Odd little bits

This post focuses on the odd things that exist in the ‘Harry Potter’ series. This ranges from different purpose of normal food to unusual oddities to potions.

Chocolate

This treat has already been discussed briefly in sweets. However, chocolate also has a medicinal purpose in the magical world. In the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Dementors (‘things’ that guard the wizarding prison) have a horrible effect on people. The first time that Harry has an encounter with them, he faints and screams. When he wakes up, Professor Lupin hands him “a particularly large piece” (67) of chocolate.

“Harry took a bite and to his surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of his fingers and toes” (68)

It is clear that the chocolate has instantly made him feel better. There are many Dementor-related occasions where Lupin gives Harry chocolate when he isn’t feeling well. Madam Pomfrey agrees with this solution to relieve stress after a shock. This dual purpose of chocolate does complement the magical theme of ‘Harry Potter’. It also plays on reality as chocolate is seen as a stress-reliever by the public.

Philosopher’s Stone

The stone is made by Nicholas Flamel, or as we better know him Nearly Headless Nick. It is said to have

“astonishing powers. The Stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal” (161)

This stone has very strong powers, which can be dangerous in the wrong hands. As it is a rare object and the one at Hogwarts is the only one that is known to exist, this stone is even more important to gain for Voldermort, who believes he needs it to survive. This Elixir of Life has to be consumed as a drink, which makes it relevant to this blog. It links to the magical theme due its great and dangerous powers. However, Nicholas destroyed the Philospher’s Stone and subsequently he will only survive long enough to sort out his affairs (215). This shows that the stone was helping to keep him in a ghost form for what could have been forever.

Unicorn Blood

This is a continuation from the previous section as it relates to Voldermort and his law-breaking methods to help him survive. It is in the Philosopher’s Stone that Harry has first seen Voldermort since he was a baby. Voldermort is barely alive and is not even in human form. This explains his determination to get the Philosopher’s Stone. While he is waiting to get the stone, he drinks a unicorn’s blood. Unicorns are labelled as “powerful magic creatures” (183), which mean that its blood is very valuable and great.

“’… it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn, said Firenze. ‘Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenceless to save yourself and you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips.’” (188)

“Unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else – something that will bring you back to full strength and power – something that will mean you can never die” (189)

It is represented as a horrendous thing to do and even as sinful because of the purity of the unicorn. This act makes it increasingly obvious that Voldermort was only thinking of himself and his own immortality. Unicorn blood is an unusual food and therefore represents fantasy foods. Both unicorn blood and the Elixir of Life do more than give someone energy and provide nutrients; they can be drunk to lengthen life. However, this is frowned upon in the magical world because they are not being used in the correct way.

Potions

There are a large number of potions that are mentioned throughout the books. Creating potions is just like cooking food. If too much of an ingredient is added, there is no choice but to start again. This is the same as cooking. If you add too much salt to your dish, there is no antidote.

An important potion is the Polyjuice Potion, which allows the drinker to change their appearance. It is first introduced in the Chamber of Secrets and again used in the Goblet of Fire and the Deathly Hallows. The potion is very difficult for Hermione, Harry and Ron in the Chamber of Secrets because it is more advanced magic than they are used to at this point.

“’This is the most complicated potion I’ve ever seen,’ said Hermione, as they scanned the recipe. ‘Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed and knotgrass,’ she murmured, running her fingers down the list of ingredients. ‘Well they’re easy enough, they’re in the student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves. Oooh, look, powered horn of a Bicorn – don’t know where we’re going to get that… Shredded skin of a Boomslang – that’ll be tricky too – and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into.’” (124)

The ingredients needed for this potion are difficult for them to acquire, which also adds to the advanced level of magic needed. In addition, Hermione calls the things needed as ‘ingredients’. This presents the potion as a recipe, which makes it seem that the potion has to be drunk or eaten. The ingredients themselves are very strange as the real ones are not heard of often. All of them do exist in real life, except bicorn (mythical creature that is meant to be similar to a cow) and boomslang (a snake which is not eaten/used in medicines in the western world). The length of time that the recipe takes to brew is a month because some of the ingredients have certain requirements.

“’Well, as the fluxweed has got to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty-one days… I’d say it’d be ready in about a month, if we can get all the ingredients’” (125)

The specific requirements needed for some of the ingredients make this potion even more difficult. The strange and uncommon ingredients and this long brewing time clearly demonstrates that this is a fantasy story, and Rowling has definitely played up to this magical aspect.

The description of the potion when it is ready to be drunk is very unappealing.

“Behind her they heard the gloop gloop of the bubbling treacle-thick Potion… Close up, the Potion looked like thick, dark mud, bubbling sluggishly” (161)

This is a rare description of food or potion by Rowling. She uses onomatopoeia to add the unappealing and murky description. This does not change when they add the hairs to the potion. As each of them have collected hairs from different people, each of their potions turn different colours. Hermione’s turned “a sick sort of yellow”, Harry’s turned “the khaki colour of bogey” and Ron’s turned “a dark, murky brown” (161). Each description is very off-putting and unappealing to the eye. Rowling describes the taste of one as “overcooked cabbage” (162), which does not make me want to try this potion at all. In addition, cabbage has been used before to suggest a bad smell. The effect of this potion is the complete opposite to the warming feeling of Butterbeer. This is not surprising as the potion transforms the drinker to look like someone else, which must be painful. The effects that Rowling mentions are burning, breathlessness, melting and painfulness.

