Tape Measure

• Type: Magical Device, Measuring Instrument
• Owners: Madam Malkin, Garrick Ollivander
• Maker: Unknown

A magical tape measure is an enchanted measuring instrument used by witches and wizards in trades requiring precise measurements, such as robe-making and wand-making. Visually, they resemble their Muggle counterparts. The tape measure owned by the wand maker Garrick Ollivander is noted for having silver markings. The specific appearance of the one used at Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions is not described in detail, but it functions in a similar automated fashion.

The primary magical property of these tape measures is their ability to function autonomously. They are enchanted to move on their own, often described as “whizzing” or “whipping” through the air to take a person's measurements without being held. This allows the shopkeeper or artisan to attend to other tasks while the client is being measured. The enchanted tape measures seen in the series are highly precise and thorough.

• At Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, a tape measure automatically takes standard tailoring measurements from a client, such as shoulder to floor, wrist to elbow, inside the leg, and around the head.
• At Ollivanders, the silver-marked tape measure used for wand fitting is even more peculiar and comprehensive. It measured Harry Potter from shoulder to finger, wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit, and around his head. In a moment that surprised Harry, it also measured the distance between his nostrils, demonstrating a level of thoroughness specific to the unique art of wand-lore.

This automation suggests the tape measures are imbued with a form of sentience or are controlled by a complex Charm that directs