Muggles and Potions, and Magical Devices, and Magical Plants ...

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

No: HPFGUIDX 56253

AnneL Neotoma wrote:

<< There's got to be some magic involved, probably to catalyze the 
transformation into a working potion. As an example, the asphodel and 
wormwood infusion Snape asks Harry about in the very first class w
ould be a very toxic mess unless magic was involved to change it into 
something useful instead of posionous.

"Wand waving" might not be needed in potions-brewing, but some 
magical power -- just to make those ingridients drinkable, let 
alone effective -- would be necessary. This possibly might be another 
reason Wolfsbane in hard to brew. Not only is it complex, but the raw 
power needed to make it effective instead of lethal (if it contains 
real wolfsbane, for one!) might be unusually high. >>

IIRC, the asphodel and wormwood infusion is called "Draught of the 
Living Death" and produces a sleep so deep it can be mistaken for 
death. IIRC, Muggle morphine works the same way as a poison and as an 
anesthestic, so could asphodel and wormwood poison in a dose JUST 
BARELY too low to kill instead make the person unconscious until 
revived in some special way, oxygen or adrenaline or heart massage?

However, I absolutely do believe that magic is required in order to 
brew potions, just as you said. I don't know whether it is something 
magical that the person has to DO, as Gina Rosich suggested, or 
simply the innate magic of the person, as Lexicon Steve suggested. 

Corinth wrote:

<< On the same note, I beleive a Muggle could use invisibility cloaks 
and other magical devices which themselves possess magical ability. >>

Like you, I believe that a Muggle can use invisibility cloaks and 
other magical devices in which the magic is part of the device. FB 
told us that invisibility cloaks are made of the cloth spun from the 
fur of a magical animal which is invisible (and therefore difficult 
to hunt), which casts doubt on whether even wizards can make 
invisibility by their own magic. 

I believe that a Muggle cannot use magical devices which depend on 
the user's magic to work. That means WANDS, even tho' wands contain 
magic of their own which amplifies (or something) the user's magic. I 
think it might include flying broomsticks.

Lexicon Steve also wrote:

<<  Are magical plants magical to Muggles? I'd say no, they aren't. 
If a Muggle ate Gillyweed, they would not experience a magical effect 
(although it would undoubtedly do something to them). They don't have 
the magical aura that activates the magical properties of the plant. 
On the other hand, If a Wizard strong in Herbology ate Gillyweed, 
they might actually have an enhanced effect from it. >>

I don't think so. I think the magical effect of a magical plant comes 
from the plant, not the wizard. So the wizard's Herbology skill would 
help him/her find Gillyweed growing wild, help himer grow Gillyweed, 
help himer dry harvested Gillyweed for storage, but would not 
increase Gillyweed's effect on him/her. And Gillyweed WOULD work on 
Muggles. The reason we don't have Muggles growing gills all over the 
place is that Gillyweed makes itself invisible and undetectible to 
non-magic people and animals. There is absolutely no canon on the 
subject, so we'll just have to disagree.