TMQ #131 -- Scratching Post

Discussion of The Magic Quill #131 -- Scratching Post (www.mugglenet.com/editorials/themagicquill/tmq131.shtml) by Robbie Fischer.

+++ QUADRUPLE CHALLENGE! +++

Survey for TMQ #132: How can Harvey be in St. Mungo's and with Rigel at the same time? (A) It's just one of those odd things that happens when you mess around with time travel. (B) The one with Rigel is an impostor. (C) The one with Rigel is someone else who has been made to look like Harvey, and who actually thinks he is Harvey. (D) Two words: magical cloning.

Contest for TMQ #132: Describe a potion that a witch or wizard could find habit-forming.

Survey for TMQ #133: Which of Rigel's old Gringotts-escape mates should come back next? (A) Karl, the survival expert. (B) Jaan, the wandsmith. (C) Anatoly, the animated tattoo artist. (D) Slavik, the DADA teacher at Durmstrang. (E) Boccachiusa, the mime wizard. (F) Subito, the vertically challenged clown wizard. (G) Pagliai, the leader of the clown wizards.

Contest for TMQ #133: Describe a magical plant and its properties, including both advantages and disadvantages over a similar, non-magical plant.

Survey 1: I think C could be very interesting.

Constest 1: I think a potion that would make everything around the drinker become really, really shiny could become very addictive. After all, everyone loves shiny!

Survey 2: I choose D. I want Slavik to come back! He could prove very helpful if the guy with Rigel is really a Harvey imposter.

Contest 2: The Fortisrose: a magical relative of the common red rose, it looks exactly the same as its nonmagical counterpart. When touched, however, its thorns shoot a sort of poison which causes all that comes into contact with it to disintegrate.
If the rose is placed into a magical fire before it shoots poison, though, its thorns become harmless. Then its petals can be used in the Amortentia potion to strengthen it and make the potion obsession-inducing. In other words, if one is given the enhanced potion, they become so entranced by the one who administered the potion that they will put their own lives needlessly in danger for said person. Unless they are given a poison-covered bezoar (the only cure for the potion), they will stay in this trance-like state until they die... a fate that usually occurs very soon after this potion is taken.
On the other hand, the stem of this rose when chewed has an effect very similar to Felix Felicis that lasts for exactly 2 hours 17 minutes and 43 seconds.

sorry, I would have posted last time but I forgot my password!!!

contest 1: A potion that would make the drinker feel warm, fuzzy, and happy. Used in small doses for anti-depressant.

Survey 2: either (or both) B/C

Survey 1: B or C

Contest 1: Gravis Reducto: A weight reducing potion that makes the drinker lose five pounds. Not smart or safe, but habit forming none the less.

Survey 2: D, I would love for Slavik to come back.

Contest 2: I will have to think about that one.

I think A; it's always dangerous to mess with time and there ought to be odd side effects.

A potion a witch or wizard could find habit forming would be one that could make the drinker unable to hear people that bother them (annoying coworkers, in-laws, salespeople, etc.).

For #133:

I think D.

Cayennemint is much like peppermint in flavor and uses, however it has the odd side effect of causing the eater to smoke from the ears. It is an ingredient in the pepperup potion used to help cure witches and wizards of colds. It however, does not work so well in mints for the aforemention smoking problem.

"Rune Juice"? "Scratching Post"? LOL Robbie, you just never stop!
BTW, before you decide your readers have all gone AWOL, don't forget that a lull around the holidays is normal at every web site I know.



OK, for the contest:
#132 (a) I didn't blink about Harvey in two places at once. We all know time travel is like that. Maybe he can spring his other self from the ward for the assault on his possibly booby trapped house!
Potion: What's more habit forming than chocolate? So, the potion that causes little chocolates to appear in the mouth at regular intervals would be addictive. Used in moderation, "Coco Replenis" will act about once on the hour, give or take ten minutes, depositing a chocolate the size of an after dinner mint on the tongue. However, most witches and many wizards find that once they get the knack for making it, they begin to use immoderately. When chocolates begin to appear faster than they can be eaten, choking fatalities are common.
#133 Well, that depends. If they are going to be lost in the woods in that episode, they need (a) Karl, don't they? But if they are in a fight at Harvey's house, (d) Slavik is the man you want. But under any other circumstances, my sentiments for general entertainment have to go with (c) Anatoly.
As for the plant, my first thought is of my previous "Wizard Dandelion," which, as a magically enhanced diuretic, is inconvenient in the worst way if you accidentally run into it, but is very effective for keeping extended cauldron warrantee salesfolk off the doorstep. However, I'll try to come back with something new soon.,

I think Harvey is either a-that's what happens with time travel or d-clones. I can't decide which I prefer.

