Sidney looks through her Potion textbook. She finds the Asphodel roots mentioned, but nothing on the leaves. Apparently the root is an ingredient in the Draught of Living Death. There is a mention of the ancient Greeks also using the root's pulp was used in the treatment of joint and nerve diseases. The roots also contain a certain amount of alkaloids: Quote:
Alkaloid: A member of a large group of chemicals that are made by plants and have nitrogen in them. Many alkaloids possess potent pharmacologic effects. The alkaloids include cocaine, nicotine, strychnine, piperine, caffeine, morphine, pilocarpine, atropine, methamphetamine, mescaline, ephedrine, and tryptamine
The plant also has an association with the dead. In Hades the Asphodel Meadows were the places where the dead who possessed both evil and good characteristics lived. Asphodel is also the food the dead eat. I never knew the dead needed to eat. I wonder if that is why we add the leaves to this potion. Let's face it when the body decomposes, all that's left is the bones. I think the alkaliods are more like muggle drugs. Doubt they would have anything to do with growing bones. All this imformation and I still can't come up with a logical reason why we put the leaves in this potion.
Sidney raises her hand. Professor Lafay hasn't had an opportunity to yell at her in a while. I'm sure yelling at me will make her day. "Professor in ancient Greek Mythology, Hades has a meadow called Asphodel Meadow. The dead also ate this plant. Muggles also associate the Asphodel plant with death. They often plant this plant in cemetaries. When we die and the body decomposes, all that is left is our bones. Could that be the reason why these leaves are included in the potion?" I know it's the craziest answer ever given, but I can't come up with anything else that makes sense.