Potions is one of the core subjects studied in all years of a student's Hogwarts education. It concerns the creating of potions and mixtures with magical effects, often by combining various magical ingredients in a cauldron, under heat. Standard equipment includes weighing scales, beakers, stirring rods, pestles and pickling jars for storing potion components. As a student moves through his years at Hogwarts, the difficulty of creating the potions required increases, as does the power of the actual potions.

First year: The study of basic potion components and potion equipment takes place in this year. Students learn the magical properties of different ingredients, and which of them go well together. Some basic potions are learned in this year.

Second year: More basic potions are learned in this year, as well as more advanced potion ingredients. The more useful potions are taught in this year - including potions for common illnesses like the cold.

Third year: While basic potions study continues in this year, students also begin to learn more advanced potions and potion ingredients. Potions affecting things like sleep, the memory and illness are studied in this year.

Fourth year: Students finish intermediate potions, including simple truth serums, healing potions, burn cures and wound-cleaning potions. Students also begin studies into specialist areas of potions - e.g., sleeping potions - for coursework.

Fifth year: Revision of the previous four years of work is done this year, in preparation for the OWL exams at the end of the term. Students finish learning about potions, and instead revise for the OWLs.

For the OWLs: Students are given a time limit to brew specified potions and are tested on their knowledge of others through written examinations.

Sixth year: In this year, intense work is done on advanced potions. This can include poisons, truth serums and other specialty areas, such as healing or form-changing potions, e.g., Polyjuice potion. Students prepare coursework for their NEWTs.

Seventh year: Students begin to revise all their previous years of potions study, in preparation for NEWT exams. The rest of the advanced potions curriculum is finished early in the year, allowing students to study for the NEWTs towards the end.

For the NEWTs: Students are expected to have prepared their own recipes for potions,which are to be brewed in a given time limit. Written examinations test the students' knowledge of other potions.