18 replies to this topic

[LaLaLuna]

I was skimming HBP again , and was wondering about this particular potion.

If this 'love potion' smells differently to any individual who gets a whiff of it that person will smell what most attracts them, right?

Well here's my question, if a person is given food or drink laced with this potion (like Ron or Tom Riddle), how does the victim know who to 'fall' for? Does the potion brewer have to put something of themselves in it (like the Polyjuice potion)? And what do they use (blood, hair, etc)? It sounds disgusting and sinister, but that's the point if this potion is given with sinister intentions, right.

It's been bothering me, that's why I was skimming HBP. It was never said how Ron 'fell' for Dezemela(sp). All Ron did was eat the candy he thought Harry had given him for Christmas, and it was after a few bites that Harry realized what he'd had been given by the girl.
In the case of Merope, she gave the potion to Tom Riddle, he didn't know he was being fed the potion, so how did he know to 'fall' for her?

So there's my questions, any thoughts?

[melissa m]

Maybe there is a spell to accompany the potion. You make the potion then say your name or something like that....I don't know!!

[gracy]

Good Question, I've been wondering the same thing. Who knows maybe Jk will tell us in DH.

[LaLaLuna]

You know Mel, I think you might be right. Some kind of incantation with the brewers name. And I would assume that person would say it(name/ spell) before they added the potion to the food or drink.

I wonder if the smell would be different. . .say for instance I was brewed the potion generically, but after I said the spell or incantation, would the smell of the potion trick the senses of the person I gave it to even before they ingested it? And I assume the potion is tasteless in order to be added to things. . .

Yes, gracy, I hope JK answers this question, lol. It would be nice.

[SaintHedwig]

If I remember correctly, the potion was brewing in Slughorn's room and it smelled differently to several different students in the same class. They all smelled something different, despite it coming from the same cauldron. I will have to get my book and check. This doesn't do much to clarify how it works, huh? I guess it's inherent in the nature of the potion. Sorry this isn't more help...

[LaLaLuna]

lol, that's all right Saint Hedwig. That entire first Potions class is what had me questioning the dynamics of the potion.

To answer your question though, yes, it smelled differently to everyone in the class. Hermione smelled, mown grass, parchment and something else (she didn't finish her sentence). While Harry smell flowers, or what he thought was flowers until he stood next to Ginny to realize it was her.

But I don't question what the person smells, I'm more about the sinister intentions, lol. Because really a potion like this one should be outlawed, because of the possibilities of what could happen.

[SaintHedwig]

I went back and reread my post. I apologize- it doesn't make much sense... Anyway- I was trying to say: since Slughorn's version was so appealing to so many different people, maybe he made a generic version. Romilda's version was made specifically for Harry to fall for Romilda (although it worked on Ron...) So, maybe it's effect has to do with the intent of ther person making it. Well, this one isn't much better. I give up! Hehe!

[LaLaLuna]

I went back and reread my post. I apologize- it doesn't make much sense... Anyway- I was trying to say: since Slughorn's version was so appealing to so many different people, maybe he made a generic version. Romilda's version was made specifically for Harry to fall for Romilda (although it worked on Ron...) So, maybe it's effect has to do with the intent of ther person making it. Well, this one isn't much better. I give up! Hehe!

Nah, you made sense (at least to me)

But see that's just it...my questions are, what makes this particular potion go from being 'generic' to 'specific'? What has to be added or done to the potion to make it alter what a person should smell/feel to what they will smell/feel?

Let's go with the Ron example again, he didn't know that it was Harry's candy. He assumed it was a gift from Harry. And as I said above (and you said it too) intent. . .sinister intent has to include something, I just want to know what it is. A spell? Fluid or something of the brewer?

JK just left it open for guessing, I suppose, LOL.

[Lost]

We don't know that it was Amortentia in the candy. It could have been a different love potion.

I would assume the potion maker includes a spell or something personal (like a hair) that would make the person eating it fall in love with only the maker.

[Sunny]

Hanna, LoL, now you've got me thinking ^.^

This is a very interesting topic ... My personal opinion is that the maker has to include either something personal or the potion is clever enough to comprehend who is making it and therefore who wants someone to fall in love with him or her. But we're talking about a couldron full of liquid so I doubt my theory is a particularly likely one ...

[melissa m]

Sunny your theory does make sence.........or maybe its the lack of sleep making it make sense!

[Sunny]

Sunny your theory does make sence.........or maybe its the lack of sleep making it make sense!

LoL, maybe.

But come to think of it, magical objects often have brains of their own. I mean, I don't know if you can compare a potion to a broomstick but broomsticks sort of think for themselves so why shouldn't potions? Hmm ...

[LaLaLuna]

LMAO! Ladies you have made me officially afraid to eat or drink ANYTHING in the magical world. . .I'd become another Alastor. Yep, just call me Alasta

Kinda a freaky idea when sit and think about your Jello 'thinking' or my plate of pasta might be a hired assassin.

[Sunny]

LoL, Hanna Eh, I mean Alasta.

Theoretically it is possible, it just doesn't seem very likely. But remember what Arthur once said?

"Don't trust anything if you can't see where it keeps its brains."

Which means that certain objects exist that can think/act for themselves and why shouldn't that include potions or something of the kind (i.e. certain other liquids in the magical world)? Was the stuff Dumbledore drank in HBP really a potion? Maybe it was something else but I don't think that really has anything to do with Amortentia anymore *whistles innocently*

[LaLaLuna]

Hello, Alasta here, I think the stuff DD drank was a potion, I think it was something that cause dementia. It caused his mind to hear and see things that no one else (Harry) could.

And yeah, Arthur did say that, but I think he meant more along the lines of inanimate objects that talk back/give instruction when spoken/written to (books, machines and the like). . .hmm *eyes computer* yeah. . .

[aliyah]

dont look at the computer!it keeps its brains in the CPU and it has speakers!!
i have always thought that you add a bit of yourself to the potion .the incantation thing is a bit differant because your name cant be only yours im sure there are more than one harry potters(muggles included) or romilda vanes,but your hair or your nails can only be yours!
and there's no need to add a bit of the person for whom the potion is being made as it works for everyone.in the potions classes Amortentia had effect on everyone as everyone could smell it differantly but no one fell for slughorn(most probably it was his bit in the potion) as no one tasted it.

[HogwartsGirl13]

I don't know if someone already said this, but what if the love potion Romilda use wasn't Amortentia? I personally think it was a different one to make Harry fall in love with her, not being able to smell who he's attracted to (if that makes any sense).

[LaLaLuna]

I don't know if someone already said this, but what if the love potion Romilda use wasn't Amortentia? I personally think it was a different one to make Harry fall in love with her, not being able to smell who he's attracted to (if that makes any sense).

The potion carries the scent while it's being made. The one meant for Harry (but Ron ate) was brewed and put into the candy, so evidently the scent is undetectable in other foods.

And if it's undetectable in food or drink, it would explain why Merope was able to feed it to Tom for so long. You can pretty much tell if something isn't right with the food you're eating...so it goes back to a nontraceable potion (or poison if you want to go that far).

[Aphrodtevictory]

Maybe it is something like the Polyjuice Potion where you put something of yourself into it so they know who to fall for??

Does that make sense, I didn't really know how to explain it without it sounding creepy.