Dungbombs

• Type: Joke Product, Magical Device
• Owners: Various Hogwarts students, including Fred Weasley, George Weasley, and Ron Weasley. Peeves the Poltergeist is also a frequent user.
• Maker: Unspecified, but sold at wizarding joke shops.

A Dungbomb is a small, spherical object, typically black in colour, designed to release a powerful and offensive odour upon detonation. Even before being activated, a Dungbomb may emit a faint, foul smell. When it explodes, it unleashes a large cloud of pungent, lingering smoke, which is potent enough to cause significant disruption and disgust. The smell is described as revolting and can permeate an area for some time.

The primary magical property of a Dungbomb is the instantaneous creation of an extremely unpleasant smell. Its use is straightforward: the object is thrown or dropped, and upon impact, it detonates. The resulting stench serves as an effective distraction, a tool for mischief, or a means of clearing a space of people. Dungbombs are a classic prank item in the wizarding world and are especially popular among young wizards and witches. They are considered a minor magical nuisance and are on the list of items banned inside Hogwarts Castle by the caretaker, Argus Filch.

Dungbombs have long been a staple of student pranks at Hogwarts. Argus Filch frequently complains about their use, particularly by the poltergeist Peeves, who enjoys setting them off in crowded corridors and pelting students with them. They were famously sold at Zonko's Joke Shop in the village of Hogsmeade, where they were a popular purchase for students during their weekend visits. After Zonko's closed, Fred and George Weasley considered purchasing the location to expand Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, their own highly successful joke shop in Diagon Alley, which sold a wide range of similar prank products.

Dungbombs are a recurring minor element that helps establish the atmosphere of student life and rebellion at Hogwarts. Their presence underscores the constant battle of wills between prank-loving students and the beleaguered caretaker, Argus Filch.

• In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Filch laments that Peeves has been setting off Dungbombs near the third-floor corridor.
• In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Filch threatens Harry Potter with detention, complaining that Peeves has been sticking Dungbombs to the ceiling.
• During the oppressive regime of Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the use of Dungbombs and Stink Pellets escalates, becoming a tool of widespread student protest. Students set them off in corridors to create chaos and undermine Umbridge's authority, contributing to an atmosphere she is unable to control.
• They are mentioned as a product available for purchase at Zonko's Joke Shop and later seen in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, highlighting their status as a common commercial joke item in the wizarding world.

• In several Harry Potter video games, including Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Dungbombs can be collected and used by the player. They typically serve as a throwable item to distract non-playable characters like prefects and professors. (video game)