Harry Potter Nonsense Trivia Quiz

Answer: Beauxbatons

Beauxbatons is the correct name for the French Academy of Magic in question. The term 'beaux batons' translates from French literally as 'beautiful sticks', perhaps referring to the wands used by the aspiring wizarding students attending the school. Nicolas Flamel, the famous alchemist who discovered the Philosopher's Stone, is one of Beauxbatons' most illustrious former students.

When Beauxbatons visited Hogwarts, Fleur Delacour was the student representing the French school in the Triwizard Tournament. Fleur once noted that the food served at Beauxbatons was superb, and Wood Nymphs serenaded students as they dined at the academy.

Answer: Skrewts

Resembling gigantic lobster-shelled monstrosities (and the males with scorpion stingers, to boot), Blast-Ended Skrewts were bred by none other than Rubeus Hagrid - lover and protector of the fiercest and most dangerous creatures the magical world has to offer. Rather than stingers, the female Skrewts had suckers on their body to suck blood.

In addition to these frightening offensive capabilities, Blast-Ended Skrewts are able to deflect most spells with their armored bodies. The underside of the Skrewts is their weak spot, lacking any armor. Harry was able to exploit this weakness against a Blast-Ended Skrewt in the Triwizard Tournament maze, hitting it with an Impediment Jinx.

Answer: The Quibbler

Readers initially encounter "The Quibbler" when Luna Lovegood is reading the magazine upside down in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". "The Quibbler" is humorously promoted as 'The Wizarding World's Alternative Voice', and is published/edited by Luna's eccentric father, Xenophilius Lovegood.

The magazine, by and large, publishes unusual theories and features many imaginary creatures. Whether or not one believes the ideas presented in the magazine, it was instrumental in publishing Harry Potter's interview in which he discussed Lord Voldemort, at a time when the Ministry of Magic was completely denying Voldemort's return.

Answer: Splinching

'Splinching', not splicing, is the term to describe this dangerous consequence of losing one's focus when Disapparating. Depending on the part of the body that is left behind, splinching could be a disastrous or fatal occurrence. Poor Ron Weasley never passed the Apparition test during his years at Hogwarts and endured splinching part of his arm while escaping from the Ministry of Magic, as well as some fingernails in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" when he was separated from Harry and Hermione. Susan Bones, a student in Hufflepuff House, lost a leg to splinching in her first lesson on Apparition, and had to have the leg reattached. Perhaps Moody's 'constant vigilance' mantra is appropriate for the attention required to avoid splinching during Apparition.

Answer: Legilimency

Legilimency is the practice of navigating the layers of a person's mind to gain information from the person. Someone engaged in this unceremoniously invasive practice is called a Legilimens. A simplistic understanding of Legilimency, suitable for a Muggle who is woefully underexposed to the magical world, might equate it with mind-reading. Certain magical creatures are capable of Legilimency - a truly frightening thought. Legilimency became a critical aspect of the plot of the series in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", when Snape gave Harry Occlumency lessons to thwart Voldemort's efforts to invade Harry's mind.

Answer: Nargles

The unfortunate Luna Lovegood claimed that her papers and shoes were taken by Nargles once. She wore a necklace adorned with a quaint little butterbeer cork as its pendant that she believed kept Nargles at bay. When Harry and Cho found themselves about to kiss under some mistletoe one Christmas, Harry joked to Cho that there may be Nargles in the mistletoe.

Lending a rare bit of credence to the fanciful beliefs of the Lovegoods, the "Daily Prophet" wizarding newspaper published an article about a Fairy Nargle in a 'pensioner's wig'. Maybe Nargles do exist, and maybe they did abscond with dear Luna's shoes.

Answer: Bezoar

Bezoar is the term for the mass taken from a goat's stomach, and it merely needs to be swallowed whole for therapeutic effect. The most noteworthy appearance of the undigested mass in the "Harry Potter" series was when Harry saved Ron's life with a bezoar taken from the cupboards in Professor Slughorn's potions class.

Bezoar is a term that can be used to describe stony masses in the stomachs of various animals. A hairball is referred to as a 'trichobezoar'. It is in the fanciful world of Harry Potter that this undigested mass takes on magical healing properties and is used as a powdered potion ingredient.

Answer: Marauder's Map

The Maurauder's Map was created by James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew while they were students at Hogwarts. The enchantment of the advanced magic of the Homonculous Charm was used on the document to track the movements of everyone on Hogwarts' grounds. Argus Filch confiscated the Marauder's Map, but Fred and George stole it during their first year at Hogwarts when they were sent to Filch's office for setting off a Dungbomb and set another one off in the office to investigate a drawer with the irresistible sign: "Confiscated and Highly Dangerous". That scene is an example of Fred and George at their best, and the Marauder's Map was critical to Harry Potter and his friends on many occasions, particularly since the map was capable of evading disguises such as Polyjuice Potion to ascertain the actual identities of people at Hogwarts.

Answer: Mandrakes

Mandrakes are magical plants primarily cultivated for their restorative properties. The fact that their cry is fatal makes Mandrakes useful weapons to have as well. Mandrakes will scream whenever they are uprooted, so they have to be grown and maintained with caution and care.

A young Mandrake's screams will only knock someone out, but adult Mandrakes kill whoever hears their screams. Earmuffs are provided to protect Hogwarts students from Mandrake screams when the plants are used in Herbology classes.

Answer: Crumple-Horned

Luna Lovegood searched the globe for a Crumple-Horned Snorkack, but the elusive creatures, as so many others mentioned in "The Quibbler", have never been found and exist in rumor only. Hermione immediately recognized the danger of the Erumpent horn that Xenophilius had in his home, but he wholeheartedly believed the prize he had purchased was a Crumple-Horned Snorkack's horn. Ron Weasley once referenced the (almost certainly) imaginary horned beast as a 'Kacky Snorgle'. Last, but not least, Colin Creevey seemed to share the Lovegoods' belief in the existence of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack, since he stated he would be interested in "The Quibbler" hiring him to photograph one.

Bubotuber pus is acquired from the Bubotuber plant in the world of Harry Potter, and can be used to treat acne.