Hogwarts Apothecary

• Type: Potions Ingredient Storeroom
• Location: Dungeons, Hogwarts Castle, Scotland
• Owner/Residents: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (managed by the current Potions Master)
• Key Features: Shelves stocked with a wide variety of potions ingredients in jars, including pickled, powdered, and slimy substances.

The Hogwarts Apothecary is the common term for the storeroom or store cupboard that houses the ingredients for the Potions subject at Hogwarts. Located in the cold dungeons near the Potions classroom, it is not a single room but is functionally divided into two distinct areas: a general store cupboard for student use and the Potions Master's private stores for rarer and more valuable ingredients. The general student store cupboard contains common ingredients that students are permitted to use during their lessons. It is described as a small, cold room lined with shelves holding jars of various substances, such as pickled Flobberworm mucus and dried nettles. The Potions Master's private stores, typically kept under lock and key within the professor's office, contain rare, expensive, and dangerous ingredients that are not for general student access. During his tenure, Professor Severus Snape was exceptionally protective of these stores, which held items like Boomslang skin and Bicorn horn. He frequently accused Harry Potter of theft from this private collection. Professor Horace Slughorn also maintained a well-stocked private store, which included a box of Bezoars and prized items like a vial of Felix Felicis.

The apothecary storerooms play a crucial, if subtle, role in several key events throughout the series. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the apothecary is central to the trio's plan to create the Polyjuice Potion. Hermione Granger orchestrates a diversion in Potions class, allowing her to sneak into Snape's office and steal Boomslang skin and Bicorn horn from his private stores. This act of theft was essential for them to investigate their theory that Draco Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Snape threatens Harry with Veritaserum, believing he has been stealing ingredients from his private stores to aid the fugitive Sirius Black. This accusation underscores the high value of the ingredients and the deep-seated animosity between Snape and Harry. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the apothecary's resources become life-saving. After Ron Weasley is accidentally poisoned, Harry remembers a Bezoar he saw in Professor Slughorn's store cupboard. Acting quickly, he retrieves it and shoves it down Ron's throat, saving his life. This event highlights the practical importance of having a well-stocked apothecary within the castle.

• Student Store Cupboard: The main storeroom accessible to students during Potions class for common ingredients. It is a small, functional room adjacent to the main classroom.
• Potions Master's Private Stores: A separate, secure collection of rare, valuable, and often dangerous ingredients kept within the Potions Master's private office. Access is strictly controlled by the professor in charge.

• The term “Hogwarts Apothecary” is not explicitly used in the seven novels, which refer to the location as the “storeroom” or “store cupboard.” The name is a logical designation used by fans and in some supplementary materials, drawing a parallel with the commercial Apothecary in Diagon Alley.
• In the film adaptations, the distinction between the classroom and the storeroom is often visually blurred. The Potions classroom set is depicted with its walls lined with thousands of glass jars containing myriad ingredients, effectively making the entire room a vast, atmospheric apothecary. (film)
• In various Harry Potter video games, the storeroom is often an accessible area where players can gather ingredients needed for gameplay missions. (video game)