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"Ron had dropped his glass; he half-rose from his chair and then crumpled, his extremities jerking uncontrollably. Foam was dribbling from his mouth and his eyes were bulging from their sockets."
Ron Weasley after having consumed poisoned oak matured mead[src]
Ron-poison

Ronald Weasley nearly dying from a bottle of mead poisoned by Draco Malfoy

A poison is any substance that can cause severe distress or death if ingested, breathed in, or absorbed through the skin.[1]

Treatment[]

There existed both an Antidote to Common Poisons that could counteract the effect of many ordinary poisons,[2][3] as well as an Antidote to Uncommon Poisons that was helpful against many rarer ones.[4] A bezoar was a stone taken from the stomach of a goat that would reverse the effects of most poisons,[5][6] though there were certain unusual ones that it and other antidotes would not work against.[7] Essence of rue could be used to recover from the effects of poisoning.[8]

According to Golpalott's Third Law, blended poison - a poison made by mixing several different poisons together - could not be cured simply by mixing the antidotes of each individual poison together. Rather, one had to find the one ingredient they could add to the blended antidotes that would transform the mixture into a superior antidote that would counteract the blended poison itself.[6]

History[]

The Medieval hag Malodora Grymm plotted to get rid of the most beautiful girl in the kingdom with a poisoned apple, which put the girl into a deep sleep.[9] In the fictional tale Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump found in The Tales of Beedle the Bard, the hound Sabre died after eating a poisonous toadstool.[10]

A wizard or witch could survive the venomous sting of a scorpion that could kill a Muggle, but be very vulnerable to the poisonous bite of a Venomous Tentacula.[11] Elphinstone Urquart was a wizard who died from a poisonous Venomous Tentacula bite in 1985.[12]

At some point, a poisoned vermin trap was set up in a room of Hogwarts Castle.[13] Although Felix Felicis granted the drinker good luck, it was highly toxic in large quantities, hence it was meant to be taken very sparingly.[14][15] In c. 1407, the famous potioneer Quintia McQuoid died after consuming an imperfectly-brewed cure for ague. In her memory, the Wizarding Schools Potions Championship was held every seven years since.[15] Luc Millefeuille was a French wizard pâtissier was known for deliberately poisoning Muggles as a form of Muggle-baiting.[16]

In 1634, Gormlaith Gaunt died at Ilvermorny Castle while duelling her niece Isolt Sayre, when a poisonous Pukwudgie arrow pierced her heart (shot by William), reducing her to dust when it came into contact with her magic.[17]

In the late 19th century, the Sallow siblings' parents died after being poisoned in their cellar by an unidentifiable toxin from a lamp.[18] Also around this time, Mary Portman from Aranshire, bred spiders in her home to extract their venom, sending large batches of the stuff to an individual known as "H".[19] In the same century, Apollonia Black died after consuming poisonous belladonna, mistaking them for elderberries due to her delirium, although her house-elf Scrope tried to warn her.[20]

In 1932, Gellert Grindelwald and his followers attempted to assassinate fellow Supreme Mugwump candidate Vicência Santos at the Candidates' Dinner to reduce competition, by serving her poisoned red wine disguised as normal red wine. Thankfully for Santos, Eulalie Hicks intercepted the poisoned wine, exposing its contents and preventing her death.[21] Hepzibah Smith was killed by Tom Riddle, at some point betwen 1955 and 1961, who spilled a lethal and little-known poison into her evening cocoa, under the guise of sugar. Her house-elf Hokey was framed by Riddle for the crime and was considered to have confused the poison for sugar due to old age.[22]

The Herbicide Potion, a poisonous potion which killed plants, was part of the first-year Potions curriculum at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.[23][24] At the start of the 1987–1988 school year at Hogwarts, Madam Pomfrey had to treat a male Gryffindor student in the Hospital Wing sickened from an unknown poison from the Forbidden Forest, under the sleepwalking curse. She informed Jacob's sibling that he would die from the poison if she did not find the cure soon.[25] Later during that school year, Professor Severus Snape taught fourth-year students in Potions how to concoct Weedosoros, a highly potent poison. He warned students not to come into contact with the potion and to go to the Hospital Wing if they swallowed any, so others did not have to witness them convulsing.[26]

During the 1990–1991 school year, a wizard in Great Britain who wished to sell his own brand of Butterbeer sneaked into the cellars of several wizarding pubs to poison the Butterbeer supplies, which caused the affected drinkers to be admitted to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. He was later caught by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and taken into custody.[27]

