Potions for the Modern Witch or Wizard

Ancient Potioneers thought the Influence of the Planets was as vast as the Universe itself. We now know, however, that the Planets have a very minor Influence on Ingredients, Herbological Preparations, the Degrees, or the Effects of a Potion. Herbologists, however, have found some truth to the Planetary Influence. Professor Phyllida Spore herself, former Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, described the first documented empirical evidence of Planetary Influence on the growth of plants. She noted that the time in which a specific Ingredient was picked changed the Potency of the Ingredient, and even increased its affinity to synergize with other Ingredients in situ.

The Influence of the Planets is well known to Astrologists. Astrology is a sub-branch of Divination Magic, which makes use of the Planets to predict events and outcomes. Divination Magics, much like Potioneering, requires the use of many different Types of Magic. The Types of Magic are usually related to the Magico-Chemical Species, Magical particles whose interactions directs Magic. More on the Magico-Chemical Species, their interactions, and the mechanism will be discussed later.

The movement of the Planets are regular and cyclic, much like the other Heavenly Bodies. Alchemists were the first to create great advances in Potioneering, assigning Ingredients to Ruling Planets. The Ruling Planets are the 7 original Planets that Alchemists originally attributed all occurrences to their Influence. Thus, knowing the movement, interactions, and distance of each Planet allowed one to determine the degree of their Influence at any particular moment. Alchemists saw that the Planets’ Influence was not simply the ratio of the distances of the Planets that were visible at any particular time. No, all physical factors–size, mass, orbital radius, and to some extent shape–all contribute to any particular Planet’s Influence. Alchemists created a vast number of formulae to accurately describe the movement in attempts to quantify the Magical Influence (Iµ) of each Planet at a particular Time. Spore was the first to describe it thusly:

” The counting of particular Hours of sunrise or sunset past do the Planets profess a particular Influence upon flora magica.”

Spore carefully calculated the Magical Potency of a variety of Magical Ingredients, and tabulated a chart describing the Planet with the highest degree of Influence at a particular Time on a particular Day. She noted also that the hour was dependent not on the time of the day, but on the number of hours past sunrise or sunset. Thus, it can be noted that the presence of sunlight has a strong influence on the Planetary Influence as well, although it is unclear why (The Magical properties of sunlight are still largely unknown, but recent studies indicate complex, but well-observed Photon-Magum inter-conversion is the primary causative agent for what Spore called the Phaenomenon Solis, or the Sunlight Effect).

The Phaenomenon Solis does not just apply to Magical Ingredients, as Spore found, but recently it has been discovered that Mundane Ingredients are also influenced by Planetary Influence. It was shown that Mundane Ingredients can be just as efficacious in situ as Magical Ingredients in the right combination. The basis of Modern Potioneering was formed from this postulate.

The Alchemists of Olde associated each Planet with a Corporeal Part, that is, each part of the body was thought to be Ruled by a Planet. This Planetary Influence over the body parts lead to the inspection of Planets as they influence medicine. Medicinal Magic took a real root during the late 1400s because of the work of the Alchemists that began a serious investigation of the Medicinal properties of both Magical and Mundane plants.

Without the work of Astrologists and Alchemists, the field of Medicinal Magic would have been offset by at least 350 years. However, Potioneers still use the Magical Potential equations to quantify the Strength of their Ingredients and Cauldrons.

Historically, methods of determining Potion effect were largely based on the amalgamation of characteristics the ingredient in question posed, in proper ratio to the amount of ingredient used in the Potion. For example, Lavendula angustifolia was associated with the Liquid Species because of its floral, Air-like scent and calming, restorative, Water-like effects. On page 6 of the supplemental tables, one can see that each Ingredient has its own historical use, and Planetary influence. These were important in determining the use of Potions in the Mideveal Era, and have since been deemed outdated. More on Ingredients and Astrology can be found here.

Single-Ingredient Potions

These calculations work only for Potions that have a single Ingredient. Even Potions containing a single Effect will not work due to the synergism that is present in Multi-Ingredient Potions. Single-Ingredient Effects can be determined by reviewing the characteristics of the ingredient: the Species, which is the essential identity of the Ingredient, and Zn-Value, the potency of the Ingredient. These two aspects combined with a third aspect, the mass of the ingredient, or md-Value, which can be used to determine the Potion Effect. The Species has with it an associated µr-Value, which was assigned based on Maga concentration found within that Species.