This potion does not go smoothly for everyone though. Hermione turns into a cat as she accidently took a cat hair of her chosen person’s robe (168). Unfortunately, the potion did not wear off after an hour like it did for Ron and Harry. Polyjuice Potion is definitely not meant for animal transformations. Hermione had to go to the hospital ward in the school so that she could take a potion to reverse the effects. Potions are unsurprisingly a vital part of the magical world and there are many purposes of potions and antidotes to many potions. 

The Hogwarts' Kitchen

At Hogwarts, the people who cook the meals are never revealed until the Goblet of Fire at the welcoming feast (and I have accidently given it away in the last quotes). Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, tells Harry, Ron and Hermione of the house-elves that prepare and cook the meals, and also undertake cleaning duties. Hermione is shocked and it is at this point that she has decided that she wants to protest for their rights.

House-elves are like the servants that existed in Victorian times. They stay with the same family and are treated as below inferior to the families that they were serving. However, this is a magical world, and elves are not human beings. So, they are not treated as such, and compared to the Victorian servants, they are treated worse. House-elves are not paid wages. They do not get holidays or any kind of benefits that are expected at any workplaces nowadays. They are only allowed the clothes that they are wearing. They are expected to be completely loyal to their masters. Note the use of master and not employer. Nearly Headless Nick states “That’s a mark of a good house-elf, isn’t it, that you don’t know it’s there?” (the Goblet of Fire, 161). Dobby is the first house-elf that is introduced in the story. He was the Malfoys’ house-elf until Harry freed him. He was loyal to them and would punish himself if he ever spoke negatively about them. However, his employment there ceased when his master accidently handed him a sock, which is a sign of release from employment.

The scene when Dobby is free and is finally able to use his powers against his former master

The house-elves at Hogwarts are first seen in the kitchens by Hermione, Harry and Ron. Every time they visit the kitchens, they are greeted with lots of house-elves who are happy to help.

“He had one brief glimpse of an enormous, high-ceilinged room, large as the Great Hall above it, with mounds of glittering brass pots and pans heaped around the stone walls, and a great brick fireplace at the other end, when something small hurtled towards him from the middle of the room, squealing, ‘Harry Potter, sir! Harry Potter!’ [Dobby hugs him tightly]” (327)

“[Dobby] seized Harry’s hand, and pulled him off into the kitchen between the four long wooden tables that stood there. Each of these tables, harry noticed as he passed them, was positioned exactly beneath the four house tables above, in the Great Hall. At the moment, they were clear of food, dinner having finished, but he supposed that an hour ago they had been laden with dishes that were then sent up through the ceiling to their counterparts. At least a hundred little elves were standing around the kitchen, beaming, bowing and curtseying as Dobby led Harry past them. They were all wearing the same uniform; a tea-towel stamped with the Hogwarts crest, and tied, as Winky’s had been, like a toga” (328)

The kitchen is just as large as the Great Hall and the tables in the kitchen are laid out like in the Great Hall so it is easy to transfer the food to the tables above. This is done by the magic that house-elves possess. The elves are all wearing the same clothes, a uniform, because this is their place of work. Dobby, on the other hand, is more experimental and wants more than conformity because he wants his freedom, which he exerts through his eccentric clothes. Throughout the time that they visit the kitchens, there are no mentions of the house-elves doing any cooking. The only exception is to make tea, but even this is done away from their eyes, so Rowling doesn’t explain. The links with how Victorian servants were treated, in that the kitchen was hidden away from the family and the guests. The number of elves is mentioned though – “at least a hundred” – which is large number. Their behaviour to the humans is respectful. This is because even though Harry, Ron and Hermione are students, they are still masters to the house-elves.

Hermione is determined to help them get better work benefits. She doesn’t understand the life and mentality of a house-elf or the hierarchy in the wizarding world because she didn’t grow up in this world. Her constant questions and her protests are met with objections and disapprovals from the house-elves and humans. Hagrid calls any elf that wants freedom ‘a weirdo’ (233), which is indirectly an insult to Dobby because he now wants to be paid for his services. Fred and George’s claim that the house-elves are happy with their position is supported by the following quote:

“[Dobby offers Harry tea and] instantly, about six house-elves came trotting up behind him, bearing a large silver tray laden with a teapot, cups for Harry, Ron and Hermione, a milk jug and a large plate of biscuits. ‘Good service!’ Ron said, in an impressed voice. Hermione frowned at him, but the elves all looked delighted; they bowed very low and retreated” (329)

The house-elves are very good at their job. They seem to be prepared for any guests as they instantly bring a teapot to their guests, as well as treats. Ron’s compliment is received well by the house-elves. They are very appreciative of his comment, even if Hermione doesn’t approve, thus proving that they are happy. 

