Hogwarts Textbook
written by Gavin Lupin
This book includes Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, Care of Magical Creatures, and more.
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
8
Reads
2,576
Potions
Chapter 7
In this brief section, the author will discuss various types of potions that can be brewed. Certainly, all potions differ in some capacity, but for the sake of organization, the author will outline specific categories under which almost all potions fall in one form or another. It is important to note that not all potions are necessarily directed at humans either. For example, Dragon Tonic is a potion that would fall under the categories “healing” and “antidotes,” but it is created to cure many major dragon ills. Doxycide as well is aimed at Doxies, but is considered a poison. Also, it may be difficult to determine to which category certain potions belong. Do not fret if you cannot figure out whether a potion is mood-altering, physically-altering, or psychologically altering - it may, in fact, belong to multiple categories owing to its own unique qualities.
Healing and Antidotes: Potions that correct natural or unnatural injuries are known as healing potions. The author would classify antidotes as healing potions, although many put them in their own class, owing to the complicated and nuanced nature of antidotes. However, potions that cure illness, alleviate stomach ache, and also repair broken bones and torn skin also fall under the “healing” category. These are all potions with which those who practice the art of healing would be familiar and likely know how to brew.
Poisons: Poisons are potions which have a negative or harmful effect on a person. Simple magical poisons may make the drinker ill or uncomfortable, or have other negative consequences. There can be uncommon and fatal poisons as well, however. Potioneers argue at times whether every potion that causes physical discomfort should be called a “poison,” or whether it should be saved for certain dark and malevolent brews.
Mood-Impacting Potions: These are often confused with psychological potions, although the author considers these slightly different categories. Mood-altering potions tend to include simple adjustments to a person’s disposition - a Cheering Draught, a Somber Serum, and other potions whose effects are neither long-lasting nor insidious. These are usually not too difficult for intermediate and slightly advanced students to brew once they have brewing basics.
Psychological Potions: These are potions which have a profound and longer-term impact on a person’s psyche. While a Sadness Serum may cause someone to feel temporarily sad, for example, a Depression Draught will cause a person to take on the symptoms of full depression. Granted, psychological potions are not always harmful ones, as they can be used to some antidote effect, such as certain psychologically modifying potions being given to alleviate the issues of witches and wizards who suffer from mental illness themselves. Love potions are also typically considered psychological in nature.
Physical Potions: This covers a wide range of potions that impact the physical state of a person. Simple beautification, warming, and cooling potions are included in this category, and then there are also much more complex brews, such as the Polyjuice Potion. Shrinking potions as well as engorging, strength, and endurance potions are all under this category as well. If taking a potion creates a physical change in the consumer, unless it’s healing a deformity or injury, it falls under this category.
External Potions: External potions do not refer to potions that are applied topically to the body, but rather potions that are not used on living things. For example, a potion that is particularly good at cleaning glass, dish-cleaning potions, or potions that are brewed simply to create light are all external potions.
Most potions utilize two types of ingredients: those derived from animals, such as hermit crab shell, salamander blood, and griffin’s claw; and those which come from plants, such as dittany, asphodel, and bubotuber pus. There are others of course, such as those coming from insects and more, but these make up the bulk. Potions do not necessarily require an equal balance of plant and animal-based ingredients, but rather it varies from potion to potion. Certain ingredients will individually lend themselves to certain types of potions based on their tendency. For example, butterfly wings are often used in hallucinogenic and dream-altering potions, while dittany is almost exclusively used in healing potions.
One alternative type of ingredient that merits a moment of coverage are element-based ingredients. While crystals and metallic elements are not too often used in Western potions, they are occasionally used in certain recipes. North African potions, particularly those that come from Morocco and Tunisia, will often employ alchemical properties in their potions practice. There are select and rare instances of this in Far Eastern potions as well. Specific ingredients include shavings of copper, gold, and malachite.
Readers may also notice another form of categorization of ingredients: those that are derived from magical objects, and those which come from mundane. Quite often, mundane ingredients will contribute more mundane properties to potions. For example, while the rose does have its medicinal uses, rose water or rose petals will also occasionally be added to improve the smell and the taste of certain potions. Mundane ingredients also tend to be less volatile or reactive, and cause weaker side effects than magical ones.[1]
Ingredients can either be farmed and captured or procured from an apothecary. Most witches and wizards frequent a local apothecary, such as that of the author’s family, Slug & Jiggers, in Diagon Alley. Apothecaries source their ingredients based on the best quality and price ratio they can find, and dispense them at a small markup for their customers. In keeping with British Ministerial regulations, apothecaries are required to comply with certain ethical standards when procuring and selling ingredients.
Apothecaries will also often sell pre-brewed potions for the witch or wizard who does not wish to or are not able to brew them on their own. These are usually simple household potions that do not expire too soon, such as cleaning potions and similar.
Alternatively, some prefer to purchase their ingredients directly from herbologists or breeders a. This takes a bit more care, as it can be difficult to ascertain that animals are being kept and harvested in a humane fashion, and that the sourcing is entirely within Ministry law. Quite often, those who unknowingly purchase goods which are in some way illegally and unethically purchased will also face consequences for their ignorance.
Finally, it is possible for witches and wizards to grow, procure, hunt, and harvest their own ingredients. When doing so, it is crucial, particularly when dealing with living animals, to comply with Ministry laws regarding ethics and ensure the creatures are not protected and are treated humanely even if killed to be used in a potion. When it comes to plants, it is also important to have a solid background or fundamental knowledge of herbology before attempting to keep a greenhouse of ingredients. In recent years, the field of herbology has received a lot of criticism and scorn from those who deem it lesser for its concern with non-magical plants and Muggle sciences, but potioneers who use plant-based ingredients daily recognize the vital importance that herbologists play in the continuation of the field of potions in the magical world.
However ingredients are procured, it is also important to ensure that ingredients stay fresh, and the witch or wizard keeping them continues to safely discard spoiled plant and animal products. Using spoiled or past-date ingredients can frequently either yield a potion useless or make it harmful or even deadly. Thus, labeling ingredients with the purchase and best by date, if not already done by the apothecary.
[1]There is also a still somewhat-controversial third category that has been added within the past twenty to thirty years known as transitional ingredients. This includes some ingredients which seem to display magical qualities only when in contact with magic. For instance, certain potions with butterfly wings contain no strictly “magical” ingredients, but the butterfly wings themselves seem to take on a magical quality during the brewing process. More conservative witches and wizards do not approve of this additional classification, but it is actually a large part of the editor’s research concentration, so she thought it appropriate to include a note about it.
