Shrinking Solution

"A more subtle potion than many appreciate at first savour, the Shrinking Solution causes creatures to shrink to a younger form."

- Zygmunt Budge

Shrinking Solution, also known as a Shrinking Potion, is a potion that causes the drinker to shrink to a younger form. It is bright green when brewed correctly and, if prepared incorrectly, it can apparently be poisonous.

One practical use of this potion is in the transportation of livestock — it allows for a wizard to carry an entire herd of pigs in the pocket.

History
Sometime throughout wizarding history, an event occurred that led to a number of villagers shrinking with this potion, so that another unnamed wizard was forced to spend his birthday chasing them around in hobnail boots.

Professor Severus Snape assigned his then-second year students a "particularly nasty" essay on Shrinking Potions during the summer holidays, and when they returned that fall, the first potion he had them brew was this one. When Draco Malfoy, who had injured his arm being attacked by Buckbeak the Hippogriff, returned to class, Snape had Harry Potter and Ron Weasley brew his potion for him. In the same lesson, Neville Longbottom added too much leech juice and rat spleens, and Professor Snape threatened to poison Neville's pet toad, Trevor, with the botched potion at the end of class. Luckily, however, Hermione Granger helped Neville fix it and when it came time for Snape to test the potion, Trevor turned into a tadpole.

When Harry brewed it in 1996 he said that Crabbe should take some of it; presumably to lose weight.

Instructions
The brewing of this potion required, at least in part, the following of these steps, according to Zygmunt Budge's Book of Potions :


 * 1) Juice two Shrivelfigs and add their ruby blood to your cauldron.
 * 2) Stir slowly.
 * 3) Gently heat your potion.
 * 4) Chop four daisy roots more finely and add to cauldron.
 * 5) Add five hairy caterpillars.
 * 6) Add well-shaken wormwood.
 * 7) Stir vigourously.
 * 8) Juice four leeches and add.
 * 9) Stir slowly and with caution.
 * 10) Shake rat spleen and add to cauldron.
 * 11) Add a splash of cowbane.
 * 12) Stir slowly.
 * 13) Heat on a high temperature.
 * 14) Wave wand in a particular figure.

Severus Snape, however, in his personal copy of Advanced Potion-Making, preferred the following recipe :
 * 1) Add five sliced caterpillars.
 * 2) Heat till the potion turns red.
 * 3) Shake the peeled Shrivelfig until it is ready (this is extra important, as if one tries to add it before it is ready the potion may emit noxious green gases).
 * 4) Add peeled Shrivelfig until the potion turns yellow.
 * 5) Allow the potion to simmer till it turns purple.
 * 6) Add four rat spleens to the cauldron.
 * 7) Add the minced daisy roots till it turns green.
 * 8) Add five drops of leech juice.
 * 9) Add more of the Shrivelfig, this time till it turns pink.
 * 10) Add one sliced caterpillar.
 * 11) Allow the potion to simmer till it turns green.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
 * The Road to Hogwarts Sweepstakes
 * Harry Potter Trading Card Game
 * Wonderbook: Book of Potions