Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory. For today’s video, we’re going
to be diving in to the world of potions. In the Harry Potter universe, there seems to
be a potion for everything - one to regrow your bones, one to make you lucky, one to
age you, and even one to make you laugh hysterically. Because of this Hogwarts places an emphasis
on learning potions from a very young age- and students are taught by skilled potioneers
like Horace Slughorn and Severus Snape. However, though potion making is useful, it certainly
isn’t easy. Potion making is a very methodical process that requires the correct mixing and
stirring of ingredients at the right times and temperatures- being careful to balance
all of the serums, and liquids with magical properties. While already an art form in and
of itself, Severus Snape took it to a new level, and literally rewrote his potions textbook
under the alias ‘The Half Blood Prince’. During his time at school, he was the most
skilled potioneer of his age, and was able to brew countless powerful potions. But, one
thing that I’ve always wondered is - what are the most POWERFUL potions? In this video,
I’m going to attempt to rank some of the most powerful potions and alchemical solutions
from the Harry Potter world.
15. Erumpent Potion The Erumpent Potion is a potion made from
various Erumpent parts known to be used in potion-making. Erumpents are of course huge
magical african beasts resembling a Rhinocerus that we actually see on screen in the Fantastic
Beasts film. Various Erumpent parts, such as the horn and tail are commonly used in
potion-making, and the ‘Erumpent Potion’ is essentially a bomb - a highly explosive
brew that explodes upon touch.
14. Garrotting Gas Garroting Gas is a colourless potion that
induces choking and possibly suffocation. Anyone exposed to the gas, will find themselves
choking and as a result, may suffocate.The gas will catch the neck of anyone that passes
through it. The potion gets the name from the word ‘garrotte’ which is a weapon
commonly used to strangle someone.
13. Drink of Despair The Drink of Despair, aka the Emerald Potion,
is a concoction that places the consumer in extreme pain. It famously appears in ‘The
Cave’ in the Half Blood Prince, when Harry and Dumbledore are out searching for Horcruxes:
The potion is a vicious concoction that brought even Dumbledore to his knees, and it was used
by Voldemort to protect his Horcruxes.
12. Draught of Living Death From the textbook for Advanced Potion Making:
"The Draught of Living Death brings upon its drinker a very powerful sleep that can last
indefinitely. This draught is very dangerous if not used with caution ... This is an extremely
dangerous potion. Execute with maximum caution."
The potion essentially places the consumer in a state of sleep so deep that it makes
it seem as though they have died. It’s discussed in the books/films by both Snape and Slughorn,
and Slughorn even had this to say in reference to the brew that Harry had made:
"I dare say that one drop would kill us all."
11. Mopsus Potion
The Mopsus Potion is a powerful potion that appears to give the drinker Seer-like powers,
such as the ability to see in to the future. Additionally, it has been expressed that the
potion gives people the ability to manipulate objects telekinetically. It’s named after
the Greek Seer Mopsus.
10. Exstimulo Potion The Exstimulo Potion is a sky-blue potion
that boosts the spell power of a single spell-cast. It contains Re’em blood, Granian hair, Snowdorp
and Bitter root. Though the potion can only be applied to a single spell cast, its power
should not be underestimated, as it can enhance the properties of already very powerful spells.
9. Rudimentary Body Potion The Rudimentary Body Potion helps restore
non-corporeal wizards to rudimentary bodies. As we move through the course of the films/books,
we see Voldemort’s physical form transition from something requiring a host (i.e his possession
of quirrell) in the first film, to some semblance of an independent physical form in the fourth.
He basically goes from ghost-like whisp to creepy baby that Wormtail has to carry around.
And while his body was weak, it was a body nonetheless- even capable of wielding a wand
and casting a few spells. The transition in to this new physical form was the result of
the rudimentary body potion- a potion invented by Voldemort that contained two ingredients:
Unicorn’s Blood and Nagini’s Venom.