Using the formulas within the Useful Potioneering Tables, we can run through a sample calculation to determine the outcome of a Standard Potion containing Lavendula angustifolia flowers. A classic Lavender Infusion.

First, we must review what a Standard Potion is. A Standard Potion refers to a Golpalott Standard Solution, that is, 1 drachm of Ingredient is used in exactly 1 f. pt. of A. fontana. Golaplott Standard Solutions also have δw-Value of 1, which represents the Magical Density of the Potion medium, which effects the concentration of the Ingredient, and thus the Species. The δw-Value is composed to two other components: the mass of the medium (mw-Value), and the Ingredient-Water Conversion Factor (cw-Value). For pure A. fontana, the δw-Value is 1, and thus any highly-aqueous Solution can have a δw-Value approximated as 1, which applies to Golpalott Standard Solutions.

µ-Value Determination: Maga Concentration

     L. angustifolia:                    Zn-Value: 10/3  gr./dr.           md-Value: 1 dr.           µr-Value: 4 

From this information, we can derive the Maga concentration, or [µ], of the Ingredient added. This takes into account the Ingredient reactivity based on its associated Species with respect to a free Magum. This formula can be found on page 7 of the Useful Potioneering Tables.

µ = (10/3)*(1)*(4)/768 = 0.01736 µ

The µ-Value is useful in determining how Potion Ingredients react with one another, however, this is not useful in Single-Ingredient Potions would reactions with A. fontana are insignificant at viable concentrations. In Multi-Ingredient Potions, the µ-Value will come into play when determining how Species-Species Interactions occur and determining concentrations from those aspects. We can consider the exercise of finding the [µ] to be good practice for this exercise.

ρx-Value Determination: Ingredient Concentration

The first thing we need to determine is the concentration of the active component of our Ingredient. Golpalott often referred to this term exclusively as the Concentration of Poison, whether or not he was working with a poison, and represented this as ρx, whose formula can be found on page 8. The units associated with ρx are gr./f. pt. of media.

ρx = (Zn)*(md)/(mw)*(cw) = (10/3)*(1)/(128)*(60) = 4.340ᴇ-4

The Ingredient Concentration allows us to determine one part of the Strength of the Solution. The more concentrated the Solution is, the quicker the Effect will occur, and the more intense it will be. It does not necessarily correlate to a stronger degree of an Effect—i.e. A Restoration Potion having suddenly allowed for the Re-Growth of bones when a large amount of ingredient was added during brewing—but merely that the effectiveness of any single dose will be greater—less of the Potion will be needed to create the same effect on the user.

k-Value Determination: Ingredient Effectiveness

Associated with the ρx-Value value is k, or the Ingredient Effectiveness placed on the same scale as the reactivity value, µ, from 0-60; however, unlike µ, it is unit-less. This allows us to normalize all of these values which makes comparing them and determining their significance much easier. In the case of Single-Ingredient Potions, where a synergistic effect is not present, this is equal to 60*µ:

k = 60*ρx = 60(4.340ᴇ-4) = 2.604ᴇ-2

k*-Value Determination: Magical Field Concentration

The next topic of discussion is the Magical Field Concentration. Determining the concentration of the Magical Field, or in actuality, the concentration of Maga effectively present within the Magical Field, lending to a the Strength of the Magic Field, will allow us to determine the degree to which any particular effect is present. Thus, stronger Magical Fields yield stronger Effects.

However, the determination of this requires knowledge about the Species, and thus the Species’s associated Maga, to truly calculate the Magical Field Concentration. Luckily, OV-Potioneers over the years have determined averaged values of all possible Magum states for any particular Species to make calculations easier. These tables will be provided for you on your N.E.W.T.s and during any other examination that requires such calculations.

 The Average Value Table (page 7), can be used to determine the n-, r-, and s-Values used to compute k*, while k has already been calculated.