The word Potion comes from the Latin potio, which connotes “to drink,” which in turn derives from the Greek poton, “one who drinks.” Evidence of magical societies creating potions dates back as far as we have records of communities using magic. In the beginning, however, there was not as much knowledge about the nature of potions and how to brew them most effectively. The earliest primitive potions were merely a collection of magical ingredients that each worked independently in order to attain a specific effect. For example, during the excavation of Petra in southern Jordan in the earlier part of this century, writings were discovered by Magiarchaeologists that reveal an earlier magical community who described a cure-all for poisons. The recipe translated as follows:
Remedy for Poisoning calls for:
Essence of Dittany
Parts Vinegar
Blood of Arabian Oryx
Food Bolus from Gullet of the same Oryx
Scrapings of a no more than three hour old natural fire.
As those versed with a basic healing will note, while the recipe does provide separate magical ingredients that may assist in healing those who have been poisoned, the ingredients have not been added to flame or any external magical source either. Instead, the dittany and bezoar acted as magical agents curing any internal afflictions and poison, while the vinegar and charcoal acted as mundane healing agents.
As a cultural note, parts of the Arabian oryx are still used with relative frequency in potions in the Middle East.[1]
Moving ahead in time, as witches and wizards began to undertake use of the fire and their own inherent magic in their brewing, it was the ancient Celts who pioneered strength potions as well as mind-altering potions. In this discussion of the Ancient Celtic people, the author begins his accounting around 800 BCE with what is known as the Halstatt culture, named after the Iron Age tribes of Halstatt, Austria. This archaeological site is still being investigated by magical and non-magical archaeologists, but magiarchaeologists have already found numerous magical artifacts, including evidence of early potioneering.
In Celtic culture, as in many cultures at this time, witches and wizards (or druids) often held positions as priests and other high religious posts within communities. It is in fact thought that the Tuatha Dé Danann, the mythological race of Celtic pseudo-deities, may have actually grown from early communities of powerful magical persons. Each clan in the Celtic tradition boasted its own druids who helped the clan prosper and thrive, particularly in times of war. As such, Celtic witches and wizards were responsible for discovering many strength and endurance potions, as well as certain battle-centered healing to assist those who had been fatally wounded in some form. One particularly well-known witch from the Celtic tribes was Ailidh of Aiadava (375-284 BCE), a druidess who was notorious for her particularly stunning strength potions. Fortification Fluid, which utilizes primarily salamander blood, griffin claw, and dandelion root, is an invention of Ailidh’s that is still used by wizardkind today.
The Celtic druids were also famous for their Draft of Oblivion, a strong mind-bending potion that could selectively eliminate certain memories entirely from the drinker. The most well-known instance of this potion’s effects is in the narrative Oenét Emire, or “The Only Jealousy of Emer.” The tale speaks of the warrior Cú Chulainn and his wife Emer, and of a curse put on Chulainn when he attempts to kill two exotic-looking seabirds in honor of his wife. It turns out that these seabirds were Fand and Lí Ban, who are reported to be otherworldly women in Irish mythology, but who may in fact have been Animagi instead. Throughout the course of the story, Chulainn falls in love with Fand, and although he had many affairs throughout his life, this love is the only one that brings Emer to jealousy. In the end of the narrative, the druids give Chulainn and Emer a Draft of Oblivion, causing Chulainn to forget Fand entirely while Emer forgets her jealousy.
This Draft of Oblivion still boasts remarkably powerful properties today, rivalling those of Lethe River Water. The recipe primarily consists of lovage, scurvy grass, mistletoe berries, and valerian. Only a magical person with thorough experience and understanding of this potion should ever brew or use it, owing to its remarkable strength and troubling side effects if used incorrectly.
TMagical practices in Egypt, known as heka, consisted of some of the most powerful and advanced spells of which we have record today. Part of the power of heka, however, also comes from the mystery associated with it. Egyptian magi were a deeply distrusting and skeptical community, and they hid the secrets of many of their spells and potions so that we still have little evidence of their methodology today. In ancient Egypt, the written word and reading were affiliated with power and magic. Thus, if a person could read a spell or a recipe, it was believed they could wield the magic affiliated with that spell. Much magical knowledge was thus kept to oral tradition, passed on from master to apprentice in order to keep this knowledge hidden from competitors or foes.
What little we have uncovered of Egyptian potions indicates that they specialized in beautifying and love potions, and they also made ample use of the scarab beetle in intelligence and healing potions. The illustration above portrays a hair-growing potion from Ancient Egypt that utilized porcupine quills, the feather of an ibex, and fairy wings, as well as other local Egyptian magical plant essences. Fairy wings, parts of roses, ginger, and unicorn hair were also used in many Egyptian beautifying potions. In contrast to the hair-growing potion, bat blood was also used by many Egyptian magical women to brew certain serums to remove unwanted hair.
As any witch or wizard who studies love potions can attest, these potions - indeed, we believe even including these ancient potions in Egypt - do not create true “love,” as defined as the comfort and joining of two souls. Instead, it is believed that, as modern love potions, these potions utilized aphrodisiacs to create focused physical attraction as well as other psychological manipulations to create infatuation and intense admiration. However, the secrets of Egyptian “love potions” are among the most mysterious and yet-unknown of Egyptian potioneering, so the author hesitates to make assumptions as to their nature, taking into account the sophisticated and advanced technology displayed by Egyptian magic overall.
Ancient Egyptian civilization, which begins according to many accounts in 3150 BCE with the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under one pharaoh, leads nicely into the next chapter on potions in classical antiquity and early medieval Europe, for in their dealings with Egypt, Greek and Roman wizards were often envious of the secrets of heka to which they were not privy, and there are many accounts of failed plots to coerce Egyptian magi to disclose their secrets.
[1]Subsequent to this publication, the use of Arabian oryx in potions was outlawed through an act by the International Ministry of Magic. The species actually went extinct in the wild in the 1920s, and only began to be reintroduced to the wild in the 1980s, at which point, these strict laws came into effect.
Bruise Removal Paste
Estimated Brewing Time:
Pewter cauldron: 95 minutes
Brass cauldron: 84 minutes
Copper cauldron: 77 minutes
Ingredients:
One (1) liter water
One (1) peeled Shrivelfig 1
Three (3) sprigs of dittany1
Two (2) horned slugs1
Five (5) teaspoons pomegranate juice2
Six (6) lacewing flies2
Four (4) dried nettles3
Four (4) tablespoons of powdered sulphur2
Three (3) caterpillars2
Three (3) tablespoons Flobberworm mucus3
Instructions:
Part One:
Add one liter of water and bring the heat to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Juice one Shrivelfig into a clean vial and slowly add the juice to your cauldron.