Hermione’s determination is further disproved when Dobby tells of his time searching for work. It took him two years to find work, which ended when he went to visit Dumbledore.

“Professor Dumbledore says he will pay Dobby, sir, if Dobby wants paying! And so Dobby is a free elf, sir, and Dobby gets a galleon a week and one day off a month!’ ‘That’s not very much!’ Hermione shouted indignantly from the floor, over Winky’s continued screaming and fist-beating. ‘Professor Dumbledore offered Dobby ten Galleons a week and weekends off,’ said Dobby, suddenly giving a little shiver, as though the prospect of so much leisure and riches was frightening, ‘but Dobby beat him down, miss… Dobby likes freedom, miss, but he isn’t wanting too much, miss, he like work better.’” (330-1)

It is clear that Dobby is happy that he has freedom and all his demands are met. But it is also clear that he does not want too much freedom and actually seemed to be scared of too much of it. It is in his blood to serve humans, and he clearly wants to; Dobby just wants to be appreciated and recognized for his work, which Dumbledore understood and was more than willing to help him. Yet again, Hermione is shocked at his lack of benefits, despite Dobby’s visible disapproval of too much freedom. Winky, a house-elf that was fired, is another example of house-elves not liking freedom. She has taken her dismissal very hard and results in drinking many bottles of Butterbeer, which has an alcohol-like effect on house-elves. This may be due to their small size, as Butterbeer contains very little alcohol. The other elves do not approve of her behaviour.

“Half-a-dozen house-elves came hurrying forward, looking disgusted. One of them picked up the bottle [of Butterbeer], the others covered Winky with a large checked tablecloth and tucked the ends in neatly, hiding her from view. ‘We is sorry you had to see that, sirs and miss!’ squeaked a nearby elf, shaking his head and looking ashamed, ‘We is hoping you will not judge us all by Winky, sirs and miss!’” (467)

From this incident, it is clear that they do not want to be associated with her and they do not want to be judge by her behaviour. They know how a house-elf is expected to behave and this is not it. Hermione disagrees with their attitude towards her and tries to support her. This does not work in her favour.

“’Begging your pardon, miss,’ said the house-elf, bowing deeply again, ‘but house-elves has no right to be unhappy when there is work to be done and masters to be served.’” (467-8)

Hermione has just disagreed with their submissive behaviour and using Dobby being happy with his freedom as an example of what they could have. Dobby doesn’t want to be involved. The house-elves do not want to be involved either. They do not want to change their lives or gain freedom either. As a result, they give them the food that they asked for and usher them out of the kitchen quickly. All of this is done with respect as they still remember their inferior positions, even if Hermione still doesn’t understand the order of hierarchy in the magical world.

House-elves are a vital part of how Hogwarts or a household is run. Their place in the household is inferior. They know this and so do the wizards. Hermione is an exception, because she doesn’t understand. Her attempts at helping them achieve a better lifestyle are not successful because the house-elves are happy with their lives. Even though, Rowling never lets the reader see the house-elves do any work (which is one of their qualities), it is not wrong to assume that they use magic to do their tasks. This is clearly seen in transporting the food from the kitchens to the tables in the Great Hall. Magic may be a small factor in this post, it is not a small part of their lives and tasks.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a school for all children in Britain that possess magical abilities. It is a boarding school, but the subjects that are taught here are very different from a Muggle boarding school. The students eat all their meals in the Great Hall, in which there are four long tables for each of the school houses.

Aside from the everyday meals, such as breakfast, lunch and dinner, there are a few important feasts that occur at Hogwarts. These include the start of term feast (on the first night of the school year), Hallowe’en, Christmas, and the end of term feast (on the last night of the school year). The food that is served at these particular feasts is more varied and fancy than the everyday meals, because it is a special occasion.

The first feast that Rowling writes about is the start of term feast in the Philosopher’s Stone.

“Harry’s mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire puddings, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup and, for some strange reason, mint humbugs.” (92)

“A moment later the puddings appeared. Blocks of ice-cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, rice pudding…” (93)

There is a wide variety of meat dishes and different types of potatoes, as well as choices of vegetables and sauces. The large number of choices support that this is a welcoming feast for the students and professors. The inclusion of mint humbugs seems to be Dumbledore’s touch as the reader already knows by this point that he has a sweet-tooth and seems to like Muggle sweets. This large selection is also present in the desserts. Rowling does not tell the reader what the ice-cream flavours are; instead, she leaves that for the reader’s imagination. In addition, the second quote ends in an ellipses, which insinuates that there are even more dishes than the ones that are mentioned. Harry’s shock is towards the sudden appearance of the food on the table and the large assortment of dishes that appear. This is one of the first instances of magic that Harry sees, so it is all still new to him. How the food appears on the table is not discussed until the Goblet of Fire, and will be discussed later in this post.