For L. angustifolia:      n: Maga Coordination Number = 20 Looking at the Average Value Table, the Coordination Number associated with a Liquid Species can be seen to be 20. Thus 20 will be the n-Value.     r: Reactivity of a Species’s Magic Field = 2/3          While more difficult to locate, this value also lies within the Average Values Table, but an easier method of determining this value is through the Reactivity Numeration Table on the subsequent page (page 8).           The Liquid Species is Isothermic in nature, as can be seen on the Average Value Table, whose reactivity toward Magic Fields is 3˚, as can be seen by the underlines Field letter (N), in the 3˚  position in the reactivity portion of the Average Value Table. From the r-Value table, we can see the correlation between Species Reactivity toward Magic Fields, and the Magic Field reactivity of the Speices. From this chart, we can see that the r-Value is 2/3.      s: Stability of a Species’s Magic Field = 0.50 Referencing the Average Value Table once again, the stability for a Liquid Species can be seen to be 50.16%, or averaged out to 50%. When applying the formulae given on the N.E.W.T., please use the averaged percentage within the formula to derive the best results. This is because calculations using long decimals tend to take more time than they are worth, and the formulae were derived with the averaged values in-mind. Thus, the s-Value is 0.50.

Now we can determine the k*-Value through the following formula:

k* = (k)*(n)*(r)*(s)/8 = (1.042)*(20)*(2/3)*(0.50)/8 = 1.741ᴇ-2

Finally, now we can piece together the puzzle that is Potion Effect Determination and figure out what kind of Potion we are making!

Because all of these scales have been normalized on a 0-60 scale, we can compare values to one another on a relative “low-medium-high” basis to determine the Potion Effect.

To do this, we can rank our ρx-Value, k-Value, and k*-Value to determine the Potion Effect. The accepted ranking scale is as follows:

0<x≤20: Low Value 20<x≤40: Moderate Value 40<x≤60: High Value

Using the Ingredient Effectiveness Table on page 8, we can determine what kind of Potion we are making, and to what degree it will affect us. Let us analyze our values using the aforementioned ranking system:

µ-Value: 0.01736 = Low ρx-Value: 4.340ᴇ-4 = Low k-Value: 2.604ᴇ-2 = Low k*-Value: 1.741ᴇ-2 = Low

Uh-oh, this doesn’t bode well for this Potion! But, considering the fact that we are considering a Lavender Infusion that one might take for tea, I am glad this is so! Let us continue:

Using the Ingredient Effectiveness Table, we can mark our values thusly:

k-Value: 2.604ᴇ-2 = Poor k*-Value: 1.741ᴇ-2 = Low

Thus, we can see that the Degree of our Potion will be Primary. Referencing the chart below, we can use this to determine the general Effect of our Potion.

Active Magic Field: M-Field Species: Liquid Degree: Primary Field Effect Potion Effect: Restoration      Active Magic Field: The Active Magic Field will be the Field in greatest concentration, which will play a larger role when determining the Effect of Multi-Ingredinet Potions. In our example, we can only consider the Medicinal Field of the L. angustifolia.      Species: Similarly, the only Species present is the Liquid Species of the L. angustifolia.      Degree: Using the Ingredient Effectiveness Table, we can see that the degree of our Potion is Primary. This means that we should look at the first column to determine our Potion Effect.

Putting all of this together, cross-referencing the M-Field with the Liquid Species, and Primary Field Effect we can see that our Potion will have a Restorative effect!

While these calculations may seem tedious, they are important to know how to do because they are required for the N.E.W.T.s. Now, I have provided an excel spreadsheet to allow for the circumvention of such tedious calculations when in the laboratory for Potions Research, as I so often am.

The Influence of the Planets is well known to those who study Astrology. The movement of the Planets are regular and cyclic, much like the other Heavenly Bodies. Alchemists were the first to assign Ingredients with Ruling Planets, which they noticed helped strengthen the desired effects, while quelling the unintended ones. A historical look into determining Potion effect was determined using the table on page 6 of the Useful Potioneering Tables provided:

Each of the Planets had its own Symbol, Day, Organ, and Magic associated with it, using its Physical characteristics to determine its associated Species. By this these combined features, Alchemists were able to create a system by which a Potion could be produced--and reproduced. This began the laborious task of categorizing Ingredients based on all of these aspects, and determining the methods by which each Ingredient produces a desired Effect.