Stir once clockwise.
Add three whole sprigs of dittany to the cauldron.
Bring the heat up to 383 Kelvin (110°C/230°F) for twenty seconds, and then reduce heat again to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Add two horned slugs to the cauldron.
Stir three times counterclockwise.
Leave potion to brew in your pewter cauldron for 25 minutes. (This would be 22 minutes in a brass cauldron and twenty minutes in a copper cauldron.)
At the end of Part One, your Bruise Removal Paste should be a deep bluish green, and it will emit pale green smoke when brewed correctly.
Part Two:
Add five teaspoons of pomegranate juice.
Add six lacewing flies and four dried nettles to your mortar and pestle. Crush to a fine and even consistency.
Add three tablespoons of the crushed
mixture in your mortar to the cauldron.
Bring the heat up to 383 Kelvin
(110°C/230°F) for 15 seconds, and then reduce heat again to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Stir twice clockwise.
Add two tablespoons of powdered sulphur to the cauldron.
Stir three times clockwise.
Leave potion to brew in your pewter cauldron for 35 minutes (this would be 30 minutes in a brass cauldron and 27 minutes in a copper cauldron).
At the end of Part Two, the potion will be a pale green color, similar to the tint of the smoke that was emitted after Part One. The smoke emitted will be a light pink.
Caution: Be careful not to add all of the sulphur during step six. If you do, the smoke will turn purple and the potion will likely turn a deep red. If this happens, safely dispose of the potion, as it will cause large blood blisters to form if it comes in contact with the skin, and in some cases, cause the skin with which it comes in contact to sprout thick, bristly black hair.
Part Three:
Add three caterpillars to your cauldron.
Stir three times counterclockwise.
Add two tablespoons of powdered sulphur to your cauldron.
Bring the heat up to 383 Kelvin
(110°C/230°F) for thirty seconds, and then reduce heat again to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Stir twice counterclockwise.
For the last time, leave the potion to brew in your pewter cauldron for twenty minutes. (This would be 17 minutes in a brass cauldron and 15 minutes in a copper cauldron).
Take cauldron off the flame and let cool for five minutes.
Add three tablespoons of Flobberworm mucus to the cauldron. A bit more may be added if you want an even thicker consistency.
Stir with your wooden spoon to ensure an even consistency.
Use a funnel or a Siphoning Charm to transfer the potion to a vial.
Leave the vial in a moderate to cool, dry place for 18 to 24 hours before use.
At the end of Part Three, the potion will be a medium-dark yellow. Before it cools, the smoke will be a light, canary yellow. The potion will smell a little like fresh-cut grass or freshly dug earth.
To Store:
Please store the Bruise Removal Paste at room temperature. Small temperature fluctuations will not harm the paste, but it will become thick and goopy in cold weather and thin and runny in hot weather. Please avoid storing the Bruise Removal Paste in direct sunlight, as this will cause it to expire more quickly. The Bruise Removal Paste is good for up to eighteen months after brewing. After this time, it should not cause harm to apply it, but will be mostly ineffective and may cause the skin to turn a faint bluish color.
To Use:
The Bruise Removal Paste should only be applied topically. It should never be injected or swallowed, as this can do serious damage to your circulation. To use Bruise Removal Paste, simply apply a small quantity of the paste to the bruised area and massage gently into the skin. It should not hurt unbruised skin to come in contact with the paste, so you can rub it in with your (clean) bare fingers.
Effects:
After applying the Bruise Removal Paste topically, the applicant should see the bruise begin to fade after about five to ten minutes. It can take up to an hour for the bruise to heal entirely. In the case of particularly large or dark bruises, it has been known to take up to three hours to heal. Occasionally a mild itching may occur, but this is a natural part of the healing process.
Caution:
You should never swallow the Bruise Removal Paste or get it in your eyes. If the paste ever comes in contact with your eyes, please flush them thoroughly. If you have any burning sensation after your eyes have been flushed, consult a healer immediately. Please also see a healer if you swallow the Bruise Removal Paste in any quantity. This paste should be safe for almost all to use, including those who are pregnant, although it is not recommended for children under five. While those who are nursing may use the paste, it is advised that they use it in moderation, as it may find its way into their milk, which will be ingested by the nursing child.
If you experience a severe itching or burning sensation or if the Bruise Removal Paste causes a rash or any skin
discoloration, stop use immediately and consult with a healer. Allergic reactions with this recipe of the Bruise Removal Paste are rare, but may include mild to moderate itching, burning, rashes, sneezing fits, severe headache, nausea, and upset stomach.
The Bruise Removal Paste should not be used by those suffering from haemophilia.
Migraine Management Serum
Estimated Brewing Time:
Pewter cauldron: 45 minutes
Brass cauldron: 41 minutes
Copper cauldron: 38 minutes
Ingredients:
Seven hundred and fifty (750) ml water
Forty five (45) ml lavender oil1
Three (3) bat spleens2
Two (2) frozen ashwinder eggs1
Four (4) dried rose petals2
Two (2) Shrake spines2
Thirty (30) ml vanilla extract3
Thirty (30) ml Flobberworm mucus3
Instructions:
Part One:
Bring 500 ml of water to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Add thirty ml of lavender oil to the cauldron.
Add three bat spleens to the cauldron.
Stir twice counter-clockwise.
Bring the heat up to 383 Kelvin (110°C/230°F) for 15 seconds, and then reduce heat again to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Add one whole frozen Ashwinder egg to the cauldron.
Add four dried rose petals and two Shrake spines to your mortar and crush it finely with the pestle.
Add two tablespoons of the finely crushed mixture to the cauldron.
Stir once clockwise.
Leave potion to brew in your pewter cauldron for 15 minutes (this would be 13 minutes in a brass cauldron and 12 minutes in a copper cauldron).
At this point, the potion should appear navy blue and emit a slightly greenish-tinged smoke.
Part Two:
After returning to your cauldron, add remaining 250 ml of water.
Add one whole frozen Ashwinder egg to the cauldron.
Add remaining 15 ml of lavender oil to the cauldron.
Bring the heat up to 383 Kelvin (110°C/230°F) for 45 seconds, and then reduce heat again to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Add thirty ml of vanilla extract to the cauldron.
Leave potion to brew in your pewter cauldron for twenty minutes (this would be 18 minutes in a brass cauldron and 16 minutes in a copper cauldron).
After brewing has finished, remove the cauldron from the heat entirely and allow it to cool for five minutes.