However, Harry’s shock is not at entirely shocking for the reader. The poor treatment he receives at the Dursleys’ makes it clear that he was never over-fed or that he lived a life of luxury or even had the ability to choose for himself. Harry is very very rarely treated with the foods that he likes –

“The Dursleys had never exactly starved Harry, but he’d never been allowed to eat as much as he liked. Dudley had always taken anything that Harry really wanted, even if it made him sick. Harry piled his plate with a bit of everything except the humbugs and began to eat. It was all delicious.” (92)

Dudley had first choice of everything in their home, and food was not an exception. Dudley took things before and away from Harry because he was given special treatment over Harry, and also because Dudley was being spiteful. It was simply because he could do it and get away with it. At this feast, Harry took a bit of everything (excluding the humbugs) because he had never been allowed this much choice before. Rowling tells the reader that he enjoyed it, however she does not mention how the food tasted. She may not do this because she compares Harry’s experience at the Dursleys’ to the freedom he is already experiencing at Hogwarts. Like the Weasleys’ home, Hogwarts is much more appealing and comforting to Harry than the Dursleys’ house.

The dishes that are served at the feasts are very British. There is no breaking away from this theme or culture, until the Goblet of Fire, which is when schools from other countries arrive at Hogwarts. The dishes at each feast are very similar, but obviously there are some dishes that are only eaten at certain celebrations. For example, Christmas pudding is eaten at Christmas and pumpkin is a common smell or flavour at Hallowe’en. As the story continues, Rowling seems to pay less attention to the food as she does not always tell the reader what is being eaten. As a result, she mentions what exactly is being eaten less often, and sometimes there are repetitions in the meals. For example, treacle tart and chocolate gateau are common desserts at the start of term feast. This choice of not always describing the type of food may be because the food is knowingly going to be British, and so many readers may already know what to expect. Another reason may be because what they are eating is just not relevant to the story; it is the location that is significant.

In the Goblet of Fire, the arrival of the other schools means that Hogwarts is accommodating to their guests and their different palate, which is clearly evident at their welcoming feast.

“The dished in front of them filled with food as usual. The house-elves in the kitchen seemed to have pulled out all the stops; there was a greater variety of dishes in front of them than harry had ever seen, including several that were definitely foreign. ‘What’s that?’ said Ron, pointing at a large dish of some sort of shellfish stew that stood beside a large steak-and-kidney pudding. ‘Bouillabaisse,’ said Hermione. ‘Bless you,’ said Ron. ‘It’s French,’ said Hermione. ‘I had it on holiday, summer before last, it’s very nice.’ ‘I’ll talk your word for it,’ said Ron, helping himself to black pudding’” (221)

“When the second course arrived they noticed a number of unfamiliar puddings, too. Ron examined an odd sort of pale blancmange closely, then moved it carefully a few inches to his right, so that it would be clearly visible from the Ravenclaw table” (223)

There are a variety of dishes to suit the natives and visitors. It becomes apparent that these ‘foreign’ dishes are not commonly served at Hogwarts. Ron’s reaction is stubborn. Moreover, it is a reflection of the common reaction when ‘foreign’ food was first introduced in Britain in the 1950s. Ron does not try the foreign foods because he is not used it, which could be because it’s different and he has not been exposed to non-British dishes before. This is not surprising if this is the case, as he eats homemade meals from his mother, who gets her recipes from British, wizarding, household magazines (the Goblet of Fire, 476).

The food at Hogwarts is a true portrayal of the British culture. This is seen in the many feasts that occur at the school. The food at the feasts is also linked to what the occasion or celebration may be, such as at Christmas and Hallowe’en. The exception to the British-only food is when Hogwarts are acting as a host for foreign schools. However, this is met with some hostility. The magical aspect present here is when the food suddenly appears on the table, which will be discussed in the next post.

I'll leave you with a clip from the first film, so you can see the large selection of food.

The Wonderful Weasleys

The Weasleys are a pure-blood Wizarding family. There are many members of this family – Mr and Mrs Weasley and their seven children, Bill, Charlie, Percy, George, Fred, Ron, and Ginny. Ron and Harry became friends on the train ride to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry sees the Weasleys as his family, particularly because his own blood-related family do not treat him well. The Weasleys are a complete contrast to the Dursleys. This ranges from their homes, the way the households are run, the children’s behaviour, and (not forgetting) what they eat.

The Weasleys on holiday

As it’s already been written, the Dursleys eat well and a lot. However, their poor treatment of Harry is reflected in what they serve him to eat, which is a lot less in quantity, quality and what food. The Weasleys, however, know that Harry is not treated well at the Dursleys. As a result, whenever Harry stays at their house, Mrs Weasley makes sure that he is always fed wholehearted food and is allowed extra portions, despite there already being many people to feed. This pampering of Harry through food is seen in the Chamber of Secrets, which is when Harry first visits the Weasleys’ home. This incident takes places after Ron and his twin brothers, Fred and George, rescue Harry from the Dursleys’ because he is being treated like an animal. Mrs Weasley was

“cooking breakfast a little haphazardly, throwing dirty looks at her sons as she threw sausages into the frying pan”. She tipped “eight or nine sausages on to [Harry’s] plate… (she was now adding three fried eggs to his plate)” (31)

“’They were starving him, Mum!’ ... It was with a slightly softened expression that she started cutting Harry bread and buttering it for him” (31)

Mrs Weasley is angry at her sons for their disregard for the law and their irresponsible behaviour, which is obviously demonstrated in her careless manner whilst cooking. However, when she hears that Harry was not cared for or fed properly, she gives him more than plenty to eat. She even butters his bread, which she does less aggressively than her actions before. This thus shows that Mrs Weasley does care deeply for Harry’s well-being, and also that she regrets being so angry at her sons for saving Harry. Her behaviour towards Harry is exactly the same as her treatment towards her own sons as she also gives them more than enough to eat and pampers them. Furthermore, this shows that she is a good hostess and a mother.