The Symbols were used as a shorthand in order to reference the Ruling Planets of one's Ingredient, much in the same way that the Alchemists used symbols to represent the Species. Each of these symbols, while well-known now, were used to prevent un-wanted eyes from reading the works and perhaps stealing that knowledge to present it as their own. Alchemy was a greed-driven business in search of gold and ever-lasting life--both of which forever rest with Nicholas Flamel (lest the Exceptions to Gamp's Law be changed).

Each Planet had with it an associated Day. On these particular Days, the Planet's Magic was believed to be most potent. Recent studies have not found enough evidence to support the idea that this correlation is accurate, but a few Wizards and Witches still stick true to this tradition. If, however, a Potion must be made quickly, and one cannot wait for the next coming of a certain Day, one can reference the Planetary Hour Chart, also provided on page 6 of the Useful Potioneering Tables:

This chart describes the Ruling Hours of each Planet on a particular Day. Alchemists believed that beginning a Potion on the Day associated with the Magic they which to create, at a time Ruled by the same Planet, the Potion would have a much stronger Effect than one started on an "off-Day" at an "off-Time". OV-Potioneers have not found a direct connection between the Time by which the Potion was started and the strength of the desired Effect, because it is unknown whether any change in Strength is due to the Planetary Influence, or human errors made during the Brewing process.

As I mentioned before, Ingredients were also held to this standard. Fortunately, there seems to be more evidence supporting the increased strength of Ingredients gathered at a Time associated with its Planet, and thus I have also provided those associated Planets beginning on page 1 of the supplemental Tables, embedded within the Chemical Action Table.

Directing the Effect of a Potion could achieved by choosing Ingredients with Planets associated to the Organ of interest. If a Potioneer wanted a Potion to strengthen his Heart, he would choose Ingredients such as Angelica archangelica, Citrus x limon, and Cinnamomum verum. While the efficacy and safety of this practice has been disputed as of late, this began more modern investigations into Magical Medicine and the Effects of Potions on the body.

Lastly, but perhaps more importantly, each Planet had an associated Magic. These Magics were generally related by a theme, such as Sun Magic generating vibrant, fiery Magics that pushed change and consequence. We now break Magic up into quite different types, based on their associated Magic Fields. This method has proven more reliable, but historically, Alchemists laid this foundation of categorizing Magics.

Potions that had a particular Magical Intent were to be chosen to be made on a Day at a Time based on the Magic the practitioner wanted to achieve. Thus, the Organ did not dictate the Potion Effect, but instead was thought of as an Ingredient, and something related to that Organ must be added--be it an Ingredient thought to affect that Organ or one that was associated directly with that Organ (i.e. blood with the Heart, air with the Lungs, bile with the Spleen, etc.).

Materials:

Three 2 f. pt. beakers

2 f. oz. graduated cylinder

Large cast-iron cauldron that is food-safe with stand

Mortar and pestle

Knife and suitable cutting board

Bunsen burner with gas source and hot plate

Thermometer (0˚F to 250˚F)

Large wooden spoon

Glass gravity funnel

Filter paper

Watch glass

Dropper and respective bottle

Collection bottle

Wand

Ingredients:

20 leaves or 4 scruples root of Acorus calamus

11 f. dr. Essence of Artemisia absinthium

31 gr. of Asphodelus albus root, powdered

5 f. oz. of Beta vulgaris root juice

1 bean of Calia secundiflora

4 seeds of Datura inoxia

4 sprigs of Lavendula angustifolia

10 leaves of Melissa officinalis

1 gr. Muriat of soda

7 Passiflora incarnata flowers

4 roots of Valeriana officinalis

Finely shredded leaves of Sassafras albidum or the starch extracted from Maranta arudinacea.

77 gr. fresh Zingiber officinale root

Directions:

Pour the Muriat of soda into a beaker, then add 8 f. oz. of Aqua fontana, and set aside. Do not stir. Leave set for 5 minutes.

