The Twelve Uses of Dragon's Blood

[dobbysfriend]

Does anyone else think that it might be a little expensive to use dragon's blood as an oven cleaner?

[MrSleepyHead]

Originally Posted by LoonyGirl

Everyone seems to think that Slughorn having red blood on his wall and Hagrid having green blood come out of his dragon steak was a mistake by JKR. However the thing is that there's many different breeds of dragons. Wouldn't it be very possible that different breeds have different color blood? That's how I always explained it to myself.

I agree, for it is plausible that different breeds have different color blood. I always believed that the dragon that provided the steak for Hagrid was of a poisonous breed:

OotP, Hagrid's Tale, Page 422, American, HB "You're not going to eat that, are you, Hagrid?" said Ron, leaning in for a closer look. "It looks poisonous." "It's s'posed ter look like that, it's dragon meat," Hagrid said.

Even though he says "dragon meat" like all dragon meat looks this way, I think that the "greenish" blood suggests that this particular dragon was poisonous. The meat itself may have looked poisonous, but the "greenish blood" may have actually been poisonous (but Hagrid, with his giant ancestry, was protected from the poison). Therefore, I agree with you that this is not a mistake.

Originally Posted by dobbysfriend

Does anyone else think that it might be a little expensive to use dragon's blood as an oven cleaner?

I would expect so, yes, considering Slughorn said that one crystal bottle was his last, and prices were sky high. However, maybe when one uses dragon blood for oven cleaner, one drop will do. I hypothesize that Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover uses dragon blood. It would be a very minute amount, but enough to clean incredibly effectively (combined with other mess removers, only a small amount of dragon blood would be needed).

[Nicole]

Originally Posted by LoonyGirl

Wouldn't it be very possible that different breeds have different color blood? That's how I always explained it to myself.

I'm sure that's a possibility, but there is also a plant called "dragons blood". So are the 12 uses from the plant or the magical beasties?

[BlackSerpent7]

Does anyone else think that Dragons Blood may not all be refering to the literal stuff? In so called real "Magic" and myth dragons blood is a plant
Edit: didn't see your post Nicole.

[DA_DA]

Originally Posted by BlackSerpent7

Does anyone else think that Dragons Blood may not all be refering to the literal stuff? In so called real "Magic" and myth dragons blood is a plant
Edit: didn't see your post Nicole.

To Nicole aswell. This could be,Jo having a laugh, although everything is fishy with all these red(read?) herrings...

[Cornerstander]

All the way back in post 18, I asked some questions and made some observations that might provide some insight for some newcomers - here.

[Sage_Firestone]

Back to the difference in dragon blood colors...

how, (dare-I-say-it) "fresh" is the blood???

Slughorn DID mention he was almost out of it, denoting that perhaps that particular bottle of blood had been there for some time. Whereas Hagrid's steak had obviously been "fresh," (since it had just been sliced off a dragon!)

This could be reversed as well...or MAYBE...it changes depending on what EXACTLY you're using it for...?

[Terrance]

i think i kno one of them. wen hagrid came back from his mission he used that dragon steak that had greenish blood on it(wat i believe to be dragon's blood) it seemed to be used to help heal his wounds so i think that may be one of the uses of dragon's blood

[RavenEye]

Originally Posted by Nicole

I'm sure that's a possibility, but there is also a plant called "dragons blood". So are the 12 uses from the plant or the magical beasties?

Uses of Dracaena cinnabari (Socotra Dragon Tree):

Romans

• Dye (red)
• medicine: general wound healing; coagulant; diarrhoea cure; lowering fevers; dysentery; mouth, throat, stomach and intestinal ulcers; curing respiratory diseases; eczema cure.

Mediaeval

• alchemy
• ritual magic

18th century

• varnish for violins
• ingredient in toothpaste

Modern

• (along with violin varnish)
• photoengraving
• incense resin
• body oil
• (folk medicine) wound-healing, stop bleeding. Internally for chest pains, internal injuries, menstrual irregularities and post-natal bleeding.
• (neopagan witchcraft) increase potency of spells for protection, love, banishing and sexuality.

There is also Dracaena draco the Canary Isles Dragon Tree - interesting in the light of the holiday destination of the owners of the house in which Slughorn was staying.

The Romans mainly used D. cinnabari but D. draco was also used in the same way. The later uses are the same as for D. cinnabari.