It should be mentioned that the Weasleys are not rich; they get by in life, particularly by saving when they can and relying on hand-me-downs. They do not have the luxury to buy something new to replace something that’s broken (a key example that springs to mind is Ron’s wand breaking in the Chamber of Secrets and his parents not being able to buy him another until a year later). The first instance of their wealth is on the train ride to the school in their first year and Mrs Weasley has packed all her children sandwiches for the journey. Ron’s mother has made him four ‘lumpy’ corned beef sandwiches, which he does not like. Ron is clearly not under-fed as he is given four sandwiches (and this is made further obvious by Ron’s hearty, or some may say greedy, appetite seen throughout the books). However, what he is eating, and the fact that he is not given spending money for the treats on the train, definitely suggests that he does not often eat fancy or luxurious food at home.

Mrs Weasley’s cooking, despite not being able to afford expensive foods, is presented as much more appealing than the Dursleys’ because her cooking has a homely feel to it and it is obvious that it is made with love and care. This is supported by her offering Harry multiple portions and it also explains why Ron has an endless appetite. An example of her homemade cooking is in the Philosopher’s Stone, when she sends Harry home-made fudge as part of his Christmas presents. Fudge is a rich, sweet, creamy treat, which is described as “very tasty” (147). This is a different adjective to the usual ‘delicious’ that Rowling uses to describe food. Harry’s approval and Rowling’s use of a different adjective both illustrate that Mrs Weasley is a very good cook and her food is appreciated.

Mrs Weasley is always more than happy to cook a main course and dessert when there is a special occasion or celebration. There are numerous examples of this. For example, she still goes out of her way to celebrate Harry’s 17^th birthday in the Deathly Hallows, despite the dangerous events that are occurring in the Wizarding community.

“Mrs Weasley, coming through the gate with what appeared to be a giant, beach-ball-sized Snitch floating in front of her. Seconds later Harry realised that it was his birthday cake, which Mrs Weasley was suspending with her wand rather than risk carrying it over the uneven ground. When the cake finally landed in the middle of the table, Harry said, ‘That looks amazing, Mrs Weasley.’” (101)

The care and thought that has gone into this cake is obvious. She made a Snitch cake because Harry is a Seeker in the Wizard game of Quidditch. In addition, Harry mistook the cake to be a large beach-ball, which illustrates the size. The large size of the cake could be because there are many guests and she is treating Harry. It also seems that she made it herself. All of these factors accumulated together support that by the final book, Mrs Weasley regards Harry as her own son and she has therefore gone out of her way to show him that she cares and that he is part of the family. Seeing as the Dursleys do not even remember his birthday, Mrs Weasley’s hard work and effort into the cake and the meal as a whole clearly demonstrates that she loves him. The magical aspect in this quote is the cake floating above the guests, which may have been done for safety, but it also complements the Snitch’s ability to fly by itself in the game.

Magic is clearly present in Mrs Weasley’s cooking. On many occasions, she uses her wand to help prepare the food, cook the food, and set the table. Sometimes, she does these tasks the Muggle way, or she gets her children and Harry to help. In the Order of the Phoenix, Mrs Weasley does ask her family and guests to help her in the kitchen, but in reality, she only required the help of her husband to oversee the magic she cast to prepare the food.

“Soon a series of heavy knives were chopping meat and vegetables of their own accord, supervised by Mr Weasley, while Mrs Weasley stirred a cauldron dangling over the fire, and the others took out plates, more goblets and food from the pantry.” (78)

Mr Weasley supervised the preparation of the food which may be due to the possible danger of the many number of knives in use simultaneously. Clearly, Mrs Weasley did not need much help, only an extra pair of eyes. The use of magic shows that the task of preparing food is made so much easier and less time-consuming as the ingredients are cut simultaneously. An advantage of magic that I would not say no to!

Another occasion of the use of magic in the kitchen is when Harry arrives at the Weasleys’ late in the night in the Half-Blood Prince.

“Mrs Weasley, rapping a large iron pot with her wand: it bounced on to the stove with a loud clang and began to bubble at once… She tapped the pot again; it rose into the air, flew towards Harry and tipped over; Mrs Weasley slid a bowl neatly beneath it just in time to catch the stream of thick, steaming onion soup. ‘Bread, dear?’ ‘Thanks, Mrs Weasley.’ She waved her wand over her shoulder; a loaf of bread and a knife soared gracefully on to the table. As the loaf sliced itself and the soup pot dropped back on to the stove…” (83)

She is clearly prepared as it seems that the soup has been made beforehand. Mrs Weasley used magic to heat the soup, which happened incredibly quickly (the positives of magic are becoming increasingly attractive for kitchen work!). She also used magic to slice the bread. She barely lifted a finger to give Harry this meal, except to wave her wand and put a bowl in front of Harry. The effortlessness and efficiency that Mrs Weasley portrays whilst not even saying the spells out-loud makes this preparation of food smooth and highlights how advanced she is in her magical abilities.

