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. ======Tarts====== =====Object Information===== * **Type:** [[Food]] (Pastry) * **Notable Makers:** [[Hogwarts house-elves]], [[Molly Weasley]], [[Kreacher]] =====Description and Appearance===== Tarts are a type of baked dish consisting of a filling over a pastry base with an open top. In the wizarding world, as in the Muggle world, they are a common dessert and comfort food. They appear frequently during feasts at [[Hogwarts]] and are also made in domestic settings like [[The Burrow]]. The most prominent variety mentioned in the series is [[Treacle Tart]], a traditional British dessert made with shortcrust pastry and a golden syrup filling. Other varieties, such as jam tarts, are also noted. They are typically served as individual portions or as a larger tart cut into slices. =====Magical Properties and Usage===== While generally a non-magical food item, tarts—particularly [[Treacle Tart]]—have a significant connection to magical effects and character motivations. * **Consumption:** Their primary use is as a food, often served during celebratory feasts or as a comforting dessert. * **[[Amortentia]]:** The powerful [[Love Potion]] smells differently to each person according to what attracts them. For [[Harry Potter]], one of the distinct scents he identifies from [[Amortentia]] is [[Treacle Tart]]. This links the dessert directly to his deepest feelings of comfort, home, and affection. * **House-Elf Magic:** The ability of [[house-elves]] like [[Kreacher]] to produce excellent tarts with magic is a recurring feature, demonstrating their powerful and often underestimated magical capabilities. =====History===== Tarts appear consistently throughout the series, often marking moments of comfort, celebration, or character revelation. * In //Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone//, [[Treacle Tart]] appears during the Start-of-Term Feast, where [[Harry Potter]] discovers it is his favourite food. * In //Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets//, a plate of jam tarts is present in the [[Slytherin Common Room]]. [[Ron Weasley]], disguised as [[Vincent Crabbe]] via [[Polyjuice Potion]], is chastised by [[Draco Malfoy]] for his eagerness to eat them. * In //Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince//, Harry smells [[Treacle Tart]] when he is introduced to [[Amortentia]] in [[Professor Slughorn]]'s [[Potions]] class, highlighting its personal significance to him. * In //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows//, after being given [[Regulus Black]]'s locket, a much kinder [[Kreacher]] begins cooking meals that Harry enjoys, including [[Treacle Tart]]. This culinary gesture serves as tangible proof of the [[house-elf]]'s change of loyalty. =====Role in the Story===== Beyond being a simple food item, tarts serve an important thematic function in the series, primarily through [[Harry Potter]]'s connection to [[Treacle Tart]]. * **Symbol of Home and Comfort:** For Harry, who grew up without love or comfort at the [[Dursleys]], [[Treacle Tart]] represents the warmth, security, and happiness he finds at [[Hogwarts]] and with the [[Weasley family]]. It is a consistent source of simple pleasure in a life filled with hardship. * **Indicator of Love and Affection:** The scent of [[Treacle Tart]] in [[Amortentia]] is a powerful clue to Harry's emotional core. It symbolizes his longing for a true home and family, which becomes intrinsically linked with his growing feelings for [[Ginny Weasley]] and his place at [[The Burrow]]. * **Marker of Redemption:** [[Kreacher]]'s decision to make [[Treacle Tart]] for Harry is a pivotal moment in the [[house-elf]]'s character arc. It is an act of service born not of obligation but of genuine care, signifying his redemption and his acceptance of Harry as his new master. =====Behind the Scenes===== * In a 2000 interview, J.K. Rowling stated that Harry's favourite food is [[Treacle Tart]] simply because she is very fond of it herself (J.K. Rowling interview).