[Moonglare]

Never saw this thread, but I also wondered why the color of the blood Slughorn used in the walls was different from the blood we saw in the piece of dragon meat Hagrid used for his wounds. My first guess was that different dragons have different blood qualities, but I wouldn't be surprised if we find out the Dragon Blood was actually from the plant you're commenting, for I can't imagine Dumbledore killing dragons just to take out their blood for testing >.<

It's not that he couldn't, but as he's all noble I take that he wouldn't hurt a magical creature just for developing human magic.

[xyrax]

Originally Posted by Moonglare

Never saw this thread, but I also wondered why the color of the blood Slughorn used in the walls was different from the blood we saw in the piece of dragon meat Hagrid used for his wounds. My first guess was that different dragons have different blood qualities, but I wouldn't be surprised if we find out the Dragon Blood was actually from the plant you're commenting, for I can't imagine Dumbledore killing dragons just to take out their blood for testing >.<

It's not that he couldn't, but as he's all noble I take that he wouldn't hurt a magical creature just for developing human magic.

But in any case, who said anything about killing the dragons? All you need is a bit of their blood. That won't kill them, as far as we know.

The reason I think the different colored blood is a mistake is because it would indicate something very basic about the dragon's blood, which I don't think could vary species to species. Of course, that's trying to keep it on the realistic side, but I don't see why we don't have to do that. We can always explain it away with magic but in terms of JKR's original intentions, I think she simply didn't catch it.

[Moonglare]

You're right, I thought of them killing dragons cause I kept the image of Hagrid using the steak of dragon meat, and for that use I assume the dragon was really dead =P

[RavenEye]

Originally Posted by Moonglare

Never saw this thread, but I also wondered why the color of the blood Slughorn used in the walls was different from the blood we saw in the piece of dragon meat Hagrid used for his wounds.

Greenish is not green - it's another colour (red in this case) that has a hint of green to it.

[MLynas]

Was just on JKRs site and unlocked the original synopsis for PS, in the description of Hermione it says "Cleverest girl in the year and the only person in the class to know the 12 uses of dragon's blood"

Does this still hold true from JKRs original plot synopsis. If so then Hermione's usuall "House MD moment" (such as when she ran off from Harry and Ron in CoS after realising the monster was a Basilisk) will be remembering one of the uses of Dragons blood.

Also for those interested the instructions to reach this synopsis taken from Mugglenet. Spoiler:

Spoiler: show

Original Synopsis: Go to the Rubbish Bin and move the mug four times in a clockwise circle. When you do that, stop: it forms a circle inside. Now leave and go to the Extra Stuff section, click on the card that says "Circle" with a circle on it. Now you have an original synopsis of Philosopher's Stone.

[Tbone]

My guess is the dragon steak Hagrid used came from a Common Welsh Green, while the blood Slughorn used came from a red Chinese Fireball.

[Annett]

Originally Posted by MLynas

Was just on JKRs site and unlocked the original synopsis for PS, in the description of Hermione it says "Cleverest girl in the year and the only person in the class to know the 12 uses of dragon's blood"

Does this still hold true from JKRs original plot synopsis. If so then Hermione's usuall "House MD moment" (such as when she ran off from Harry and Ron in CoS after realising the monster was a Basilisk) will be remembering one of the uses of Dragons blood.

Thank you so much for the reminder!
I read that paper a long time ago, I think it was short after the renewing of Jo`s site. I had totally forgotten about that note. But now I`m aware of it once more, I think we should take that as a hint that we will hear the 12 uses of dragon blood in DH.

[Crommdom]

I think that it's already been used in a potion. Maybe it was in the potion that Snape used in PS. The one Harry drank to go forward to face LV and Quirrel. It'd make sense since DD is the one who knew the uses and he's the one that had the other professor's make tasks for whoever went forward to pass. Maybe that was the potion it was used in. And, then again maybe not. Only JK knows for sure

[Horcrux_Hater]

Originally Posted by Nicole

I'm sure that's a possibility, but there is also a plant called "dragons blood". So are the 12 uses from the plant or the magical beasties?

Yes, I'm not sure about a plant necessarily but I've long had a great deal of trouble believing it was literally blood from a dragon, I would expect each species to have blood with different properties and therefore 12 uses seems a rather small number.