Add thirty ml of Flobberworm mucus to the concoction and stir it with a wooden spoon or non-magical implement until it is smooth in texture. After the mucus has been added, the potion can be siphoned into a phial.
The potion should be a deep orange in color at the end. It has a slightly sweet-smoky taste similar to burnt cinnamon, and smells a bit like shortbread.
To Store:
The Migraine Management Serum can be stored for up to three years at room temperature or slightly warmer climate. It does well sitting on a sunny ledge or elsewhere that provides it with direct sunlight. However, the serum can be carried in the pocket or in a bag during the day for those who are frequent sufferers of migraines to have them on hand.
After three years, the serum should be discarded using proper safety precautions.
To Use:
Five to seven droplets should be taken in the early stages before the onset of a migraine. The potion can be taken directly on the tongue, or it can be added to a beverage such as tea, juice, or water.
Effects:
During the prodromal and aura stages of a migraine, the Migraine Management Serum can be taken to manage and mitigate the onset of the migraine. The potion is largely ineffective once the attack stage of the migraine has begun, but it has been known to alleviate some of the symptoms even during this stage.
There are few side effects of the Migraine Management Serum, but in rare instances there have been reports of drowsiness, irregular heart rhythms, and a slight swelling of the tongue. There have been one or two cases of the tongue growing a light fur after ingesting the potion, but that is thought to have been an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions to the potion are also rare, but can also include itching and low fever.
Caution:
There are few serious consequences of overdosing on the Migraine Management Serum. However, in the event that one does ingest too much of the potion, they can expect to feel extreme drowsiness, and will most likely fall asleep. There can also be odd emotional reactions and feelings of attachment to the objects around oneself. In the event that a witch or wizard suspects that he or she had a mild overdose of the serum, it is best to find a quiet place to lie down while the fatigue passes. It is recommended that brooms and other magical machinery not be operated within two hours of taking the Migraine Management Serum. The serum has been tested and proven safe for children five and older as well as pregnant women.
While the Migraine Management Serum can help prevent and mitigate migraines, if one suffers from fairly regular attacks, they should consult with a healer to determine the cause of the migraine, as it could be an indication of a more serious neurological problem.
Clotting Cordial
Estimated Brewing Time:
Pewter cauldron: 83 minutes
Brass cauldron: 74 minutes
Copper cauldron: 66 minutes
Ingredients:
Five hundred (500) ml water
Fifteen (15) ml eel blood1
Thirty (30) ml bat blood2
Three (3) toadstools1
Four (4) Boom berries1
Three (3) dandelion roots1
Forty-five (45) grams dragon liver2
Forty-five (45) ml honey3
Sixty (60) ml Flobberworm mucus3
Instructions:
Part One:
Bring 250 ml of water to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
While the water is coming to a simmer, dice the toadstools into cubes about one cm by one cm.
Add 15 ml eel blood and 15 ml of bat blood to a small secondary bowl and stir it twice clockwise with your wand.
Add the entirety of the mixed blood to the cauldron.
Add two Boom berries to the cauldron.
Add three dandelion roots to the cauldron.
Stir the whole cauldron thrice counter-clockwise with your wand.
Add the three diced toadstools to the cauldron.
Bring the heat to 373 Kelvin (100°C/212°F), and let the cauldron brew until most of the water or moisture has boiled away. This will typically take between forty-five minutes and one hour.
Part Two:
Reduce the heat back to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F) and add remaining 250 ml of water to the cauldron.
Add 45 grams of dragon liver and wait for the cauldron to stop smoking after it’s added before continuing. Caution: If the brewer does not wait when the cauldron starts smoking after the dragon liver is added, the potion will turn a bright red and the cauldron will melt. If the potion comes in contact with the skin at this point, it will cause the joints to freeze.
Add the remaining 15 ml of bat blood to the cauldron.
Add two Boom berries to the cauldron.
Stir twice clockwise with your wand.
Bring the heat up to 383 Kelvin (110°C/230°F) for 15 seconds, and then reduce heat again to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Add 45 ml of honey to the cauldron.
Leave potion to brew in your pewter cauldron for eight minutes (this would be seven minutes in a brass cauldron and six minutes in a copper cauldron).
Remove the cauldron from the heat entirely and allow it to cool for five minutes.
Add sixty ml of Flobberworm mucus to the potion and stir with your wooden spoon or non-magical stirring instrument until the potion is an even consistency before transferring it into a small jar.
The final potion will be a pale red and very thick in consistency. It still tastes relatively bitter and salty despite the added honey at the end; however, it should be palatable. Following brewing, the Clotting Cordial requires three months in a warm, dark environment to mature before it can be used or dispensed for patient usage.
To Store:
Store the Clotting Cordial in a hot, dark place. Exposure to either direct light for a long period of time or room temperatures and below will cause the cordial to harden and become unusable. The Clotting Cordial can store for up to four months before it becomes ineffective and must be safely discarded.
To Use:
The Clotting Cordial is a potion that should be taken daily by those with disabilities that prevent their bodies from clotting normally. This includes haemophilia and similar genetic disorders. Fifteen ml of the Clotting Cordial should be taken orally every day. If days are missed, the patient should not take double, triple, etc. the dose, but should instead resume 15 ml and be cautious not to sustain injury for the same number of days as was missed in dosage.
The potion should be taken each morning before breakfast, and the patient should not eat or drink anything for thirty minutes after swallowing the cordial. A prescription must be obtained in order to purchase at an apothecary, but this is the common commercial recipe for the Clotting Cordial.
Effects:
The potion may cause jitteriness, increased inattention, and raised metabolism. However, it should not present any other side effects or exaggerated signs of its impact on the body as long as it is taken responsibly. The potion boosts protein Factor VIII and IX and supports retention of proper iron and calcium levels in the body. Those who take the potion may find that they lose a great deal of weight rapidly when they are first put on the cordial. However, their metabolism and eating habits should balance out shortly. It is wise to ask a Healer for a nutrition and food plan of some sort to prepare for this adjustment. In some cases, it has been known to cause a drastic increase in blood pressure.
Allergic reactions to the Clotting Cordial can be quite severe, including hemorrhaging through the ears and even cardiac arrest. For this reason, it is required that those who take it have a valid prescription from a healer, who must run allergy tests before dispensing the prescription. If any symptoms resembling any of these allergic reactions appear, the patient should consult with a healer immediately.