I would like to see the wandsmith again. Jaan.

I'd like to ponder the potion and the plant for a while. Get back soon.

Great chapter, BTW.

Survey One: D
Contest One: This potion was accidentally discovered by an aexpirimental potioneer. He was trying to find a potion that could domesticate hard to tame animals (turn wolves into dogs, rocs into parrots, dragons into lizards) He accidentally spilled his potion, and upon the potion touching the flesh of his feet, discovered that he suddenly felt happier, and realized that he didn't have to argue with people, but could just do whatever they said and was still happy. This lasted all of five minutes. The potion was very popular, but illegalized until more tests could be run on how healthy the side-effects of the potion was. The potioneer never succeeded in his original works.

Survey Two: C
Contest Two: The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil: Most similiar to the Apple Tree. Bred from a tree near Jerusalem. Only a few still exist. Eating this apple allows you to distinct easily between what is good and what is evil. it is a Ministry Secret. High Ministry positions are required to take a bite from it's apple, but knowledge of evil does not seem to prevent them from committing it. Advantages: Obviously, knowledge of ood and evil. Disadvantages: This tree spreads a dust of sorts that can land on your other foods. Then, the next time you eat a Pumpkin Pasty you realize that you didn't have to tease the old witch next door or give the squib a funny look. Guilt follows.

I don't know if you can use one of the potions found in the HP series, but I think those daydream potions from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes would be very addicting. Imagine loosing yourself in a lovely daydream spent with your favorite movie star in a romantic setting.... And it keeps getting better each time you take it.

I love TWZRD "coco replenis". what i wouldn't give for a little bit of chocolate half way through school:) Another side effect of using immoderately is, since this is very good chocolate, the user is focused on the hevenly taste and not on their suroundings. could cause to crash broomsticks, run into poles, etc.

Survey for TMQ #132: How can Harvey be in St. Mungo's and with Rigel at the same time? (A) It's just one of those odd things that happens when you mess around with time travel.

Contest for TMQ #132: Describe a potion that a witch or wizard could find habit-forming.

A potion that allows the drinker to experience an event of the past associated with an object and a person; parts of both are essential ingredients of the potion (sort of like a mix of Polyjuice and the Pensieve, except that you experience events as the person in question and are not an objective spectator).

Survey for TMQ #133: Which of Rigel's old Gringotts-escape mates should come back next? (D) Slavik, the DADA teacher at Durmstrang.

Contest for TMQ #133: Describe a magical plant and its properties, including both advantages and disadvantages over a similar, non-magical plant.

Glitterod: Similar to the goldenrod plant except that when it flowers, the bright yellow flowers produce sparks that last until the flowers die (these can be quite decorative, but have been known to start brush and forest fires). When the gallfly lays its egg in this plant (producing a gall), the resulting larvae shines like a miniature star. Jewelry makers have harnessed this brightness by encasing the larvae in magical ice and using it as a stone or a bead in specially-made jewelry. The ice will only melt if the person wearing the piece of jewelry experiences feelings of true love, at which point the larvae will drop out of the jewelry and, in a miniature explosion of bright light, will metamorphose into an equally bright gallfly. This had made jewelry containing the gallfly larvae from glitterod extremely popular with young lovers, who are anxious to learn of their lovers true feelings.

"Rune Juice"? "Scratching Post"? LOL Robbie, you just never stop!

Oh, fiddlesticks.

BTW, before you decide your readers have all gone AWOL, don't forget that a lull around the holidays is normal at every web site I know.

Thanks. Pushing the "panic button" helped this time, though.

If they are going to be lost in the woods in that episode, they need (a) Karl, don't they? But if they are in a fight at Harvey's house, (d) Slavik is the man you want. But under any other circumstances, my sentiments for general entertainment have to go with (c) Anatoly.

Come on, it's a survey! You have to make a choice so I don't have to!

I think those daydream potions from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes would be very addicting. Imagine loosing yourself in a lovely daydream spent with your favorite movie star in a romantic setting.... And it keeps getting better each time you take it.

I don't know. I think "getting better each time you take it" sounds like the opposite of a habit-forming potion. Isn't the fact that you need to take more & more of it, just to achieve any effect at all, the thing that makes certain substances so dangerous?

Thanks for your faithful participation!

