Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======Inkwell====== =====Object Information===== * **Type:** Writing Implement, Magical Supply * **Owners:** Virtually all witches and wizards, particularly [[Hogwarts]] students and staff, and [[Ministry of Magic]] employees. * **Maker:** Various magical and non-magical manufacturers; sold in wizarding shops such as [[Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop]] in [[Hogsmeade]]. =====Description and Appearance===== An inkwell is a small pot or container designed to hold [[ink]] for writing with a [[quill]]. These containers are typically made from materials such as glass, stone, pewter, or silver. Most feature a lid or stopper to prevent the [[ink]] from spilling or drying out. Inkwells are a standard piece of equipment in the [[wizarding world]], and students are required to bring one to [[Hogwarts]] as part of their first-year supplies. They are a common sight on desks in classrooms, common rooms, and offices. The [[ink]] they contain comes in various colours, with black being the most common for schoolwork and official documents. =====Magical Properties and Usage===== While most inkwells are mundane objects serving simply as containers, their primary importance lies in holding the various types of magical and non-magical inks used by wizards. The inkwell itself is the delivery system for the [[ink]]'s properties. * **Standard Use:** The most common function is for everyday writing, including homework, essays, letters, and note-taking. Students in classes like [[Potions]], [[History of Magic]], and [[Transfiguration]] rely on them, as do those taking their [[O.W.L.]] and [[N.E.W.T.]] examinations. * **Holding Magical Inks:** Inkwells are used to contain specialized inks with magical properties. Examples include: * **Colour-Changing Ink:** [[Hermione Granger]] used this type of [[ink]] when writing a letter to [[Rita Skeeter]] in an attempt to secure an interview for //The Quibbler//. * **Invisible Ink:** This type of [[ink]] is available for purchase in [[Diagon Alley]], and would be kept in an inkwell for use. * **The Dumbledore's Army Parchment:** The most significant use of an inkwell in the series was as the container for the bewitched [[ink]] [[Hermione Granger]] used for the [[Dumbledore's Army]] sign-up sheet. While the inkwell was likely a standard one, the [[ink]] within was jinxed. When [[Marietta Edgecombe]] betrayed the group to [[Dolores Umbridge]], the [[curse]] activated, causing the word "SNEAK" to erupt in pimples across her face. This demonstrated that an inkwell could be used to dispense a cleverly disguised [[jinx]]. =====History===== As a fundamental writing tool, the inkwell has been in continuous use in the [[wizarding world]] for centuries. It is a required item on the [[Hogwarts]] first-year student list, alongside quills and [[parchment]]. Throughout the series, inkwells are present during many key moments, often as part of the background setting. [[Harry Potter]] uses a quill and inkwell when first communicating with the memory of [[Tom Riddle]] through his [[diary]], with the [[ink]] vanishing into the page. Accidents involving inkwells are common school mishaps; [[Ron Weasley]] once spilled a bottle of [[ink]] all over his [[Charms]] essay, and a similar accident befell [[Harry Potter]]'s [[Potions]] homework. These instances highlight the inkwell's status as a ubiquitous, everyday object in a student's life. =====Role in the Story===== The inkwell's primary role is to establish and reinforce the traditional, non-Muggle atmosphere of the [[wizarding world]]. The reliance on quills, [[ink]], and [[parchment]] over modern instruments like ballpoint pens is a key element of world-building. Its most direct and crucial impact on the plot occurs in //Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix//. The inkwell that held [[Hermione Granger]]'s jinxed [[ink]] for the [[Dumbledore's Army]] list was instrumental in exposing Marietta's betrayal. This event directly led to [[Albus Dumbledore]] taking the blame for the unsanctioned student group, his confrontation with [[Cornelius Fudge]] and Ministry officials, and his subsequent flight from [[Hogwarts]], leaving [[Dolores Umbridge]] as Headmistress. =====Behind the Scenes===== * In the film adaptations, inkwells are prominent visual props in all [[Hogwarts]] classroom, library, and study scenes, helping to create the academic and historical aesthetic of the school. (film) * The choice to use antiquated writing implements like quills and inkwells was a deliberate decision by J.K. Rowling to separate the [[wizarding world]] from the modern, technological [[Muggle]] world. This gives magic and its associated culture a timeless, and at times archaic, quality.