Caution:
Owing to the aggressiveness of the potion, the Clotting Cordial is not yet approved for children under eight or those with heart disease, respiratory issues, or anyone who is pregnant or may become pregnant. As long as usage directions are followed, the cordial should not present problems. However, an over-dosage of the Clotting Cordial can lead to floating blood clots and a freezing of the blood, in some cases. This can occasionally
be remedied by a healer, but can occasionally prove fatal. If a patient thinks that he or she may have taken more than a recommended dose of the potion, it is crucial to contact a healer as soon as possible.
Healing and Antidotes: Potions that correct natural or unnatural injuries are known as healing potions. The author would classify antidotes as healing potions, although many put them in their own class, owing to the complicated and nuanced nature of antidotes. However, potions that cure illness, alleviate stomach ache, and also repair broken bones and torn skin also fall under the “healing” category. These are all potions with which those who practice the art of healing would be familiar and likely know how to brew.
Poisons: Poisons are potions which have a negative or harmful effect on a person. Simple magical poisons may make the drinker ill or uncomfortable, or have other negative consequences. There can be uncommon and fatal poisons as well, however. Potioneers argue at times whether every potion that causes physical discomfort should be called a “poison,” or whether it should be saved for certain dark and malevolent brews.
Mood-Impacting Potions: These are often confused with psychological potions, although the author considers these slightly different categories. Mood-altering potions tend to include simple adjustments to a person’s disposition - a Cheering Draught, a Somber Serum, and other potions whose effects are neither long-lasting nor insidious. These are usually not too difficult for intermediate and slightly advanced students to brew once they have brewing basics.
Psychological Potions: These are potions which have a profound and longer-term impact on a person’s psyche. While a Sadness Serum may cause someone to feel temporarily sad, for example, a Depression Draught will cause a person to take on the symptoms of full depression. Granted, psychological potions are not always harmful ones, as they can be used to some antidote effect, such as certain psychologically modifying potions being given to alleviate the issues of witches and wizards who suffer from mental illness themselves. Love potions are also typically considered psychological in nature.
Physical Potions: This covers a wide range of potions that impact the physical state of a person. Simple beautification, warming, and cooling potions are included in this category, and then there are also much more complex brews, such as the Polyjuice Potion. Shrinking potions as well as engorging, strength, and endurance potions are all under this category as well. If taking a potion creates a physical change in the consumer, unless it’s healing a deformity or injury, it falls under this category.
External Potions: External potions do not refer to potions that are applied topically to the body, but rather potions that are not used on living things. For example, a potion that is particularly good at cleaning glass, dish-cleaning potions, or potions that are brewed simply to create light are all external potions.
Most potions utilize two types of ingredients: those derived from animals, such as hermit crab shell, salamander blood, and griffin’s claw; and those which come from plants, such as dittany, asphodel, and bubotuber pus. There are others of course, such as those coming from insects and more, but these make up the bulk. Potions do not necessarily require an equal balance of plant and animal-based ingredients, but rather it varies from potion to potion. Certain ingredients will individually lend themselves to certain types of potions based on their tendency. For example, butterfly wings are often used in hallucinogenic and dream-altering potions, while dittany is almost exclusively used in healing potions.
One alternative type of ingredient that merits a moment of coverage are element-based ingredients. While crystals and metallic elements are not too often used in Western potions, they are occasionally used in certain recipes. North African potions, particularly those that come from Morocco and Tunisia, will often employ alchemical properties in their potions practice. There are select and rare instances of this in Far Eastern potions as well. Specific ingredients include shavings of copper, gold, and malachite.
Readers may also notice another form of categorization of ingredients: those that are derived from magical objects, and those which come from mundane. Quite often, mundane ingredients will contribute more mundane properties to potions. For example, while the rose does have its medicinal uses, rose water or rose petals will also occasionally be added to improve the smell and the taste of certain potions. Mundane ingredients also tend to be less volatile or reactive, and cause weaker side effects than magical ones.[1]
Ingredients can either be farmed and captured or procured from an apothecary. Most witches and wizards frequent a local apothecary, such as that of the author’s family, Slug & Jiggers, in Diagon Alley. Apothecaries source their ingredients based on the best quality and price ratio they can find, and dispense them at a small markup for their customers. In keeping with British Ministerial regulations, apothecaries are required to comply with certain ethical standards when procuring and selling ingredients.
Apothecaries will also often sell pre-brewed potions for the witch or wizard who does not wish to or are not able to brew them on their own. These are usually simple household potions that do not expire too soon, such as cleaning potions and similar.
Alternatively, some prefer to purchase their ingredients directly from herbologists or breeders a. This takes a bit more care, as it can be difficult to ascertain that animals are being kept and harvested in a humane fashion, and that the sourcing is entirely within Ministry law. Quite often, those who unknowingly purchase goods which are in some way illegally and unethically purchased will also face consequences for their ignorance.
Finally, it is possible for witches and wizards to grow, procure, hunt, and harvest their own ingredients. When doing so, it is crucial, particularly when dealing with living animals, to comply with Ministry laws regarding ethics and ensure the creatures are not protected and are treated humanely even if killed to be used in a potion. When it comes to plants, it is also important to have a solid background or fundamental knowledge of herbology before attempting to keep a greenhouse of ingredients. In recent years, the field of herbology has received a lot of criticism and scorn from those who deem it lesser for its concern with non-magical plants and Muggle sciences, but potioneers who use plant-based ingredients daily recognize the vital importance that herbologists play in the continuation of the field of potions in the magical world.
However ingredients are procured, it is also important to ensure that ingredients stay fresh, and the witch or wizard keeping them continues to safely discard spoiled plant and animal products. Using spoiled or past-date ingredients can frequently either yield a potion useless or make it harmful or even deadly. Thus, labeling ingredients with the purchase and best by date, if not already done by the apothecary.
[1]There is also a still somewhat-controversial third category that has been added within the past twenty to thirty years known as transitional ingredients. This includes some ingredients which seem to display magical qualities only when in contact with magic. For instance, certain potions with butterfly wings contain no strictly “magical” ingredients, but the butterfly wings themselves seem to take on a magical quality during the brewing process. More conservative witches and wizards do not approve of this additional classification, but it is actually a large part of the editor’s research concentration, so she thought it appropriate to include a note about it.
The word Potion comes from the Latin potio, which connotes “to drink,” which in turn derives from the Greek poton, “one who drinks.” Evidence of magical societies creating potions dates back as far as we have records of communities using magic. In the beginning, however, there was not as much knowledge about the nature of potions and how to brew them most effectively. The earliest primitive potions were merely a collection of magical ingredients that each worked independently in order to attain a specific effect. For example, during the excavation of Petra in southern Jordan in the earlier part of this century, writings were discovered by Magiarchaeologists that reveal an earlier magical community who described a cure-all for poisons. The recipe translated as follows:
Remedy for Poisoning calls for:
Essence of Dittany
Parts Vinegar
Blood of Arabian Oryx
Food Bolus from Gullet of the same Oryx
Scrapings of a no more than three hour old natural fire.