Survey for TMQ #132: How can Harvey be in St. Mungo's and with Rigel at the same time? (A) It's just one of those odd things that happens when you mess around with time travel. (B) The one with Rigel is an impostor. (C) The one with Rigel is someone else who has been made to look like Harvey, and who actually thinks he is Harvey. (D) Two words: magical cloning.Well, it's at the same time for us, but thanks to the Essence of Merlin, it's not at the same time for him. Or rather, its at several of the same times for him. Evidently, Harvey now with Rigel doesn't know about Spanky's problems. But Harvey now in St. Mungo's is unstable in time and memory, and might remember about Harvey-with-Rigel's problems.

Contest for TMQ #132: Describe a potion that a witch or wizard could find habit-forming.Training Tonic, of course. Its purpose is to help you ingrain good habits. But if you don't get it just right, or if you take a little to much, it creates the habit of taking the Tonic itself. And when you take it at all sorts of times when you shouldn't, your life becomes a fugue of one-time actions that became unbreakable habits, a sorcerative-compulsive syndrome. Of course, if you gave it to someone just before making sure he got a bad shock or had to fix something at the worst possible time, the results would be worth a trip to the Spell Damage ward. (Imagine slipping it to someone just before you hit their shoelaces with a cross-tying jinx. They'd be forever stopping to untie their shoelaces, and in all the wrong places.)

Survey for TMQ #133: Which of Rigel's old Gringotts-escape mates should come back next? (A) Karl, the survival expert. (B) Jaan, the wandsmith. (C) Anatoly, the animated tattoo artist. (D) Slavik, the DADA teacher at Durmstrang. (E) Boccachiusa, the mime wizard. (F) Subito, the vertically challenged clown wizard. (G) Pagliai, the leader of the clown wizards. Well, really Rigel should meet up with a fellow named O'Rionn. (Perhaps a pseudonym for Miles O'Roughage?) But my first choice would be Jaan. Second choice (depending on the storyline) would be Slavik or Boccachiusa.

Contest for TMQ #133: Describe a magical plant and its properties, including both advantages and disadvantages over a similar, non-magical plant.Well, let's see. There's the Palm Oil Palm, which tries to bribe people to fertilize it; the cat-burgler-nip which springs out and encircles housebreakers, leaving them euphoric and lethargic; wizard's sage, which apart from being a good seasoning gives people the urge to voice their best hunches; wurtha-mint, which prefers the gardens of the obscenely wealthy (the Malfoys used to be infested with it) providing the smell of money; and purebred dogwood, which drops its leaves in one little pile just outside of its reach. It does have a tendency to sit on the garden furniture if not properly trained. Oh, and see the Nightmare Song from Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe: You get a good spadesman to plant a small tradesman ....

I still haven't thought of a potion.

However, I have thought of a plant: the whimpering willow. This tree resembles the weeping willow, however it gives off an almost silent sound of constant sobbing and tears trickle down its branches to form puddles on the ground beneath. The tears are very valuable in brewing a mood sobering potion to counteract anyone who has overdone a cheering charm or taken an excess of 'felix felicis'. It is advisable to wear earmuffs or use the bubble head charm while collecting the tears because the sound of the constant sobbing provokes extreme depression and can lead to suicidal tendencies.

Survey for TMQ #132: How can Harvey be in St. Mungo's and with Rigel at the same time?

(D) magical cloning. The two Harveys obviously don't know they were cloned.

Contest for TMQ #132: Describe a potion that a witch or wizard could find habit-forming.

Charisma potion: The most well-known charisma potion addict is Gilderoy Lockhart, although most wizards are still unaware that Lockhart's frequent use of this potion is why he's well-known. This highly addictive potion increases the imbiber's personal magnetism for a few hours. One rather obvious side effect is that eventually (and most times, sooner rather than later) those addicted to charisma potion become permanently enamored of themselves.

Survey for TMQ #133: Which of Rigel's old Gringotts-escape mates should come back next?

(D)Slavik, the DADA teacher. Harvey sends for him to see if Slavik can get rid of the bird-attracting curse on that bird-phobic witch's house.

Contest for TMQ #133: Describe a magical plant and its properties, including both advantages and disadvantages over a similar, non-magical plant.

Doses: I think Hermione may have put powdered dose thorns in those muffins that put Crabbe and Goyle to sleep in COS. Doses are the original magical version of roses. Their flowers are even more beautiful than roses, and are magically attractive, but their scent and, to a lesser degree, thorns contain a powerful soporific that puts even wizards to sleep for several hours. Wizard botanists developed the less potent variety that muggles know as roses because the great number of muggles who were being attracted and felled by the wizards' doses were becoming a nuisance. While typically thought of by wizards and muggles alike as non-magical, roses are actually one of the few things characterized by the MoM as semi-magical.