This advancement in magic is a contrast to Fred and George’s abilities.

“’Fred – George – NO, JUST CARRY THEM!’ Mrs Weasley shrieked. Harry, Sirius and Mungungus looked round and, within a split second, they had dived away from the table. Fred and George had bewitched a large cauldron of spew, an iron flagon of Butterbeer and a heavy wooden breadboard, complete with a knife, to hurtle through the air towards them. The stew skidded the length of the table and came to a halt just before the end, leaving a long black burn on the wooden surface; the flagon of Butterbeer fell with a crash, spilling its contents everywhere; the bread knife slipped off the board and landed, point down and quivering ominously, exactly where Sirius’s hand had been seconds before.” (the Order of the Phoenix, 80)

The twins are using magic to take the food to the table because they have recently come of age, which means that they are allowed to use magic outside of school. They are eager to use magic and they do so without fear and they relish the opportunities when they do use magic. Here, their mother doesn’t like their decision to use magic to transport the food to the table because it poses danger due to the knife and the hot stew. She is completely right to be worried as Fred and George do not successfully take the food to the table. Instead, they cause the stew to leave a burn mark on the table, indicating how hot it is; the Butterbeer spills everywhere; and the knife ends up stuck in the table where someone’s hand was just placed. Clearly, magic needs to be practiced and perfected. And, of course, used safely around knives.

The variety of dishes that Mrs Weasleys cooks supports that she is a good cook and a perfect example of a homemaker. In the Goblet of Fire, on the first night of Harry’s arrival, Mrs Weasley prepares chicken-and-ham pie, boiled potatoes and salad, with homemade strawberry ice-cream for dessert (57-60). This is a perfect two-course hearty meal for a welcome dinner. It is even more so ‘perfect’ because Mrs Weasley made this when she was frustrated at her twin sons. She is more than capable of making a meal when she is angry, which is a skill that is required in being a housewife. This meal is just an example of the many dishes that she has made that are simple, loving, comfort food, and sit-at-the-table-as-a-family type of food. In the Order of the Phoenix, Mrs Weasley prepares stew, bread and Butterbeer, with rhubarb crumble and custard for pudding. The main course may be a basic dish, but it is a wholesome meal. It is also a very British dish, as is the dessert. This is something that Rowling does continuously throughout all the books. The meals she allows the characters to make and/or eat are always quintessentially British, which is obviously because the novels are set in Britain.

In the Weasley household, it is clear that there is only one cook – Mrs Weasley. This may be because her family and friends love her cooking so they do not try, or (more likely) Mrs Weasley does not want others to help her cook. She is really the only cook in this family and she is content with that. Despite their wealth, Mrs Weasley gives her family and her guest more than enough to eat. In addition, she is a perfect example of a housewife as she looks after her family, as well as cooking meals from scratch. Obviously, the ability to do magic plays a large part in the preparation and cooking of the meals, which makes her job easier. However, I do not want to discredit her for her hard work, as looking after seven children (including the crazy twins) cannot be easy. But, she does make it look easy. I would love to be fed and pampered by Mrs Weasley because she is loving and kind and thoughtful, which is all evident in her cooking.

To end this post, I thought I’d bring to light how Ron celebrates his, Harry and Hermione’s successful exam results in the Half-Blood Prince:

“’Well, we’re N.E.W.T. students now!’ grinned Ron. ‘Mum, are there any more sausages?’” (101)

Ron always has food on his mind. We're not that different in this sense.

Image taken from http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Weasley_family

Potted Potter

Towards the end of April, my cousin and I are going to see Potted Potter. It is an unauthorised parody of all the Harry Potter books condensed into a 70 minute play. Oh, and it is acted entirely by two men. Interesting.

I don’t know much about it, except that it is funny. All the reviews and the play-goers agree on this. It has also continuously been given four stars, if you care about that sort of thing.

The backstory of the play is that the two actors, Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner, first created “a five-minute street sketch recapping the first five books that the two created in 2005 to entertain Potter fans lined up for the release of the sixth, ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.’” (The New York Times, http://theater.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/theater/reviews/potted-potter-a-parody-at-the-little-shubert-theater.html?ref=theater&_r=0). From this short (and what I assume is a dense information-filled) parody, the idea grew to the popular play that it is now, and it is currently being performed over the globe.

The reviews highlight that Jefferson Turner plays Harry Potter, whilst Daniel Clarkson plays all the other vital character. Through the use of hand puppets. Now I’m really not sure what to expect of this play.

Here is a link to the website if you wish to visit it: http://www.pottedpotter.com/

I’ll be posting a review of the play once I’ve seen it. So look out for that. 