Slowly pour only the soda solution into the cauldron. Leave any undissolved grains in the bottom.

Measure and add 10 drops of Essence of Artemisia absinthium, pouring with the cauldron angled. Repeat at a different angle. Continue until 6 equidistant spots have been covered, and all of the essence has been used.

Remove the flower buds from the Lavendula officinalis sprigs, and crush with 2 dr. Sassafras albidum (if using Maranta arudinacea, wait until step 13, and add along with the Calia Secundiflora). Crush the Lavendula officinalis blossoms into a paste. Add water drop-wise as necessary. Add the Passiflora incarnata flowers and crush into a paste. Add the paste to the cauldron.

Chop 3 Valeriana officinalis roots into small cubes, and place into another beaker with water to rest for five minutes.

Clean to mortar and add the 10 Melissa officinalis leaves, and crush into a paste. Add the paste to the cauldron.

Heat the cauldron to 120˚F for 5 minutes, and then allow it to cool through the next few steps.

Crush the Calia secundiflora bean with the side of the blade, and add the juice to the cauldron.

Create a decoction of the remaining root of Valeriana officinalis and strain. (See Appendix II)

Heat the cauldron, and add 7 drops from the decoction of Valeriana officinalis. Add the water from the Valeriana officinalis infusion to the cauldron. Keep the roots.

Crush the roots of Acorus officinalis and Zingiber officinale with the side of the blade, and add to the cauldron.

With the Datura inoxia, lightly crush the seeds the cleaned mortar and pestle, and add them to the cauldron.

Stir the cauldron 10 times clockwise. Remove the cauldron from heat.

Mix 5 f. oz. of Beta vulgaris juice with the Asphodelus ramosus root, stirring 4 times anticlockwise. Add to the cauldron.

Stir 10 times anticlockwise and 8 times clockwise.

Gently pour in 7 pieces, or all but one piece, of Valeriana officinalis root from the strained infusion, and stir 10 times anticlockwise.

Leave the potion to settle and cool for 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

Add 1 more piece of Valeriana officinalis root from the infusion, before completing with a wave of the wand. Let the potion sit for another 2 hours.

clynn1108: Thank you for listening to me, even when you cared not. Thank you for allowing me to run into your room at two in the morning when I should've been sleeping and you actually were sleeping. It has been a pleasure riddling through the monstrosity that is Magic Theory with you, and I hope for many more years of this-- or at least until I run out of material, which seems impossible.

scorofthemanor: As one of the first people to show a true interest in my works in Potioneering, I thank you for your support and genuine curiosity. I have received some of the best questions from you and I hope that I have answered them to your liking. If there is ever any question or something that you think I could answer for you, please do not hesitate to ask! Thank you again for everything you've done for me.

hogwartshousehabits: Jamie, I cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for me. Much of this is due to your handiwork in snooping on my blog. It has been a pleasure reading through every gif you and your fellows have made and often the favorite part of my day. Thank you again, words cannot express how I feel and if there is anything I can do for you, please let me know!

gillettequinn: Thank you as well, as the interplay between you and scorofthemanor is another highlight that I won't soon forget. Both of you make me laugh almost daily, whether separate or together. Thank you too for your support.

teilea: The only supporter, other than clynn1108 whom is almost obligated, who has liked every post I have put up regardless of content. I am in awe that any one person can like everything I write, but I digress. Thank you for your support and please let me know how I can make this blog better!

yourfaithfulauthor: Thank you for supporting me too, and starting me on my tumblr craze. It has been an adventure, but an adventure I am hoping to continue. Please do read over my posts and let me know of any grammatical mistakes, as I know you are wont to do. Best wishes for you at your school and this coming semester.

For the rest who may have just joined me today, or perhaps I didn't mention explicitly, for you, I have a request. Let me know what I can do to make this blog better. How can I format it? Are the lessons understandable? Are the mathematics too complex?

On that note, I will be posting more on how to use these tables, charts, equations, and other material I have posted in the past, but left to float aimlessly on the winds of time.

In addition, I also love role-playing with anyone who would be interested, and have dedicated a side-blog to that: cphiltrus.tumblr.com. I do check tumblr every day or two, so I may not get it for a few hours. My schedule keeps me fairly focuses on my school work.