I've finally thought of an addicting potion. BTW, I have to agree with Robbie that the daydream potions are more of a distraction than an addiction.

Hauston's Hair Potion is a hair-replenishing potion. Used correctly--rubbing a small quantity into the scalp--it causes a full head of healthy hair to grow. If swallowed the potion causes severe addiction similar to muggle drug abuse. At first it provides a pleasant 'buzz'. Quickly graduating from a few sips to swallowing several bottles a day, besides the horrific withdrawl symptons(nausea, cramps, diarhea and the constant craving) the body gradually becomes covered in bright orange fur. It becomes obvious to everybody except the addict that he/she is addicted and has a problem.

Who, you might ask, would be stupid enough to do this? I think it is more probable for a teenager to fall into this trap: Try it, you'll like it, or, I dare you to drink it, or, if you don't drink it, you aren't cool.

Hairy, isn't?

Oy vay. I feel another "everyone wins" attack coming on...

Survey 1: if the 2nd Harvey is a clone, it could led to some interesting arguments between the two Harveys about which one is the real Harvey.

Omg - dereliction of duty on my part! I should have read what everyone had already posted, especially Echoreyn's post, before adding my 2 cents worth. Echoreyn, nice to find out there's another rose lover around. ;-)

Snuffleupagus said:
A potion that allows the drinker to experience an event of the past associated with an object and a person; parts of both are essential ingredients of the potion (sort of like a mix of Polyjuice and the Pensieve, except that you experience events as the person in question and are not an objective spectator).

I'm glad you added that last part, because if the potion applied to pets as well as people, I might find it too much of a temptation, myself.

greyniffler said:
Well, let's see. There's the Palm Oil Palm, which tries to bribe people to fertilize it; the cat-burgler-nip which springs out and encircles housebreakers, leaving them euphoric and lethargic; wizard's sage, which apart from being a good seasoning gives people the urge to voice their best hunches; wurtha-mint, which prefers the gardens of the obscenely wealthy (the Malfoys used to be infested with it) providing the smell of money; and purebred dogwood, which drops its leaves in one little pile just outside of its reach. It does have a tendency to sit on the garden furniture if not properly trained. Oh, and see the Nightmare Song from Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe: You get a good spadesman to plant a small tradesman ....

Wow! Reminds me of that time I thought up about 20 Goblin names. And makes me want to order some Gilbert and Sullivan DVD's at amazon. ;-)

Looks like we're in for some really creative chapters!

Lets not forget all those trees whose wood is wand-quality? Are they ordinary trees? Well, if bowtruckles live in them, perhaps not. And perhaps, in days past, patriotic wizards sacrificed a few wand-grade oaks to put timbers into HRH's Royal Navy. Having a charmed ship wouldn't hurt. The maple is harder, the oak stronger, the ash more resilient ... say, what are cricket bats made of, anyway? Has Ludo been betting on Muggle sports?

Roses seem to be popular, so I've thought of a few more to add to 'Fortisrose' by Echoreyn and 'Dose' by Zanaboo.

Bose--a very popular rose in wizard gardens; the leaves are cute little bows.

Fose--attracts all sorts of garden pests: insects, fungi, weeds etc.. Smells like rotting garbage. Good to plant in a dark corner of the garden away from all the others to collect the unwanted garden pests.

Frose--stunning white tea rose, only grows in winter. Petals are used to provide slopes for sledding.

Gose--appears in different spot in the garden every day. Ground up stems, leaves and thorns are used in various potions that enhance athletic performance.

Hose--instead of bees landing on it, a tiny tube rises in the air and spouts pollen into the air.

Nose--used by spies to eavedrop on garden conversations. To listen to the conversations afterwards, the wizard spy takes out his pocket pensieve and places it next to the nose, and the conversation is played back for him, like a muggle tape recorder. The dried nose hips are used in potions to improve hearing.

Tose--instead of roots, the tose has toots (toes and roots). If the tose feels unhappy in his spot in the garden he will tiptoe around until he finds a better spot. To ensure that the tose doesn't tiptoe around be sure to use plenty of dragon dung and moon calf dung if you can get it.

