Entirely Known Draught of Physical Living Deceased

> The Draught of Living Death brings upon its drinker a very powerful sleep that can last indefinitely. This draught is very dangerous if not used with caution ... This is an extremely dangerous potion. Execute with maximum caution.
>
> Excerpt from *Advanced Potion-Making*, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)

The **Draught of Living Death** was an extremely powerful Sleeping Draught, sending the drinker into a deathlike slumber. Its effects are similar to suspended animation. This draught was an advanced potion, taught to ***sixth-year*** ***N.E.W.T.*** students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.Template:Potion

## History

> The clear winner! Excellent, excellent, Harry! Good lord, it’s clear you’ve inherited your mother’s talent.
>
> Horace Slughorn praising Harry Potter's potion, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

A ***wizard prince*** once used the ***Wiggenweld Potion*** to awaken a ***princess*** who had been given the Draught of Living Death by the ***Hag*** ***Leticia Somnolens***. The prince first put some of the Wiggenweld Potion on his lips and then kissed the princess, causing her to awaken from her death-like slumber.

During the ***1990–1991 school year*** at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Severus Snape taught ***seventh-year*** Potions students how to brew this advanced potion.

On ***1 September*** 1991 at Hogwarts, Professor Snape interrogated Harry Potter in his first Potions class with him over the ingredients needed for this potion, to see if Harry was paying attention in his class.

## Difficulty

> We have a little over an hour left to us, which should be time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. I know it is more complex than anything you have attempted before, and I do not expect a perfect potion from anybody.
>
> Slughorn explaining the potion's difficulty, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The potion was difficult to concoct, since Hermione Granger, a very talented potion-maker, who managed to concoct ***Polyjuice Potion*** (which was in no small way a difficult potion to make) in her second year, had trouble doing it in her sixth. Indeed, ***Horace Slughorn*** stated that only once before in his career was a student (presumably Severus Snape, the Half-Blood Prince whose bookmarked instructions deviated from the potion-making process made a far more effective draught than any other student, though this was never confirmed) able to brew a mostly finished draught in only a single hour.

## Brewing instructions

 File:Draught-of-living-death.png

> The Draught of Living Death is a very powerful sleeping potion that can be made by adding powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood
>
> Description, Pottermore

The following recipe could be followed to brew this potion:

1. Add the ***Infusion of Wormwood***.
2. Add the ***Powdered Root of Asphodel***.
3. Stir twice clockwise.
4. Add the ***sloth brain***.
5. Add the ***Sopophorous bean***'s juice.
6. Stir seven times anti-clockwise.

### Severus Snape's notes

* The Sopophorous bean should be crushed with a ***silver*** dagger, not cut, as it releases juices more efficiently in that manner.
* Add a clockwise stir after every seventh counterclockwise stir.

## Behind the scenes

 File:Draught of the Living Death instructions LEGOY2.png
* In the first film, it is called "The Draught of the Living Dead".
* In the sixth film, Slughorn tests the potions by placing a leaf into each; when he places it into Harry's, the leaf disintegrates. He also states that it was "so perfect one drop would kill us all"; this was likely an exaggeration, because it is a sleeping potion, not a poison. However, the potion is said to be very dangerous if not used with caution, so presumably a more advanced and powerful version is more dangerous than lesser efforts.
* It is possible the potion was inspired by a draught of a similar nature from the play *Template:W*, which Juliet drinks and puts her into a coma to trick her family and start and new life with Romeo.
* In Template:LEGO, drinking the potion will turn the player into a skeleton.
* In Template:HM, according to Severus Snape, this potion is commonly featured in ***Muggle*** fairy tales.
* The ***Valerian root*** is a natural sedative.
* The ***film adaptation*** of Template:HBP gives the following recipe:

1. Cut up the Sopophorous bean
2. Pour in 250 fl.oz. of ***Standard potioning water*** and add 5 oz. of ***African Sea Salt*** to the beaker. Set the beaker aside after all the water has been added. Be very careful not to shake or move the beaker now.

1. Leave the water and salt to rest for five minutes.
2. Slowly pour all the water into the cauldron.
3. With your left hand use the graduated cylinder to obtain 40 fl.oz. of essence of wormwood.
4. With your right hand hold the cauldron at a slight angle and pour ten drops (20 fl.oz.) of essence of wormwood.
5. Now with your left hand hold the cauldron at a slightly different angle and pour another ten drops of wormwood essence.
6. Chop three Valerian roots into small squared pieces. After cutting place it in a beaker with water. Leave it to settle for five minutes. Your potion should now be resembling a smooth blackcurrant-coloured liquid.
7. Carefully pour the Sopophorous bean's juice into the cauldron
8. Add seven drops of the reduced liquid from the beaker; make sure there are no traces or fragments of Valerian root.
9. Stir the potion ten times clockwise; your potion should now be turning a light shade of lilac.
10. With your right hand stir the potion counterclockwise until the potion turns as clear as water; every stir should take approximately two and a half seconds.
11. Slowly put in seven square pieces of Valerian root.
12. Stir the potion ten times counterclockwise.
13. Add one hundred and fifty fl.oz. of ***Powdered Root of Asphodel***.
14. Hold the cauldron with your right hand; with your left hand gently stir the potion ten times counterclockwise and eight times clockwise.
15. Leave the potion to settle for two and a half minutes.
16. Add one small piece of Valerian root.
17. Your potion should turn to a pale pink colour; the preparation is now complete.

* In the film, the following equipment is necessary:
	+ Standard size cauldron (presumably ***pewter***)
	+ 150 fl.oz beaker
	+ 50 fl.oz. graduated cylinder
	+ Standard test tube
	+ 250 fl.oz. measuring cup
	+ Stirring rod
	+ Dropper

* It remains unclear if the student who once brewed a mostly-finished draught in Horace's class was Severus Snape (owner of Harry Potter's copy of ***Advanced Potion-Making***) or Lily Evans (who ***Slughorn*** claimed to be a dab hand at Potions), although judging that this was affirmed only in the ***film***, it is more likely that Slughorn was referring to Severus.
* In the film adaption, Snape made further amends to using 13 Sopophorus beans instead of 12.

## Appearances

* Template:PS Template:C Template:1st Mention
* Template:HBP
* Template:TRHS
* Template:TCG
* Template:JKRS Template:Mention
* Template:PM
* Template:WW Template:Mention
* Template:LEGO
* Template:FBC
* Template:HM
* Template:WU Template:Mention

## Notes and references

Template:Reflist
Template:Potions

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Template:HBP
2. ↑ Template:POA
3. ↑ Template:HM
4. ↑ Template:PS
5. ↑ *Scholastic Official Site*