Lastly, I would like to apologize for the slow postings, as clynn1108 knows, I spend a lot of my time, time I should be studying, working on my Magical Theory, so I do often have weeks between posts as it is difficult for me to develop and post material in a timely fashion.

Thank you everyone! I can't wait to see what the future holds!

     All my best,

Sir Conall Gamp was a Wizard with strong love of all things Transfigurative, having been inspired from an early age. His most well known heirs include his nefew Ulick Gamp, former head of the Wizengamot, and Hesper Gamp, mother of the late Sirius Black, and great granddaughter of Sir Conall Gamp. Coming from the affluent Welsh nobleman of intercontinental merchants that made their wealth selling Love Potions in the early 1600s, Gamp was born two weeks early in a caravan traveling across Europe on its way to a Love Potion showcase. It is speculated that the early birth was due to the effects of an experimental version his mother had tested.

His questionable birth made him question the efficacy and powers of Potions. He began as an aspiring Potioneer, focusing on Perception Potions, that is, Potions that change the way a person behaves or thinks. This lead him to discover Transfiguration.

Although he had no formal schooling, Gamp was taught by the best personal instructions in whichever town he found himself in throughout his early childhood. Having been offered a chance to take over the family business, Gamp spent the first part of his adulthood managing Gamp’s Love Potion Emporium, which was a chain of a store dedicated to the sale of unique Love Potions for all needs.

As time passed, however, he became disinterested in the business aspects of Potioneering. Gamp sold the business for 1.5 million ʛ, and revitalized his interest in Transfiguration, studying at a local university in Cardiff, Wales where he earned an honorary degree in Potioneering Business, although it was of no use to him at that time in his life. Studying off his own wealth, Gamp looked into the Natural Laws of Magic, hoping to find a correlation between the state of an object before and after it was transfigured. Thus, Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration was born, describing one of the Natural Laws that governed Magic, and more notably one of the major limitations of Magic. Gamp’s Law is as follows:

Magic cannot change the Intrinsic Nature of an Object, only its State.

While simple in its form, Gamp’s Law can tell us quite a bit about the Natural limitations of Magic:

Magic cannot change the Elemental composition of an Object without due Process

Magic cannot change the true Quantity of an Object without due Process

Magicked Objects are subject to the Will of the original Object

In other words, Magic can neither truly create nor destroy, and the strength of the Magic is subject to the willpower of the target against the willpower of the caster. Magic can, however, change the State of an object, accelerating or slowing the rate at which an event occurs, or masking the true nature of an object by means of Transfiguration.

The ICW placed limitations on which objects can be Magicked. These are often known as the Five Exceptions to Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration. All were chosen based on their socioeconomic impact. The exceptions, quoted from the ICW legislation, are as follows:

"The five Objects listed below are not to be Transfigured by any means, intentional or otherwise, unless permitted, for the betterment of Society:"

Base Organics

Base Inorganics

Intrinsic Knowledge

Natural Laws

Life

Each limitation requires a small amount of explanation because of the concise language in which they were presented:

Base Organics refers to foodstuffs and commercial crops. Transfiguration of Organics for small-scale personal use is closely regulated by the Department of Transfiguration. This allows for the natural ebb and tide of foodstuffs in the Wizarding market.

Base Inorganics refers exclusively to Objects of Value. Any Object of Value cannot be transfigured because of the huge impact it would have on the economy. This allows for the natural propagation of an economy.

Intrinsic Knowledge refers to the information that is privy to oneself. With the advent of spells able to delve into the mind, protection of oneself is of the utmost importance. The practice of the Legilimency, or one of equal caliber, is restricted.

Natural Laws refers to the Laws of Nature governing the Physical world. These Laws are not to be tampered with on a large scale, especially in the presence of Muggles, both for security reasons, as well as to not upset the balance of the Universe. Localized changes are allowed as long as proper safety measures have been taken.

