The 10 quiz questions
Question 1 : Which potion forces the drinker to tell the whole truth?
Possible answers:
- Amortentia
- Felix Felicis
- Polyjuice Potion
- Veritaserum
Explanation: Veritaserum. Three drops are enough for a full confession. Its use in interrogation is strictly regulated by the Ministry — Umbridge tries to use it on Harry in Book 5, but Snape claims his stocks are empty. Colourless, odourless, looks like water.
Question 2 : Which powerful potion plunges the drinker into sleep so deep they appear dead?
Possible answers:
- Draught of Peace
- The Draught of Living Death
- Wit-Sharpening Potion
- Babbling Beverage
Explanation: The Draught of Living Death. Extremely advanced, it requires asphodel root and wormwood infusion — the very first question Snape asks Harry in Book 1! Harry brews it brilliantly in Book 6 thanks to the Half-Blood Prince''s book.
Question 3 : Which universal antidote, a stone found in a goat's stomach, saves Ron's life in Book 6?
Possible answers:
- A Bicorn horn
- A phoenix tear
- A Bezoar
- A phoenix feather
Explanation: A Bezoar. Harry remembers it from Snape''s very first lesson ("A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and will save you from most poisons"). He shoves it into Ron''s mouth after he drinks poisoned mead.
Question 4 : Which potion cures a cold by making smoke come out of the drinker's ears?
Possible answers:
- Elixir to Induce Euphoria
- Mandrake Restorative Draught
- Regenerative Tonic
- Pepperup Potion
Explanation: Pepperup Potion. Madam Pomfrey dispenses it by the vat every winter at Hogwarts. Amusing side effect: your ears steam for a few hours, but the cold clears almost instantly.
Question 5 : Which potion lets Lupin keep his human mind during his werewolf transformation?
Possible answers:
- The Wolfsbane Potion
- Moontamer Potion
- Silver Draught
- Veritaserum
Explanation: The Wolfsbane Potion. Invented by Damocles Belby, extremely complex to brew. In Book 3, Snape prepares it for Lupin — ironic given their past animosity. It must be drunk during the week leading up to the full moon, without sugar, which would nullify its effect.
Question 6 : Which blue potion allows deep, dreamless sleep?
Possible answers:
- Soothing Elixir
- Night Calm Draught
- Dreamless Sleep Potion
- Hermes's Sleeper
Explanation: Dreamless Sleep Potion. Very useful after emotional shock or trauma. Madam Pomfrey gives it to Harry after each episode where he sees Cedric dead, Dumbledore dead, or suffers the nightmares caused by his connection with Voldemort.
Question 7 : Who replaces Snape as Potions professor in Book 6?
Possible answers:
- Pomona Sprout
- Horace Slughorn
- Aurora Sinistra
- Rubeus Hagrid
Explanation: Horace Slughorn. Former Potions master, rotund and sociable, he taught Tom Riddle himself. He hides a crucial memory about Horcruxes that Harry has to extract from him using Felix Felicis. He founds the "Slug Club" for students destined for greatness.
Question 8 : What is the potions textbook used at Hogwarts, written by Arsenius Jigger?
Possible answers:
- Magical Drafts and Potions
- The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
- The Standard Book of Spells
- Magical Herbology
Explanation: "Magical Drafts and Potions". Snape''s old copy is annotated with recipe corrections and invented spells, and becomes the "Half-Blood Prince''s" book — the source of Harry''s triumphs in Potions in Book 6 and all the revealed secrets about Snape''s student years.
Question 9 : Which rare, expensive ingredient must you steal from Snape's storeroom to brew Polyjuice Potion?
Possible answers:
- Bicorn horn
- Dragon's blood
- Sphinx claw
- Salamander tail
Explanation: Powdered Bicorn horn. Hermione also steals Boomslang skin. In Book 2, the trio plans a distraction during Snape''s class with a firework set off by Hermione — Harry uses the chaos to raid the storeroom.
Question 10 : Which potion from living roots is needed to un-petrify the students in Book 2?
Possible answers:
- Essence of Dittany
- Mandrake Restorative Draught
- Wideye Potion
- Scurvygrass Draught
Explanation: Mandrake Restorative Draught. Mandrakes are baby-human-shaped plants whose cries can kill — you must harvest them with earmuffs. Grown in Sprout''s greenhouses, they mature by year''s end — just in time for Madam Pomfrey to cure Hermione and the other petrified students.