As those versed with a basic healing will note, while the recipe does provide separate magical ingredients that may assist in healing those who have been poisoned, the ingredients have not been added to flame or any external magical source either. Instead, the dittany and bezoar acted as magical agents curing any internal afflictions and poison, while the vinegar and charcoal acted as mundane healing agents.
As a cultural note, parts of the Arabian oryx are still used with relative frequency in potions in the Middle East.[1]
Moving ahead in time, as witches and wizards began to undertake use of the fire and their own inherent magic in their brewing, it was the ancient Celts who pioneered strength potions as well as mind-altering potions. In this discussion of the Ancient Celtic people, the author begins his accounting around 800 BCE with what is known as the Halstatt culture, named after the Iron Age tribes of Halstatt, Austria. This archaeological site is still being investigated by magical and non-magical archaeologists, but magiarchaeologists have already found numerous magical artifacts, including evidence of early potioneering.
In Celtic culture, as in many cultures at this time, witches and wizards (or druids) often held positions as priests and other high religious posts within communities. It is in fact thought that the Tuatha Dé Danann, the mythological race of Celtic pseudo-deities, may have actually grown from early communities of powerful magical persons. Each clan in the Celtic tradition boasted its own druids who helped the clan prosper and thrive, particularly in times of war. As such, Celtic witches and wizards were responsible for discovering many strength and endurance potions, as well as certain battle-centered healing to assist those who had been fatally wounded in some form. One particularly well-known witch from the Celtic tribes was Ailidh of Aiadava (375-284 BCE), a druidess who was notorious for her particularly stunning strength potions. Fortification Fluid, which utilizes primarily salamander blood, griffin claw, and dandelion root, is an invention of Ailidh’s that is still used by wizardkind today.
The Celtic druids were also famous for their Draft of Oblivion, a strong mind-bending potion that could selectively eliminate certain memories entirely from the drinker. The most well-known instance of this potion’s effects is in the narrative Oenét Emire, or “The Only Jealousy of Emer.” The tale speaks of the warrior Cú Chulainn and his wife Emer, and of a curse put on Chulainn when he attempts to kill two exotic-looking seabirds in honor of his wife. It turns out that these seabirds were Fand and Lí Ban, who are reported to be otherworldly women in Irish mythology, but who may in fact have been Animagi instead. Throughout the course of the story, Chulainn falls in love with Fand, and although he had many affairs throughout his life, this love is the only one that brings Emer to jealousy. In the end of the narrative, the druids give Chulainn and Emer a Draft of Oblivion, causing Chulainn to forget Fand entirely while Emer forgets her jealousy.
This Draft of Oblivion still boasts remarkably powerful properties today, rivalling those of Lethe River Water. The recipe primarily consists of lovage, scurvy grass, mistletoe berries, and valerian. Only a magical person with thorough experience and understanding of this potion should ever brew or use it, owing to its remarkable strength and troubling side effects if used incorrectly.
TMagical practices in Egypt, known as heka, consisted of some of the most powerful and advanced spells of which we have record today. Part of the power of heka, however, also comes from the mystery associated with it. Egyptian magi were a deeply distrusting and skeptical community, and they hid the secrets of many of their spells and potions so that we still have little evidence of their methodology today. In ancient Egypt, the written word and reading were affiliated with power and magic. Thus, if a person could read a spell or a recipe, it was believed they could wield the magic affiliated with that spell. Much magical knowledge was thus kept to oral tradition, passed on from master to apprentice in order to keep this knowledge hidden from competitors or foes.
What little we have uncovered of Egyptian potions indicates that they specialized in beautifying and love potions, and they also made ample use of the scarab beetle in intelligence and healing potions. The illustration above portrays a hair-growing potion from Ancient Egypt that utilized porcupine quills, the feather of an ibex, and fairy wings, as well as other local Egyptian magical plant essences. Fairy wings, parts of roses, ginger, and unicorn hair were also used in many Egyptian beautifying potions. In contrast to the hair-growing potion, bat blood was also used by many Egyptian magical women to brew certain serums to remove unwanted hair.
As any witch or wizard who studies love potions can attest, these potions - indeed, we believe even including these ancient potions in Egypt - do not create true “love,” as defined as the comfort and joining of two souls. Instead, it is believed that, as modern love potions, these potions utilized aphrodisiacs to create focused physical attraction as well as other psychological manipulations to create infatuation and intense admiration. However, the secrets of Egyptian “love potions” are among the most mysterious and yet-unknown of Egyptian potioneering, so the author hesitates to make assumptions as to their nature, taking into account the sophisticated and advanced technology displayed by Egyptian magic overall.
Ancient Egyptian civilization, which begins according to many accounts in 3150 BCE with the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under one pharaoh, leads nicely into the next chapter on potions in classical antiquity and early medieval Europe, for in their dealings with Egypt, Greek and Roman wizards were often envious of the secrets of heka to which they were not privy, and there are many accounts of failed plots to coerce Egyptian magi to disclose their secrets.
[1]Subsequent to this publication, the use of Arabian oryx in potions was outlawed through an act by the International Ministry of Magic. The species actually went extinct in the wild in the 1920s, and only began to be reintroduced to the wild in the 1980s, at which point, these strict laws came into effect.
Bruise Removal Paste
Estimated Brewing Time:
Pewter cauldron: 95 minutes
Brass cauldron: 84 minutes
Copper cauldron: 77 minutes
Ingredients:
One (1) liter water
One (1) peeled Shrivelfig 1
Three (3) sprigs of dittany1
Two (2) horned slugs1
Five (5) teaspoons pomegranate juice2
Six (6) lacewing flies2
Four (4) dried nettles3
Four (4) tablespoons of powdered sulphur2
Three (3) caterpillars2
Three (3) tablespoons Flobberworm mucus3
Instructions:
Part One:
Add one liter of water and bring the heat to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Juice one Shrivelfig into a clean vial and slowly add the juice to your cauldron.
Stir once clockwise.
Add three whole sprigs of dittany to the cauldron.
Bring the heat up to 383 Kelvin (110°C/230°F) for twenty seconds, and then reduce heat again to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Add two horned slugs to the cauldron.
Stir three times counterclockwise.