Life refers to the reanimation of the dead once pronounced deceased. Modern Mediwizards have become exceptionally good at bringing the recently deceased back to life, but this restriction has been placed for the good of the society as a whole. Even the strongest Magics cannot truly revitalize a person. Hark back to the tale of Cadmus Peverell who wished for the Ressurrection Stone. His lover was no more alive than when she was pronounced dead. It is this very limitation of Magic that is so pronounced in Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration.

Even the study of Alchemy now uses Magic as an accelerant rather than a true source of Transmutation. The Philosopher’s Stone does not Transmute Metal to Gold by Transfigurative means, but instead gives one the capacity to understand complex Chemical processes that use Magic to accelerate the process.

On the topic of Alchemy, one of the most fiscally-beneficial fields of study is the development of processes that still obey Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration within the limits set by the ICW. One process, still known today, is called Plating, invented by Gamp himself.

Because of the importance of cauldron care in the early years of Potioneering, a process that could repair cauldrons without having to recast them would surely be lucrative. Not only would money not have to be spent on both raw materials and smelting equipment, but a new service would be available, increasing marketability.

Having studied Transfiguration and Potioneering for some time, Gamp was well aware of the Chemical processes involved in Metals. He knew both of their crystalline structures, as well as their ability to form amalgams. Thus, if he knew the correct ratio of Metals in a cauldron type, repairing a cauldron would be as simple as taking atoms from the raw materials and bonding them onto the cauldron, once the raw material was exposed. Gamp called this process Plating and used this to his benefit as he offered this patented service for 30 years before he died of lead poisoning in 1700. His patent expired in 1705 and the process is now offered at almost every cauldron shop.

Step I: Clean

Cauldron cleaning is more than just taking a brush to the cauldron and scrubbing until the furrow in one's brow becomes permanent. No, cleaning a cauldron requires some amount of patience and attention to detail. As for scrubbing, only hot water, and a soft-bristled boar's hair brush should be used in most cases. Using a circular motion, the brush should cover the entire surface area of the cauldron, including the legs of the cauldron, if applicable.

As a function of cleanliness, the processes will remove any rust, dirt, and caked-on plant materia that may have been left on after a previous wash. Simply rinsing may not be enough in some cases. Rust, hard water build-up, and all the problems associated with raw metal cookware should be addressed in a case-by-case basis. Each metal is different and requires a varying amount of care when it comes to a hard scrub. Softer metals like Silver and Copper may not benefit from a hard brush against their skin but may moreso benefit from a more natural agent.

Yet another use of Potions ingredients includes a wonderful natural brush containing the evermore useful Oxalic Acid. The complexing ability of the acid allows it to remove lime scale, rust, and patinas that may have formed over the cauldron. Take care, however, as using too much of the acid can cause pitting and further rusting. Sources of Oxalic Acid include, but are not limited to:

Plants of the Genus Amaranthus

Allium schoenoprasum

Manihot esculenta

Petroselinum crispum

Portulaca oleracea

Rheum rhabarbarum

Furthermore, salts are especially Chemically reactive toward raw metals and will oxidize the metals on contact. Take care to remove any Chemical oxidation from Muriat of Soda that may have been used to neutralize a cauldron's Magical properties. Other metals can be reactive to Bicarbonate of Soda, such as Copper, and exposure to such a base causes a patina to form over it. However, in a pinch, it can also be used to clean Copper as long as the exposure period is short. Take care to know the Chemical properties of the metal, as the Magical and Chemical qualities are forever intertwined.

Step II: Charm

Cleaning Charms

Luckily for the Wizarding Community, excess build-up of rust, scale, or just a bit of dried-on ingredient can easily be removed with Scourgify or Tergeo, both of which have their own uses and applications.

When it comes to Potioneering, great care must be taken to use the proper Charm. Scourgify can be used if the cauldron is in real need of a scrubbing. Take care, however, this Charm involves the use of soap and other surfactants--both of which could wreak havoc on the surface of the cauldron. If the cauldron is made of a more durable or less raw material such as Aluminium, Pewter, or Steel, this Charm works perfectly well. Scourgify also can disinfect in a way that Tergeo cannot, aiding the more clean-centric Wizard if he so chooses.

