A Mandrake, also known as Mandragora, is a plant which has a root that looks like a human (like a baby when the plant is young, but maturing as the plant grows).Whenever unearthed, the root screams. The scream of a mature Mandrake when it is unearthed will kill any person who hears it, but a young Mandrake's screams will usually only knock a person out for several hours.Mandrakes not only resemble humans, but also have similar behaviours to them. In the 1992–1993 school year, the mandrakes, at one point of time, became moody and secretive, which indicated that they were reaching adolescence. And later on, they threw a loud party, which is comparable to humans when they are teenagers. Mandrakes are fully matured when they start moving into each others pots, similar to adult humans marrying and moving in together. When matured, Mandrakes can be cut up to serve as a prime ingredient for the Mandrake Restorative Draught, which is to cure those who have been Petrified.The Mandrake plant has been used since ancient times as a medicinal plant and has a tradition associated with magical activities. It is a member of the nightshade family. Medically, it has been used as a pain killer and a sedative. It was used in ancient times for surgery. An overdose, though, can be fatal.