Adding too much peppermint oil to the Calming Draught would give the drinker a burning oral sensation, watery eyes and uncontrollable sobbing. A faulty batch of Calming Draughts containing too much peppermint oil caused this problem at St Mungo's in the 1990–1991 school year.[28]

Potions Riddle

Among the seven bottles of the Potion Riddle, three were poisons

Three of the potions in the bottles of the sixth obstacle of the Philosopher's Stone chambers were poison. The riddle accompanying the bottles stated that the poison was deadly.[29] In 1992, Ronald Weasley's hand became swollen after it came into contact from venom from Norbert's fangs, resulting in him having to go to the Hospital Wing.[30] In the same year, there was a shop in Knockturn Alley which sold poisonous candles namely Tallow and Hemp Toxic Tapers.[31][32][33] Shyverwretch's Venoms and Poisons was another shop in Knockturn Alley which sold venoms and poisons.[32]

Slow-acting venoms were briefly mentioned in Gilderoy Lockhart's Gadding with Ghouls. Hermione Granger claimed that the contents of Moste Potente Potions would help her to understand what Lockhart had to say about this subject, though this was merely a ploy to obtain the book in order to find the instructions for brewing Polyjuice Potion.[34] Whether or not this book actually contained information on slow-acting venoms is unknown. On Valentine's Day in 1993, Lockhart suggested that students ask Severus Snape to show them how to whip up a love potion, but Snape looked "as though the first person to ask him for a love potion would be force-fed poison".[35]

HarryPotter PM B2C17M3 HarryStabbingDiaryWithBasiliskFang Moment

Harry wielding a basilisk fang, which contains its deadly venom

Basilisk venom was an extremely potent poison that could kill a living person within a minute. The only known antidote was phoenix tears, which saved Harry Potter from very close to death after he was pierced by the Serpent of Slytherin's fang.[36]

On 1 September of that year, following the inspection of the Hogwarts Express by Dementors, Remus Lupin handed out chocolate to Harry Potter and his friends to ward off the effects of the Dementor's visit to their cabin, then went to speak with the train's conductor. When he returned and saw that none of them had eaten, he stated "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know."[37]

In addition to those brewed intentionally as poisons, certain types of potions could have poisonous effects if brewed incorrectly.[38][15][39][40] Before testing Neville Longbottom's Shrinking Solution on Trevor during the 1993–1994 school year in Potions, Severus Snape noted that if the potion had not been brewed correctly, Trevor would likely be poisoned.[39] A sign posted inside St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries advised Healers that "A clean cauldron keeps potions from becoming poisons."[40]

During the 1994–1995 school year while teaching fourth-years about antidotes in Potions, Professor Snape told his students that they were to take researching antidotes seriously, as he implied he may have poisoned one of them before Christmas to see if their antidote worked.[41]

Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody was well known for only drinking from his hip flask, due to the ease with which an unscrupulous wizard might poison an unattended cup.[42][43]

On 24 June, Harry Potter was bitten by an Acromantula in the Triwizard Maze during the third task of the Triwizard Tournament, meaning he would have received its venom.[44] Afterwards, he was healed by Fawkes' tears which acted as an antidote.[45] During Aragog's funeral on 21 April 1997, Horace Slughorn extracted a phial of Acromantula venom from Aragog's pincers due to how valuable it was.[46]

In the summer of 1995, Molly Weasley warned her children along with their friends in 12 Grimmauld Place that Doxy bites were poisonous, and that she had an antidote at hand while they were eradicating an infestation of them in the house.[47]

According to an alleged British Ministry of Magic insider in The Quibbler article "How Far Will Fudge Go to Gain Gringotts?" in 1995, poison was one of the methods that Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge had employed to have goblins killed.[48]

During the 1995–1996 school year, Ron Weasley suggested to Hermione Granger that they poison Dolores Umbridge, the Hogwarts High Inquisitor, given what an awful woman she was and how she was taking over the school.[49]

On 18 December 1995, Arthur Weasley was attacked by the snake Nagini whilst he was guarding the Department of Mysteries at night.[50] Arthur was savagely bitten by Nagini, poisoning him with her highly toxic venom, which was potent enough that it kept wounds open and prevented them from healing naturally. He was subsequently taken to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries,[40] where he his wounds were treated and an antidote was found for him by Healer Hippocrates Smethwyck, which saved from dying from the poison.[51] Poisoning at St Mungo's was handled by the Poisoning Department.[52]

In advising Harry Potter to continue Potions in his sixth year, Minerva McGonagall noted that poisons and antidotes were essential study for Aurors.[53]

