Alchemist

An alchemist is a wizard or witch who practises the ancient and highly complex branch of magic known as alchemy. The study of alchemy is primarily concerned with two legendary goals: the creation of the Philosopher's Stone and, through it, the brewing of the Elixir of Life, which grants immortality. Due to its extreme difficulty, successful alchemists are exceptionally rare in the wizarding world.

Alchemy sits at the intersection of several advanced magical disciplines, including Potions and Transfiguration. Its pursuits are considered the pinnacle of magical creation.

• Creation of the Philosopher's Stone: This is the central aim of alchemy. The Philosopher's Stone is a legendary substance with two primary properties: it can transmute any base metal into pure gold and it can be used to produce the Elixir of Life. The process for creating a Stone is a closely guarded secret and is considered extraordinarily difficult, as noted by Horace Slughorn, who dismissed the idea that it could be casually “whipped up.”
• The Pursuit of Immortality: The Elixir of Life, produced from the Stone, must be consumed regularly to sustain the drinker's life. It does not grant true, unconditional immortality but rather a vastly extended lifespan, dependent on a continued supply of the Elixir. Lord Voldemort sought the Stone to use the Elixir to restore himself to a full body and achieve his goal of conquering death.

Only two individuals are explicitly mentioned as having practised alchemy in the novels.

• Nicolas Flamel: The most celebrated alchemist in history and the only known successful creator of the Philosopher's Stone. Flamel, a close friend of Albus Dumbledore, used the Elixir of Life to live for over six and a half centuries with his wife, Perenelle Flamel. Following the events of Harry Potter's first year, Flamel and Dumbledore agreed to destroy the Stone, and Flamel prepared to die.
• Albus Dumbledore: Dumbledore's Chocolate Frog Card notes that he was famous for his work on alchemy in partnership with Nicolas Flamel. This indicates a deep and practical knowledge of the subject, although it is not stated that he ever created a Stone himself. His understanding of the Stone's properties was crucial in setting up the protections for it at Hogwarts.

• Philosopher's Stone: The magnum opus of an alchemist. A blood-red stone that confers wealth and extended life. It was the central object of desire in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
• Elixir of Life: The potion produced from the Philosopher's Stone that grants an extended lifespan.
• Transfiguration: The alchemical ability to turn base metals into gold is a highly specialized and powerful form of Transfiguration.

• The concept of alchemy in the Harry Potter series is based on the real-world historical protoscience and philosophical tradition of the same name, which sought to purify certain materials and find the elixir of immortality.
• Nicolas Flamel was a real historical figure, a French scribe who lived in the 14th century. Posthumous legends claimed he had discovered the alchemical secret to immortality, a myth which J.K. Rowling uses as a factual basis within her fictional universe.
• In the American publication of the first novel, the title was changed from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and all mentions of “Philosopher's Stone” were changed to “Sorcerer's Stone” to be more accessible to a younger American audience.