Leave potion to brew in your pewter cauldron for 25 minutes. (This would be 22 minutes in a brass cauldron and twenty minutes in a copper cauldron.)
At the end of Part One, your Bruise Removal Paste should be a deep bluish green, and it will emit pale green smoke when brewed correctly.
Part Two:
Add five teaspoons of pomegranate juice.
Add six lacewing flies and four dried nettles to your mortar and pestle. Crush to a fine and even consistency.
Add three tablespoons of the crushed
mixture in your mortar to the cauldron.
Bring the heat up to 383 Kelvin
(110°C/230°F) for 15 seconds, and then reduce heat again to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Stir twice clockwise.
Add two tablespoons of powdered sulphur to the cauldron.
Stir three times clockwise.
Leave potion to brew in your pewter cauldron for 35 minutes (this would be 30 minutes in a brass cauldron and 27 minutes in a copper cauldron).
At the end of Part Two, the potion will be a pale green color, similar to the tint of the smoke that was emitted after Part One. The smoke emitted will be a light pink.
Caution: Be careful not to add all of the sulphur during step six. If you do, the smoke will turn purple and the potion will likely turn a deep red. If this happens, safely dispose of the potion, as it will cause large blood blisters to form if it comes in contact with the skin, and in some cases, cause the skin with which it comes in contact to sprout thick, bristly black hair.
Part Three:
Add three caterpillars to your cauldron.
Stir three times counterclockwise.
Add two tablespoons of powdered sulphur to your cauldron.
Bring the heat up to 383 Kelvin
(110°C/230°F) for thirty seconds, and then reduce heat again to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Stir twice counterclockwise.
For the last time, leave the potion to brew in your pewter cauldron for twenty minutes. (This would be 17 minutes in a brass cauldron and 15 minutes in a copper cauldron).
Take cauldron off the flame and let cool for five minutes.
Add three tablespoons of Flobberworm mucus to the cauldron. A bit more may be added if you want an even thicker consistency.
Stir with your wooden spoon to ensure an even consistency.
Use a funnel or a Siphoning Charm to transfer the potion to a vial.
Leave the vial in a moderate to cool, dry place for 18 to 24 hours before use.
At the end of Part Three, the potion will be a medium-dark yellow. Before it cools, the smoke will be a light, canary yellow. The potion will smell a little like fresh-cut grass or freshly dug earth.
To Store:
Please store the Bruise Removal Paste at room temperature. Small temperature fluctuations will not harm the paste, but it will become thick and goopy in cold weather and thin and runny in hot weather. Please avoid storing the Bruise Removal Paste in direct sunlight, as this will cause it to expire more quickly. The Bruise Removal Paste is good for up to eighteen months after brewing. After this time, it should not cause harm to apply it, but will be mostly ineffective and may cause the skin to turn a faint bluish color.
To Use:
The Bruise Removal Paste should only be applied topically. It should never be injected or swallowed, as this can do serious damage to your circulation. To use Bruise Removal Paste, simply apply a small quantity of the paste to the bruised area and massage gently into the skin. It should not hurt unbruised skin to come in contact with the paste, so you can rub it in with your (clean) bare fingers.
Effects:
After applying the Bruise Removal Paste topically, the applicant should see the bruise begin to fade after about five to ten minutes. It can take up to an hour for the bruise to heal entirely. In the case of particularly large or dark bruises, it has been known to take up to three hours to heal. Occasionally a mild itching may occur, but this is a natural part of the healing process.
Caution:
You should never swallow the Bruise Removal Paste or get it in your eyes. If the paste ever comes in contact with your eyes, please flush them thoroughly. If you have any burning sensation after your eyes have been flushed, consult a healer immediately. Please also see a healer if you swallow the Bruise Removal Paste in any quantity. This paste should be safe for almost all to use, including those who are pregnant, although it is not recommended for children under five. While those who are nursing may use the paste, it is advised that they use it in moderation, as it may find its way into their milk, which will be ingested by the nursing child.
If you experience a severe itching or burning sensation or if the Bruise Removal Paste causes a rash or any skin
discoloration, stop use immediately and consult with a healer. Allergic reactions with this recipe of the Bruise Removal Paste are rare, but may include mild to moderate itching, burning, rashes, sneezing fits, severe headache, nausea, and upset stomach.
The Bruise Removal Paste should not be used by those suffering from haemophilia.
Migraine Management Serum
Estimated Brewing Time:
Pewter cauldron: 45 minutes
Brass cauldron: 41 minutes
Copper cauldron: 38 minutes
Ingredients:
Seven hundred and fifty (750) ml water
Forty five (45) ml lavender oil1
Three (3) bat spleens2
Two (2) frozen ashwinder eggs1
Four (4) dried rose petals2
Two (2) Shrake spines2
Thirty (30) ml vanilla extract3
Thirty (30) ml Flobberworm mucus3
Instructions:
Part One:
Bring 500 ml of water to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Add thirty ml of lavender oil to the cauldron.
Add three bat spleens to the cauldron.
Stir twice counter-clockwise.
Bring the heat up to 383 Kelvin (110°C/230°F) for 15 seconds, and then reduce heat again to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Add one whole frozen Ashwinder egg to the cauldron.
Add four dried rose petals and two Shrake spines to your mortar and crush it finely with the pestle.
Add two tablespoons of the finely crushed mixture to the cauldron.
Stir once clockwise.
Leave potion to brew in your pewter cauldron for 15 minutes (this would be 13 minutes in a brass cauldron and 12 minutes in a copper cauldron).
At this point, the potion should appear navy blue and emit a slightly greenish-tinged smoke.
Part Two:
After returning to your cauldron, add remaining 250 ml of water.
Add one whole frozen Ashwinder egg to the cauldron.
Add remaining 15 ml of lavender oil to the cauldron.
Bring the heat up to 383 Kelvin (110°C/230°F) for 45 seconds, and then reduce heat again to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Add thirty ml of vanilla extract to the cauldron.
Leave potion to brew in your pewter cauldron for twenty minutes (this would be 18 minutes in a brass cauldron and 16 minutes in a copper cauldron).
After brewing has finished, remove the cauldron from the heat entirely and allow it to cool for five minutes.
Add thirty ml of Flobberworm mucus to the concoction and stir it with a wooden spoon or non-magical implement until it is smooth in texture. After the mucus has been added, the potion can be siphoned into a phial.
The potion should be a deep orange in color at the end. It has a slightly sweet-smoky taste similar to burnt cinnamon, and smells a bit like shortbread.
