Doesn't the magical community keep a stock of potions and antidotes? (Harry Potter)

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

We know they have a hospital. We know there are plenty of potion brewers.

why when the students were petrified, did we have to wait almost a full year for the students to grow Mandrakes to be made into a potion?

Surely at the hospital they'd have a stash of frozen Mandrake flakes or whatever they use? Or some sort of potion cupboard with brewed potions for emergency situations?

I don't get it??

But people weren't routinely being petrified, you can't just keep mandrake roots on the off chance that a basilisk shows up and starts turning people to stone.

I would imagine that it needs to be made from fresh mandrake root or the potion wouldn't work, and perhaps can't be stored long term...? Some potions certainly can be kept but like medicines I imagine there are also plenty that have a short use-by date!

But it's not only Basiliks that are petrifying people though is it?

It's irresponsible threads like this that less to mandrake stockpiling. Just grow what you need.

*lead...

I'll get me coat.

The petrification from the basilisk seemed a lot more permanent than other petrifications. The ones from Petrificus Totalus were easily undone. And most of the time basilisks just kill everyone they encounter. The survivors were lucky the plot needed them to live.

I would definitely keep a little bottle of dittany in my cupboard though. And an emergency bezoar.

What else, other than a basilisk can petrify someone in HP?

On a very slightly related note, does anyone else do the HP quiz made by audible on Alexa?
When asked "Who wrote 'Quidditch Through the Ages'? I said Kennilworthy Whisp. Alexa said I was wrong. When asked "How many staircases are there at Hogwarts?", I said 142. Alexa said I was wrong. Does anyone know what answers she thinks are correct?

The whole series has more holes than a French cheese.. but it’s only a kid’s book.

I like to ponder the possibilities of sex magic myself!

It was a key part of the plot that the petrified persons could not reveal who or what petrified them - so…..

Very convenient that they happened to be growing Mandrakes that very year, isn’t it?

I think picking plot holes in Harry Potter is like poking a deck of cards. Just takes one little touch and if all comes tumbling down.

I like to ponder the possibilities of sex magic myself!
That’s enough MN for me this morning …

You need not ponder the sex magic bit if you've ever accessed the HP fanfiction...it is eye opening for sure.

I'm a prepper. If I was a witch I'd keep all that shit in my cupboard.

Mandrakes are tricky to grow and harvest, what with the shrieking and fainting and all. And probably expensive.

Brilliant

@Megsboots your Alexa may be mishearing you. I haven’t done the HP one in ages but do another quiz and usually at least one answer each time she’ll say “wrong, the correct answer is…” and it’ll be the answer I gave.

Surely at the hospital they'd have a stash of frozen Mandrake flakes or whatever they use

Maybe the spell needed for freezing things requires a lot of continuous effort - obviously they can't use a muggle freezer to store magical items.

It has to be fresh. You ever tried depetrifying someone with defrosted Mandrake? Makes one hell of a mess.

You know how defrosted strawberries are mushy? I imagine the same could go for mandrake, and then in turn to the depetrified person.

Thank you PleaseStopExplaining, it has been annoying me. I think I need to get out more.