also rather viscous (very runny) and gives off an unpleasant odor. Girding potion is always consumed. It is important to note that the cauldron should be taken off the heat source before adding each new ingredient. This is because it may change colour again if it continues being heated, and it is very important that the proper ingredient be added at each stage of the heating, which is shown by the potion's colour. If too much of an ingredient is added, the potion will instantly turn black and begin giving off a foul-smelling gray smoke.
We will end our lesson there for today. Please move on to complete the homework.
The Sleeping Draught is a fairly straightforward potion in terms of its effects: it causes the consumer to fall asleep almost instantly (just enough time to put the potion down!) When brewed correctly, the Sleeping Draught will cause a deep, restful sleep which will last temporarily. Some potion-makers actually specialize in Sleeping Draughts, and are able to brew them precisely down to how many hours, minutes, and/or seconds you would like the effects to last. None of you will attain this level of expertise in this class, of course. Most of your draughts, if brewed correctly, will cause fairly restful sleep which will last anywhere from 5-8 hours. Here is the recipe our textbook provides:
- "Add 4 sprigs of Lavender to the mortar
- Crush into a creamy paste using the pestle
- Add 2 blobs of Flobberworm Mucus to your cauldron
- Gently heat for 30 seconds
- Add 3 measures of the Lavendar paste to your cauldron
- Wave your wand over the cauldron in slow-motion
- Leave to brew and return in 70 minutes
- Heat on a high temperature for 1 minute
- Add 4 Valerian Sprigs to your cauldron
- Stir 7 times, clockwise"
Sleeping Draught is a potion that is difficult to tell whether or not you brewed it properly merely by looking at it. This is because the strength of the potion changes the way that it looks. A weak-to-moderate sleeping draught, lasting only a few hours, will be dark brown in colour with a muddy texture. A Sleeping Draught that will last longer, or provide a deeper sleep, may take on a more clear appearance, sometimes with a purple tint to it, and will also be more liquid with a swirling, cloudy texture. The Sleeping Draught is always consumed, and can even be added to food. For instance, former Hogwarts student Hermione Granger added Sleeping Draught to chocolate cakes. Sleeping Draught is effective on all living creatures - some are even powerful enough to have an effect on dragons! If the Sleeping Draught is brewed incorrectly, it will cause varying depths and types of sleep (rather a "luck-of-the-draw" type deal). Sometimes an improperly brewed potion will cause poor, light sleep, or vicious nightmares; other times it can cause peaceful sleep or wonderfully vivid dreams. Best to stick the recipe to be sure you'll achieve positive results.
Next we will cover the Hair-Raising Potion. This potion is used to make one's hair stand on end. Depending on the strength of the potion, it can be used to aid in costumes, for beauty purposes, to keep one's hair out of one's face while trying to focus on things, or to add that extra mile to an exciting Halloween party or scary movie night.
Here is the recipe for the potion:
1. Begin by heating the potion base over a medium flame for 1 minute.
2. Add 4 rat tails.
3. Stir counter-clockwise, twice.
4. Add 1 measure of Flobberworm Mucus.
5. Add 5 Dried Billywig Stings to the mortar.
6. Crush Dried Billywig Stings into a coarse powder.
7. Add 3 measures of Dried Billywing Sting powder to cauldron.
8. Stir counter-clockwise, four times.
9. Leave to brew and return in 25 minutes.
10. Add 5 Dried Billywig Stings (whole) to the cauldron.
11. Heat over a high flame for 1 minute.
12. Leave to brew for 10 minutes.
When complete, the hair-raising potion should be lime green and give off a moderate amount of green smoke. You can apply it directly to the roots of the hair, but best results are achieved by drinking the potion.
Now, on to the Swelling Solution. This potion will cause almost anything it touches to swell in size. As such, it requires a specially-made bottle or phial to contain it - I will provide these for you. If you accidentally spill the solution, I have some Deflating Draught available to fix the swelling. Let's talk about the recipe:
- "Add 2 scoops of dried nettles to the mortar
- Add 3 puffer-fish eyes to the mortar
- Crush both into a medium-fine powder
- Add 2 measures of the crushed mix to your cauldron
- Heat on a medium temperature for twenty seconds
- Leave to brew and return in 60 minutes
- Add 1 bat spleen to the cauldron
- Stir 4 times, anti-clockwise
- Heat on low for 30 seconds
If brewed correctly, the potion will be black and tar-like in thickness and texture. Swelling solution is always applied topically - do not drink it! Ever! The potion will often be black, even if brewed incorrectly, but the viscosity and the texture is the tell-tale sign; a runny Swelling Solution is a bad Swelling Solution.
Finally, we'll talk about the Girding Potion. This one is popular among athletes, as it provides a boost to one's endurance for up to 8 weeks. The Girding Potion is a potion that also has a maximum dosage: two phials are the most a person should take within the span of 5 years. Let's look at the recipe:
- "Add one set of fairy wings.
- Heat until the potion turns turquoise.
- Add one measure of doxy eggs.
- Heat until the potion turns pink.
- Add the toasted dragonfly thoraxes until the potion turns red.
- Heat until the potion turns green.
- Add toasted dragonfly thoraxes until the potion turns silver.
- Heat the potion until it turns red.
- Add three measures of doxy eggs.
- Add some dragonfly thoraxes.
- Heat the potion until it turns gold.
- Add three flying seahorses.
- Heat until the potion turns dark blue."
As mentioned in the recipe, the proper colour of a successful girding potion is dark blue. It is also rather viscous (very runny) and gives off an unpleasant odor. Girding potion is always consumed. It is important to note that the cauldron should be taken off the heat source before adding each new ingredient. This is because it may change colour again if it continues being heated, and it is very important that the proper ingredient be added at each stage of the heating, which is shown by the potion's colour. If too much of an ingredient is added, the potion will instantly turn black and begin giving off a foul-smelling gray smoke.
We will end our lesson there for today. Please move on to complete the homework.