Wose--not very popular: dismal grey in color, it's droopy and the bloom wilts rapidly. Wizard folk feel depressed in the presence of this flower. The only wizards who plant this particular plant are wizard funeral directors. They say it gives atomosphere.

first survey: C or D. I wouldn't put it past harvey to do cloning, but I like the idea of a very confused "imposter."
first contest: a potion that helps you be awake and alert even when you are tired. just see how addicting coffee is, and you can get the idea. the difference would be, that you can add this potion to any food or drink recipe in small amounts to keep going for hours. as long as you get two or three hours of sleep a day, you will be totally alert.

second survey: A,B,C, or D. I really like the durmstrang boys.

First survey: Definitely "a". Strange things do indeed happen to wizards who medal with time.

First Contest: I think, obviously, the Felix Felicis potion would be very very addictive, as there are so many other things one can be addicted to that this potion would supposedly "help" with. (i.e. gambling) Also, I think a potion that causes an illusion of youth and beauty in the drinker would be very addictive to certain wizards and witches. (said witch or wizard would have to take the potion constantly to continue the illusion, kind of like permanent make-up or plastic surgery, only better and stronger)

Second Survey: I'd like to see Jaan the wand maker back. I enjoyed his character.

Second Contest: The Titanus Adronius Snap Dragon. This plant is distantly related to the harmless Venus fly trap. It stands roughly eight to ten feet high, and displays brilliantly multicoloured rainbow blossoms the size of truck wheels. These blossoms lure, with their hypnotic colours, unsuspecting muggles (or unintelligent or uncareful wizards) towards the plant where the victim is then instantly snapped up in the jaws of the flower. The plant then digests its meal into Snap Dragon Bile, which is a neon blue gelatinous liquid stored in clear sacs beneath the bottom-most leaves of the plant. Snap Dragon bile, when used undiluted on the skin, or taken internally, has incredible hallucinatory effects that last for days. Both the seeds and the Bile of the Titanus Adronius Snap Dragon are class "A" non-tradable goods, and the plant itself is illegal in every country except Greenland.

The great ideas keep coming & coming. Do go on. I am extending this "Quadruple Challenge" for another week. Kindness? Maybe. But I also need the extra time!

I am forced to come up with more ideas.
For the potion: Arselick. (pronounced like arsenic) Very popular with kids. It doesn't kill you, contrary to it's name, but temporaraily 'kills' your tastebuds. Take a quick swig of this right before your mother's meatloaf, and it will taste like water. Here's a catch: pour chocalate in the arselick to make evreything taste like chocolate. This of course, works with anything dropped into the Arselick. As a warning though, taken as above may encourage over-eating.

For the plant: Laugh-o-dils. A magical variety of the daffodil, with much larger petals. Written on the bottom side of each petal of this flower, you will find a joke! It will probably be hilarious and make you laugh. However, the joke will probably stick in the back of your mind for the remainder of the day, causing you to break out in laughter at random, perhaps inappropriate moments. Imagine if you had read all the jokes on one daffodil fower, and were laughing all day.

Let's not forget wand-grade licorice (Grade W?), used for licorice wands! A richer, warmer flavor, with hints of various wandwoods (according to what suits you) and stronger medicinal properties (for what ails you). And made into liquorice ale it's wonderful. But there's always the temptation to let it steep too long in the cauldron, which makes it much stronger ... and habit-forming. Once made into licorice wands, it's quite harmless, except in the hands of a very potent potioneer, who can reconstitute the spiritous essence within the half-spice flavor, with its knotted ribbons of jet-black vapor rising from the cauldron. The very clean cauldron, I might add. Most contaminents will block the creation of the liquor under any conditions, but a few can be fused into the elixer by the re-liquor-fying magic to loose side effects quite as bad as those of cloven Wish Wash.

Draconic--I wish I had some laugh-o-dils! I can always use a good giggle.

...to loose side effects quite as bad as those of cloven Wish Wash.

My, you have a way with words. :cool:

Well, I get carried a'weigh with them, I suppose.

Linda Carrig: Muggles don't need Laugh-o-dils because we have TMQ!

Draconic--you've got a point there!

I am hereby closing the survey & contest for TMQ #132. Survey option "A" edged ahead of "D" by one vote! And although I don't have room for ALL of your great Contest entries, I am going to use as many of them as I can fit in - they're just too good to pass by! Cheers, everyone!

EDIT: Now that I think of it, there is a standing precedent for time travel creating 2 Harveys. I had forgotten about the ending of the "Tea with Il Comte" chapter!

Nothing wrong with saving an idea or two for a later episode, Robbie.

What wonderful plants we have here. We should compile a magibotanical encyclopedia!