Tergeo, on the other hand, will not clean and sanitize the cauldron as much as it will remove excess particulate matter that has adhered to its surface. For a Wizard in a hurry, this is most definitely a time-saver. Removing excess particulate matter, however, does not affect those Chemicals bound to the surface. That is, to say, that any patina or rust that has formed cannot be removed with this Charm. I must therefore implore that each cauldron be inspected and washed by hand after using one of these cleaning Charms.

I cannot stress enough the importance, too, that neither of these spells is 100% effective, and neither can restore the condition of the Cauldron. Gamp's Law forbids the true formation of Metals, and privilege to Transmute is given to few, thus cauldrons cannot be restored unless base material is already provided. As such, any cauldron needing serious repair is usually sent to an Alchemist, as they are most knowledgeable about the Plating of Metals. This can become extremely complex, as the process of Plating requires not only materials to work with, but knowledge of the intricate pattern of Metals. Base Metals are often expensive and a novice Potioneer is not likely to have many on them. It would behoove the aspiring Potioneer to acquire Base Metals and the skill of Plating early on. A further discussion of Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration will expound upon why this process is necessary.

Protection Charms

In order to reduce the cost of maintenance on cauldrons, a few Charms were invented by the late Gunhilda of Gorsemoor, a contemporary of Golpalott.

She invented the Charm Desinocero, a spell used to protect the cauldron from the immediate physical damage--that is, beatings, scrapings, and general damage from clumsiness. This spell is especially useful for the novice Potioneer, as it prevents physical damage of all kinds from occurring to equipment used. While not applicable to large falls generating large amounts of force, it is useful for the small fall. Desinocero only reduces the forces applied to an object and can be exceeded with large forces.

The second Charm she invented was Bullepora, a spell used to protect the cauldron from Chemical damage. This, again, is only a minor protective layer used as added protection, but can be exceeded with strongly acidic or alkali media. Stronger versions of the spell include Bullepora maxima, and Bullepora eroginum. These still, however, only slow the Chemical effects of the media and do not stop it from occurring altogether.

Step III: Coat

The final step to a healthy cauldron is developing a protective coating on the Cauldron. Oil of Bezoar is often smeared on the cauldron before long periods of storage to prevent Magicochemical reactions. However, raw-metal Cauldrons should be coated in a tough oil and fired hot to prevent the Chemical rusting of a cauldron with the liquid, often highly aqueous, medium.

Oils that are commonly used to "season" the cauldron are lard, vegetable oil, or linseed oil. Each oil has its own properties that can be used with different metals. Some metals still, especially those with attractive luster, or those that do not tarnish easily may not be coated. Oil of Bezoar may still be used during storage to ensure the luster remains.

On the topic of lard, the fat is the traditional choice when it comes to cauldron seasoning. This fat, while durable and applied easily over the cauldron, is not commonly found in high enough quality to be of good use. The advantage to using this, however, is that it is easier to coat evenly, as the fat is a solid at room temperature, unlike vegetable oil or linseed oil. However, because it tends to form chunks, it is difficult to apply the thin layer necessary before firing the cauldron.

On the topic of vegetable oil, the oil is commonly found in many households and therefore is readily available. Unlike lard, however, it can be difficult to spread because of its liquid form, but a very thin coating will be applied which is advantageous. Although common, it does not form as hard a layer as lard or linseed, and often can be tacky if not fired correctly. This process can take much longer as correcting for the mistakes made may take valuable time.

On the topic of linseed oil, often known as the "drying oil", the oil is known to dry into a hard layer, beneficial for a Potioneer that needs a long-lasting "season". Like vegetable oil, it can be difficult to spread, but the coating dries much quicker than vegetable oil or lard. Take care, however, as the oil releases copious amounts of heat as it dries, and cloths soaked in the oil can catch fire if left covered.

Whichever oil is chosen, be it one listed here or another found, protecting and "seasoning" a cauldron can ensure years of easy Potioneering and possibly great discoveries. Take note that most cauldrons these days come "pre-seasoned", that is they come with a thin layer of wax already placed upon the cauldron before use. This wax, while protective of the cauldron from rust during shipping or handling, is not enough to protect it for long-term use. Reapply oil as necessary and "season" periodically.