When attempting to interrogate Harry Potter as to the whereabouts of Albus Dumbledore and Sirius Black, Dolores Umbridge requested Veritaserum from Severus Snape. He replied that he had no further stocks of it. He blithely stated that he could not be any further help to her unless she wished to poison Harry, but noted that most venoms acted too quickly to give the victim much time for truth-telling.[54]

Draco Malfoy attempted to kill Albus Dumbledore by sending him a bottle of poisoned mead. He had an Imperiused Rosmerta lace the mead with poison, which would be then purchased by Horace Slughorn, with the intention of giving it to Dumbledore as a gift. Slughorn, however, forgot to do so, and kept the bottle to himself until early March, where he gave it to Ronald Weasley as a get-me-up after accidentally ingesting love potion. The poison nearly killed Ron, who went into shock when he drank the mead, had Harry Potter not saved him by quickly with a bezoar.[6] Dumbledore later noted this was a crude attempt of assassination due to Draco's increasing anxiety, as there was little chance that Dumbledore would have drank the poisoned beverage.[55]

A poisonous duck was a magical duck bred by the British Ministry of Magic at some in or before September 1997.[56]

On 1 May 1998, Aberforth Dumbledore aggressively told two Death Eaters in Hogsmeade that if they closed down his pub, the Hog's Head Inn, they would be without their place to traffic potions and poisons.[57]

On 2 May 1998, during the Battle of Hogwarts, Severus Snape was murdered by Lord Voldemort in the Shrieking Shack when he ordered his snake Nagini to bite Snape's neck, injecting it with her potent venom. The trio were secretly witness to this.[58]

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. WP favicon Poison on Wikipedia
  2. Pottermore - Magical Draughts and Potions
  3. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 3, Chapter 5 (Tulip Karasu) - Potions Lesson "Antidote to Common Poisons"
  4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) - Console versions
  5. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 8 (The Potions Master)
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 18 (Birthday Surprises)
  7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 8 (Snape Victorious)
  8. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 19 (Elf Tails)
  9. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) - Famous Hag Cards
  10. The Tales of Beedle the Bard, "Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump"
  11. Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Illness and Disability" at Harry Potter (website)
  12. Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Professor McGonagall" at Harry Potter (website)
  13. The Making of Harry Potter
  14. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 9 (The Half-Blood Prince)
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Wonderbook: Book of Potions
  16. Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Beauxbatons Academy of Magic" at Harry Potter (website)
  17. Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" at Harry Potter (website)
  18. Hogwarts Legacy (In the Shadow of Discovery)
  19. Hogwarts Legacy (Tangled Web)
  20. Hogwarts Legacy - see this video
  21. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
  22. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 20 (Lord Voldemort's Request)
  23. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) - GBC version
  24. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 1, Chapter 7 (Class Matters) - Potions Lesson "Herbicide Potion"
  25. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 1 (Year Four Begins)
  26. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 6 (Explore the Forbidden Forest) - Potions Lesson "Weedosoros"
  27. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 24 (In the Thickey of It) - Assignment "Butterbeer Blight"
  28. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 29 (Mind of a Diva) - Assignment "Poisoned Potions"
  29. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 16 (Through the Trapdoor)
  30. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 14 (Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback)
  31. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 4 (At Flourish and Blotts)
  32. 32.0 32.1 The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
  33. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 53 (An Unexpected Offer)
  34. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 10 (The Rogue Bludger)
  35. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 13 (The Very Secret Diary)
  36. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 17 (The Heir of Slytherin)
  37. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 5 (The Dementor)
  38. Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Potions" at Harry Potter (website)
  39. 39.0 39.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 7 (The Boggart in the Wardrobe)
  40. 40.0 40.1 40.2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 22 (St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries)
  41. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 15 (Beauxbatons and Durmstrang)
  42. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 20 (The First Task)
  43. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 35 (Veritaserum)
  44. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 31 (The Third Task)
  45. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 36 (The Parting of the Ways)
  46. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 22 (After the Burial)
  47. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 9 (The Woes of Mrs Weasley)
  48. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 10 (Luna Lovegood)
  49. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 15 (The Hogwarts High Inquisitor)
  50. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 21 (The Eye of the Snake)
  51. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 24 (Occlumency)
  52. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 21 (The Tale of the Three Brothers)
  53. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 29 (Careers Advice)
  54. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 32 (Out of the Fire)
  55. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 27 (The Lightning-Struck Tower)
  56. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 13 (The Muggle-Born Registration Commission)
  57. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 28 (The Missing Mirror)
  58. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 32 (The Elder Wand)
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