To Store:
The Migraine Management Serum can be stored for up to three years at room temperature or slightly warmer climate. It does well sitting on a sunny ledge or elsewhere that provides it with direct sunlight. However, the serum can be carried in the pocket or in a bag during the day for those who are frequent sufferers of migraines to have them on hand.
After three years, the serum should be discarded using proper safety precautions.
To Use:
Five to seven droplets should be taken in the early stages before the onset of a migraine. The potion can be taken directly on the tongue, or it can be added to a beverage such as tea, juice, or water.
Effects:
During the prodromal and aura stages of a migraine, the Migraine Management Serum can be taken to manage and mitigate the onset of the migraine. The potion is largely ineffective once the attack stage of the migraine has begun, but it has been known to alleviate some of the symptoms even during this stage.
There are few side effects of the Migraine Management Serum, but in rare instances there have been reports of drowsiness, irregular heart rhythms, and a slight swelling of the tongue. There have been one or two cases of the tongue growing a light fur after ingesting the potion, but that is thought to have been an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions to the potion are also rare, but can also include itching and low fever.
Caution:
There are few serious consequences of overdosing on the Migraine Management Serum. However, in the event that one does ingest too much of the potion, they can expect to feel extreme drowsiness, and will most likely fall asleep. There can also be odd emotional reactions and feelings of attachment to the objects around oneself. In the event that a witch or wizard suspects that he or she had a mild overdose of the serum, it is best to find a quiet place to lie down while the fatigue passes. It is recommended that brooms and other magical machinery not be operated within two hours of taking the Migraine Management Serum. The serum has been tested and proven safe for children five and older as well as pregnant women.
While the Migraine Management Serum can help prevent and mitigate migraines, if one suffers from fairly regular attacks, they should consult with a healer to determine the cause of the migraine, as it could be an indication of a more serious neurological problem.
Clotting Cordial
Estimated Brewing Time:
Pewter cauldron: 83 minutes
Brass cauldron: 74 minutes
Copper cauldron: 66 minutes
Ingredients:
Five hundred (500) ml water
Fifteen (15) ml eel blood1
Thirty (30) ml bat blood2
Three (3) toadstools1
Four (4) Boom berries1
Three (3) dandelion roots1
Forty-five (45) grams dragon liver2
Forty-five (45) ml honey3
Sixty (60) ml Flobberworm mucus3
Instructions:
Part One:
Bring 250 ml of water to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
While the water is coming to a simmer, dice the toadstools into cubes about one cm by one cm.
Add 15 ml eel blood and 15 ml of bat blood to a small secondary bowl and stir it twice clockwise with your wand.
Add the entirety of the mixed blood to the cauldron.
Add two Boom berries to the cauldron.
Add three dandelion roots to the cauldron.
Stir the whole cauldron thrice counter-clockwise with your wand.
Add the three diced toadstools to the cauldron.
Bring the heat to 373 Kelvin (100°C/212°F), and let the cauldron brew until most of the water or moisture has boiled away. This will typically take between forty-five minutes and one hour.
Part Two:
Reduce the heat back to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F) and add remaining 250 ml of water to the cauldron.
Add 45 grams of dragon liver and wait for the cauldron to stop smoking after it’s added before continuing. Caution: If the brewer does not wait when the cauldron starts smoking after the dragon liver is added, the potion will turn a bright red and the cauldron will melt. If the potion comes in contact with the skin at this point, it will cause the joints to freeze.
Add the remaining 15 ml of bat blood to the cauldron.
Add two Boom berries to the cauldron.
Stir twice clockwise with your wand.
Bring the heat up to 383 Kelvin (110°C/230°F) for 15 seconds, and then reduce heat again to 363 Kelvin (90°C/194°F).
Add 45 ml of honey to the cauldron.
Leave potion to brew in your pewter cauldron for eight minutes (this would be seven minutes in a brass cauldron and six minutes in a copper cauldron).
Remove the cauldron from the heat entirely and allow it to cool for five minutes.
Add sixty ml of Flobberworm mucus to the potion and stir with your wooden spoon or non-magical stirring instrument until the potion is an even consistency before transferring it into a small jar.
The final potion will be a pale red and very thick in consistency. It still tastes relatively bitter and salty despite the added honey at the end; however, it should be palatable. Following brewing, the Clotting Cordial requires three months in a warm, dark environment to mature before it can be used or dispensed for patient usage.
To Store:
Store the Clotting Cordial in a hot, dark place. Exposure to either direct light for a long period of time or room temperatures and below will cause the cordial to harden and become unusable. The Clotting Cordial can store for up to four months before it becomes ineffective and must be safely discarded.
To Use:
The Clotting Cordial is a potion that should be taken daily by those with disabilities that prevent their bodies from clotting normally. This includes haemophilia and similar genetic disorders. Fifteen ml of the Clotting Cordial should be taken orally every day. If days are missed, the patient should not take double, triple, etc. the dose, but should instead resume 15 ml and be cautious not to sustain injury for the same number of days as was missed in dosage.
The potion should be taken each morning before breakfast, and the patient should not eat or drink anything for thirty minutes after swallowing the cordial. A prescription must be obtained in order to purchase at an apothecary, but this is the common commercial recipe for the Clotting Cordial.
Effects:
The potion may cause jitteriness, increased inattention, and raised metabolism. However, it should not present any other side effects or exaggerated signs of its impact on the body as long as it is taken responsibly. The potion boosts protein Factor VIII and IX and supports retention of proper iron and calcium levels in the body. Those who take the potion may find that they lose a great deal of weight rapidly when they are first put on the cordial. However, their metabolism and eating habits should balance out shortly. It is wise to ask a Healer for a nutrition and food plan of some sort to prepare for this adjustment. In some cases, it has been known to cause a drastic increase in blood pressure.
Allergic reactions to the Clotting Cordial can be quite severe, including hemorrhaging through the ears and even cardiac arrest. For this reason, it is required that those who take it have a valid prescription from a healer, who must run allergy tests before dispensing the prescription. If any symptoms resembling any of these allergic reactions appear, the patient should consult with a healer immediately.
Caution:
Owing to the aggressiveness of the potion, the Clotting Cordial is not yet approved for children under eight or those with heart disease, respiratory issues, or anyone who is pregnant or may become pregnant. As long as usage directions are followed, the cordial should not present problems. However, an over-dosage of the Clotting Cordial can lead to floating blood clots and a freezing of the blood, in some cases. This can occasionally
be remedied by a healer, but can occasionally prove fatal. If a patient thinks that he or she may have taken more than a recommended dose of the potion, it is crucial to contact a healer as soon as possible.