Mandrakes

Seeing as this is a fantasy world, some edible things are not only normal Muggle food. This is made clear in the Chamber of Secrets. Due to the ever-growing number of people that were being petrified (which is essentially a coma, but they are frozen in the position that they became petrified), a potion had to be brewed to revive them. The importance of this potion is unknowingly introduced to the readers and the characters in a Herbology class.

The students of this class learn about many different plants, particularly magical ones, and their properties. In the Chamber of Secrets, Harry and his classmates have moved their classes to Greenhouse Three, in which “far more interesting and dangerous plants” are kept (70). The students change to different greenhouses for their lessons as they are subsequently moving up a level in their knowledge. In Greenhouse Three, it seems to be expected that there will be more poisonous and damaging plants that they have dealt with before, as also more dangerous than non-magical plants. In addition, I think it is interesting that their professor is called Madam Sprout. Her name suits her profession; she teaches herbology and her name is a vegetable. I was amused by this connection that J.K Rowling made.

In their third year, the students are learning about Mandrakes. Hermione gives a detailed answer to Madam Sprout’s question of what Mandrakes are - “Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative… it is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed, to their original state” (72). Professor Sprout adds that “the Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is, also, dangerous” (72). In addition to this, Hermione also states that “the cry of a Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it” (72). All of these features suggest that it has a positive purpose as an antidote, but it has to be handle with care.

A mandrake is a real plant, and the roots are thought to resemble human figures and they are used in magical rituals (in the Wicca and Odinism religions). Rowling has played on these features and exaggerated them to make them even more magical and to complement the fantasy genre.

This is an ordinary Mandrake
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandrake_(plant)

“Professor Sprout… grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard… instead of roots, a small, muddy and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs” (72-3)

The plant has clearly been personified here. Rowling has called it a ‘he’. It is as if the Mandrake is being re-potted as a new born baby to another pot for it was grow. This is further supported by “as our mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won’t kill you yet” (73). As these plants are not ordinary non-magical plants and are constantly personified as they are referred to as growing, it should not be a huge surprise that Rowling was going to play on this feature even more:

“Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves on the Mandrakes, a tricky operation she would entrust to no one else, now that it was so important for the Mandrakes to grow quickly and revive Mrs Norris and Colin Creevy” (147-8)

“In March several of the Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in Greenhouse Three. This made Professor Sprout very happy. ‘The moment they start trying to move into each other’s posts, we’ll know they’re fully mature,’ she told Harry. ‘Then we’ll be able to revive those poor people in the hospital wing.’” (186)

In the first quote, the plants are being treated like children and dressed in clothes to keep warm. It is clear that Madam Sprout views these plants are her children as she is adamant that only she is fit to 'dress' the Mandrakes. In the second quote, the Mandrakes are growing older and are currently at (what I assume is) their adolescent years. Their partying and loud behaviour will change to them discovering the other sex. The plants are presented as maturing, just like they are human. Madam Sprout uses ‘maturing’, instead of growing or ripening. By doing this, it makes the Mandrakes more human-like.

Rowling doesn’t make it clear what the Mandrakes will taste like when they are in the medicinal form. However, she does suggest that the Mandrakes will be cut (211).

So, here is an unusual edible food (even if it is a medicine) that Rowling has included to highlight the wide variety of magical ingredients and foods in this fantasy world. The inclusion and importance of the Mandrake or other magical produce demonstrates that their magical properties can be vital in aiding any magical injuries that occur.

'The Making of Harry Potter' Tour at the Warner Bros. Studios

Before Christmas, my two brothers, my cousin and I embarked on a trip to the Warner Bros. Studios for the Harry Potter Tour. It has to be one of my best birthday presents ever. I want to go back again. I don’t plan to include everything that I saw at the studios because I don’t want to spoil it for those that haven’t been. I do think everyone should go, even if you’re not the biggest Harry Potter fan.

After posing outside the studios, we went to the gift shop because we were early. So many things from the films had to been brought to life and made into memorabilia for the fans. Sweets; banners, ties, robes and other things that showed the house colours; the Marauder’s Map; Ron’s Howler; Platform 9 ¾ tickets; books that were on their class reading lists; jewellery; broomsticks; and of course, wands. This is just a small number of items that were for sale in the gift shop. Relating back to the food theme of this blog, one of the shop windows was created to look like the Honeydukes shop window, which is the sweet shop in Hogsmeade.

Enticing, isn’t it?

I have a tendency to behave like a child when I’m excited, so I eagerly took one of the passport booklets that were intended for children. The purpose of the passport is to tick off all the golden snitches that you see around the studios and you emboss the pages when you’ve been to a certain part of the studio. Like I said, I can be immature. It was good fun, though. It just meant that we all had to be more observant and inquisitive, which is not a bad thing.

Harry’s cupboard under the stairs was the first location that we passed whilst we were in the queue. As you can see, it’s extremely small and scarce of Harry’s belongings. A small toy car, a few models, and Harry’s glasses are the only objects that seem to belong to Harry.

The Great Hall was set up for Christmas so there were many Christmas trees decorated all over the hall and many crackers and presents placed on the table. To fall in line with this seasonal occasion, the food is also Christmassy - turkey and peas, with Christmas pudding, pie and fruit for dessert. Also, in the Great Hall, there is the house points system.

