Polyjuice Potion

From UnknowableWiki

The Polyjuice Potion is a very strong potion used to transform the drinker into someone else for the period of an hour (CS12). The potion is very hard to brew, and takes about a month to be prepared (CS10).

During one of his Potions classes, Severus Snape states that the list of ingredients and instructions needed to brew the Polyjuice Potion can be found in the book Moste Potente Potions. One of its copies is located at the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts library (CS9).

Some of the ingredients the Polyjuice Potion contains are: lacewing flies (that must be stewed for twenty-one days), leeches, fluxweed (that needs to be picked at the full moon), knotgrass, the powdered horn of a Bicorn, the shredded skin of a Boomslang, and a bit of the person one desires to change into (most commonly a bit of hair) (CS10). The latter must be the last ingredient to be added, and changes the colour and taste of the slow-bubbling, mudlike potion according to the person it belongs to (CS12).

Some of the most common ingredients, such as knotgrass, can be found in the student store-cupboard (CS10). However, Bicorn horn and Boomslang skin are a bit more difficult to obtain; when the Trio brews the potion in their second year, they steal the ingredients from Snape's private stores (CS11).

According to Remus Lupin, the Polyjuice Potion is designed for human use only; this prevents Rubeus Hagrid from using it (DH5). Likewise, it can only be used to transform into humans; if one adds a bit of an non-human creature, the effect is a permanent incomplete transformation that is hard to reverse (CS12).

Known uses

• When the Chamber of Secrets is opened in the Trio's second year, Hermione suggests that Harry and Ron brew an illegal batch of Polyjuice Potion in order to interrogate Malfoy as to the identity of the Heir of Slytherin, since they suspect him (CS9); they do this in in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom (CS10). Harry and Ron transform into Crabbe and Goyle; Hermione accidentally adds the hair of Millicent Bulstrode's cat, rather than the girl herself, and has an unfortunate accident, as the potion is not intended for animal transformations (CS12).
• In the Trio's fourth year, Bartemius Crouch, Jr. uses Polyjuice Potion throughout the entire school year in order to impersonate Alastor Moody (GF35).
• During their sixth year, Crabbe and Goyle use it to disguise themselves as they keep watch outside the Room of Requirement for Malfoy (HBP21). Each time they transform, they take the shape of a different person; Hermione encounters one of them as a small girl (HBP20).
• On July 27, 1997, Ron, Hermione, Fleur, Mundungus, Fred and George take Polyjuice Potion to resemble Harry Potter when the Order is trying to transport him from number four, Privet Drive to number twelve, Grimmauld Place. Death Eaters ambush them as they fly out of Privet Drive (DH4).
• Hermione steals Moody's stock of Polyjuice Potion after his death, in case the Trio needs it while searching for Horcruxes (DH6).
• On August 1, 1997, Harry takes the Polyjuice Potion with the hair of a Muggle from Ottery St. Catchpole so that he can attend Bill and Fleur's wedding undetected. The Weasleys help him use the identity of their "Cousin Barny". Luna Lovegood easily recognises him regardless of the disguise (DH8).
• On September 2, 1997, Hermione, Ron and Harry use the Polyjuice Potion to impersonate Ministry employees—Mafalda Hopkirk, Reg Cattermole and Albert Runcorn, respectively—in order to enter the Ministry building undetected and steal Slytherin's locket from Dolores Umbridge (DH12).
• On December 24, 1997, Harry and Hermione take the Potion to disguise themselves as a Muggle middle-aged couple during their visit to Godric's Hollow (DH16); this does not prevent Nagini from recognising them (DH17).
• When Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Griphook the goblin go to Gringotts to obtain one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, Hermione uses Polyjuice Potion to transform into Bellatrix Lestrange, whose vault they need to access. Hermione says that the potion tastes "disgusting, worse than Gurdyroots" (DH26).