15 Biggest Unresolved Plot Holes In Harry Potter
6. Healing Nearly Headless Nick
Nearly Headless Nick was one of the Basilisk’s many victims and the only one to look directly into the eyes of this terrifying monster. Had he been flesh and blood, Nick would have died instantly, but as a ghost, he was petrified like everybody else.
In order to heal those who had been affected by the Basilisk, Professor Sprout developed a Mandrake Draught, which was presumably administered through the mouth. But as the Ghost of Gryffindor Tower, Nick would have been unable to drink – or even touch – such a draught.
How, therefore, was Professor Sprout able to cure him? The most reasonable explanation is that he was cured via a spell rather than by a substance. (Perhaps Dumbledore or Snape knew some particularly obscure magic that helped return him to his original state.) Unfortunately, Nick's restoration is still a complete mystery.