8. Regeneration Potion The true return of Voldemort occurred when
he was given the regeneration potion, a potion that helps to restore non-corporeal wizards
to their bodies. It is an old piece of dark magic that required 3 things- bone of father,
flesh of servant, and blood of foe. To create this potion, Wormtail and Barty Crouch Jr
helped Voldemort to source these ingredients. They were able to use Wormtails flesh, Voldemort’s
father’s bone, and Harry’s blood. All of the ingredients were then placed inside
of a cauldron, and Voldemort’s rudimentary form was placed inside. After being placed
inside, Voldemort was able to return to his old, powerful physical form.
7. Invisibility Potion The function of this potion is in the name-
it allows the drinker to become invisible. It’s a silver, bubbly potion that can be
used as an alternative to the invisibility cloak or the Disillusionment charm, which
serve the same purpose. Considering how useful the invisibility cloak was for Harry, and
how useful being invisible can be in general, I think that it’s deserving of this placement
on the list.
6. Veritaserum Let’s let Snape explain this one:
"It is Veritaserum - a Truth Potion so powerful that three drops would have you spilling your
innermost secrets for this entire class to hear"
Veritaserum is essentially a truth serum that shows up quite a bit in the books/films, and
I’m sure you can see why. The ability to force someone to tell the truth and reveal
their secrets makes this an EXTREMELY powerful potion.
5. Polyjuice Potion
"The Polyjuice Potion, which is a complex and time-consuming concoction, is best left
to highly skilled witches and wizards. It enables the consumer to assume the physical
appearance of another person, as long as they have first procured part of that individual's
body to add to the brew. The effect of the potion is only temporary, and depending on
how well it has been brewed, may last anything from between ten minutes and twelve hours.
You can change age, sex, and race by taking the Polyjuice Potion, but not species."
The Polyjuice potion is perhaps most notably used by Barty Crouch Jr when he impersonates
Mad Eye Moody and teaches Defence Against the Dark Arts. It’s an extremely powerful
potion, with endless possibilities.
4. Gregory's Unctuous Unction Gregory’s Unctuous Unction was a powerful
smokey-green potion invented by Gregory the Smarmy, a talented potioneer from the 12th
century. The potion causes the drinker to believe that whomever gave the potion to them
is their best friend. You can imagine the power that something like this would bear,
given that it could swing allegiances in an instant.
3. Amortentia A step up from Gregory’s Unctuous Unction
is Amortentia, a powerful love potion that causes extreme infatuation or obsession from
the drinker.
"Amortentia is the most powerful love potion in the world. It is distinctive for its mother-of-pearl
sheen, and steam rises from the potion in spirals. Amortentia smells different to each
person, according to what attracts them.”
While inducing friendship can be a powerful way to change allegiances, inducing LOVE is
even more powerful. Amortentia is considered by some to be the most dangerous potion of
all, as it doesn’t even induce actual love, just a semblance of love that is derived from
strong obsession. We see and hear of Amortentia in the Harry Potter franchise quite a bit,
and it can make people do some very uncharacteristically strange things.
2. Elixir of Life The Elixir of Life was a potion created from
the Philosopher's Stone by Nicholas Flamel that extends the taker's life. Both Nicholas
Flamel and his wife took this potion for most of their lives, and it allowed them to live
upwards of 600 years old. The potion was made from one of the most powerful magic artefacts
in existence, and a potion that allows you to live forever, in my eyes, is certainly
one of the most powerful.
1. Felix Felicis (Also known as Liquid Luck) Felix Felicis is a magical potion that makes
the taker successful in all their endeavours. Felix Felicis, is in my opinion the most powerful
potion of all, because it’s possibilities are limitless. Whatever you try to use it
for, you will be successful at, which means that with it you should be able to achieve
almost..well, anything. It was created by potioneer Zygmunt Budge during the 16th century
and he dubbed it his ‘crowning achievement’ of his career.
And that’s it for this video! What do you guys think of this list? Which potions would
you add/remove? How would you reorder them? Let me know down in the comment section below!
Until next time
YER A WIZARD ARRY