The main course of turkey and peas

Desserts - Christmas pudding, pie and fruit

The house points system, which I don't think they ever showed in the films

The Yule Ball, which takes place in the Goblet of Fire, is an elegant affair that is part of the Triwizard Tournament.   

The fancy drinks display

The beautiful chocolate display

There was a boxed glass display, in which there were many important props. These included the Philosopher’s Stone, Hermione’s Time Turner, Dumbledore’s (then Ron’s) Deluminator and the Golden Snitch.

The set that was Snape’s classroom definitely felt as if it was located in the dungeons. On display was Snape’s sole outfit throughout the films and Professor Slughorn’s costume. On the tables, magic was clearly occurring as the cauldrons were being stirred by themselves. From the pictures, you can see the wide variety of potions and ingredients stacked against the walls.

Dumbledore’s office was spectacular. It was full of books and portraits of the previous headmasters (which unfortunately were not moving, maybe there were too many Muggles around). There were also many important props, such as Godric Gryffindor’s sword, the Memory Cabinet and the Sorting Hat.

 Hagrid’s hut was small, cramped and full of many, many, many possessions.

The Weasley’s place, also known as the Burrows, is homely and colourful. There were two machines that allowed the visitors to move the brush to wash the pan in the sink or move the knife to cut the carrots. Below is a picture of the famous Weasley clock, which does not tell the time, but instead tells where the family members are – ‘home’, ‘mortal peril’, ‘quidditch’, ‘work’, ‘school’, ‘garden’, ‘in transit’, and ‘lost’. Magical, right?

Someone beside me excitedly pointed at the ‘Cherri Owls’ cereal brand, which I had to take a photograph

Marauder's Map that actually opens up!

A collection of edible food

The Ministry of Magic set included the cruel, shocking and controversial statue of Muggles being crushed under the Ministry logo. There were smaller versions of the entrance to the Ministry and offices. There was even the set of Professor Umbridge’s office.

Sickeningly full of pink and cats, isn’t it?

On to my Butterbeer experience. It was not at all like I expected. It is described as being a butterscotch flavour with froth that is foaming (the Prisoner of Azkaban, p149-150). Instead, I found it a bit sickening and too fizzy for my liking. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish it. The only positive was that the froth really did foam whilst it was in the cup. That was the magic that I’m glad I saw with my own eyes.

The other sights that we saw after drinking Butterbeer were the three most popular vehicles in the series (Hagrid’s motorbike, Arthur Weasley’s enchanted car, and the Knight Bus. There was also the Dursleys’ house (and their neighbours’ house, which my little brother posed outside because he was clearly confused and he is not a huge Harry Potter fan), the Potters’ house in Godric’s Hallow, the Riddle family gravestone, and the enormous chess pieces from the Philospher’s Stone.

Knight Bus, and the Potters' house is visible in the background

My little brother and I on Hagrid's motorbike

I was waving goodbye before I entered Number 4 Privet Drive (Spoiler: You can't actually enter the house)

My modern take on the chess piece's hand sign

Next, there was a room full of the creatures and face masks that were made for the actors. Not forgetting, Aunt Marge’s growing body suit in the Prisoner of Azkaban. We were privy to many secrets of how they created many of the special effects. Unfortunately, I’m not going to share any pictures.

A real-life size Diagon Alley followed. Unfortunately, it was only the shop fronts that were visible. So, we couldn't enter the shops. But there were a variety of places, such as Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Ollivanders, Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour, Flourish and Botts (which had Gilderoy Lockhart’s books in the shop window!), Weasley’ Wizard Wheezes, and many more.

This sign in a shop window caught my attention

This was placed in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' shop entrance. It moved too!

Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour

The next room was the initial creation stage, which was full of drawing and sketches and then miniature models. My older brother loved this room as this is what he had to do for his degree. We left him there because he wouldn’t leave the room.

Everything that we had seen up to this point was amazing, but this next part was WONDERFUL!!! It was a large model of the Hogwarts castle that was created by the art department. It was just incredibly detailed and intricate. This is only one side of the castle. I don’t want to give everything away, but just simply from this photo, you can see how grand and detailed and amazing it is.

The very last room was the Wand Room. I’m trying not to give so much away, however, this tiny detail made me smile. In this room, every single member of the cast and crew that helped make the films come to life over the ten years have a wand box with their name on it.

We found J.K Rowling, Emma Watson and Alan Rickman's wand boxes

Finally, we came full circle and ended the day at the gift shop. We bought a chocolate frog, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, Honeydukes plain milk chocolate bar, an official guide, a ‘wanted’ poster of me and my cousin, and I couldn’t resist so I bought myself a wand (Dumbledore’s to be accurate). The chocolates were tasty and the Every Flavour Beans are just that and surprising if you don't look at the flavour list before you pick one. (I currently have the taste of black pepper lingering in my mouth. Not terrible, but not the best flavour.)

So that was my adventurous day at the studios. I loved every bit of it and I really do want to go back again. I recommend it to everyone as a fun day out. Hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as I enjoyed writing and reminiscing about it!

All photos are taken by my older brother, my cousin, my friend Sammy, and myself.