Potions: Transformations and their Significances in Harry Potter

J. K. Rowling identifies and describes over 100 potions in the seven novels of her Harry Potter series. The consumption or use of these potions often causes a significant change in the consumer whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or a combination of the three. How do potions transform the characters who use or consume them, and why are these means of transformation significant? 

To understand the transformations caused by potions, I will examine literary, religious, and historical sources that place Rowling’s works in context. I will explain how the potions in Harry Potter derived from or inspired by potions that she would have encountered previously, including the Eucharist, alcohol, and potions in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dracula, and The Chronicles of Narnia, just to name a few. I will examine how these potions from other sources transform the drinker and what that means in the context of the Harry Potter series.