J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series turned 20 on June 26th, the anniversary of the 1997 publication of the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Rowling’s series went on to span seven full-length novels, eight feature films, and countless fans all over the world. But if you’re reading this article, I’m guessing you already know that.
But do you really know the Harry Potter universe as well as you think?
In honor of Harry Potter’s 20th anniversary, I’ve captured the golden snitch of trivia questions designed to bludgeon your brain. Can you answer each of these 20 questions correctly? You’ll need some serious magic skills to ace this trivia quiz. Check your answers below, tally up your results, and figure out just how big a Potterhead you really are.
(1.) Who does Voldemort take captive in the opening of Deathly Hallows?
a. Charity Burbage
b. Alecto Carrow
c. Wilhelm Wigworthy
d. Luna Lovegood
(2.) Which charm likely keeps the Daily Prophet newspaper updated throughout the day?
a. Scroll Saver Charm
b. Protean Charm
c. Charta Dentata Charm
d. Nuntium Charm
(3.) What was the name of Ron’s first pet owl?
a. Pigwidgeon
b. Scabbers
c. Flibbertigibbet
d. Fawkes
(4.) Which brick do you tap on the wall behind the Leaky Cauldron to get to Diagon Alley?
a. The one with “D.A.” inscribed on it
b. The gold one
c. From the gutter, five up and three to the left
d. From the trashcan, three up and two across
(5.) What form does Albus Dumbledore’s patronus take?
a. Lynx
b. Cat
c. Phoenix
d. Dove
(6.) Which of these characters was NOT killed in the Battle of Hogwarts?
a. Fred Weasley
b. Pomona Sprout
c. Severus Snape
d. Colin Creevey
(7.) What is the first chapter in Order of the Phoenix called?
a. “Owl Post”
b. “A Peck of Owls”
c. “Dudley Demented”
d. “The Riddle House”
(8.) How did Peter Pettigrew die?
a. Strangled by his own silver hand.
b. He drowned.
c. Sirius murdered him.
d. Nagini ate him.
(9.) What was Harry’s wand made of?
a. Pine
b. Yew
c. Birch
d. Holly
(10.) Who was the treasurer of S.P.E.W.?
a. Neville Longbottom
b. Harry Potter
c. Ron Weasley
d. Ginny Weasley
(11.) What is Tom Marvolo Riddle’s birthday?
a. July 30, 1925
c. January 1, 1926
d. December 31, 1926
e. February 22, 1928
(12.) Crookshanks is half what?
a. Half-Werewolf
b. Half-Kneazle
c. Half-Thestral
d. Half-Lion
(13.) What is the name for the Quidditch foul when someone other than the seeker touches the Golden Snitch?
a. Snitchnip
b. Stooging
c. Gold-Grabbing
d. Wingflick
(14.) Which of these characters was NOT a member of Dumbledore’s Army?
a. Colin Creevey
b. Marietta Edgecombe
c. Justin Finch-Fletchey
d. Penelope Clearwater
(15.) Which charm did Gilderoy Lockhart claim to use when he defeated the Wagga Wagga Werewolf?
a. The Homorphus Charm
b. The Partis Temporus
c. Lumos Solem
d. Epoximise
(16.) How many birthday presents did Dudley receive on his eleventh birthday?
a. 33
b. 36
c. 38
d. 39
(17.) In Goblet of Fire, what time does Sirius arrange to talk with Harry Potter in the Gryffindor Common Room fireplace?
a. October 18 at 12:00 a.m.
b. October 31 at 3:33 a.m.
c. November 22 at 1:00 a.m.
d. November 26 at 12:30 a.m.
(18.) Which of these names is one of Mrs. Figgs’ cats?
a. Mrs. Whiskers
b. Daisy
c. Ginger
d. Snowy
(19.) What is another name for the Drink of Despair?
a. The Black Potion
b. The Emerald Potion
c. Liquid Death
d. Taste of Tears
(20.) Which book is dedicated to Mackenzie, “Her ink and paper twin”?
a. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
b. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
c. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
d. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Check your answers:
1: a — 2: b — 3: a — 4: d — 5: c — 6: b — 7: c — 8: a — 9: d — 10: c — 11: d
12: b — 13: a — 14: d — 15: a — 16: b — 17: c — 18: d — 19: b — 20: d
0-5 correct
With no more than 5 correct, consider this answer a gift to you. This is probably a sign that you need to reread the Harry Potter series. Go ahead, thank me. You might have been a Potterhead once, but it’s been a while since you’ve read the series. Consider this quiz all the motivation you need to take another walk through Harry Potter’s magical wizarding world.
6-10 correct
Nobody could call you a lightweight. You could definitely hold your own in a pub night down in Hogsmeade. When your friends have a super specific question about the Harry Potter universe, they turn to you. Still, this tally shows room to grow. Given how many bombshells Rowling has dropped over the years and the many spinoffs, the Harry Potter series is begging for a reread. This time, don’t read out of order but instead take a leisurely stroll through the series looking for every Easter egg clue you missed.
11-15 correct
With 11-15 questions correct of some of the toughest Harry Potter trivia, you don’t mess around. You know just about everything there is to know about the canon, but maybe some of the questions you missed are begging you to revisit some of the novels (you know, the books you haven’t already reread and reread). Cherrypick your favorites or start from the first page of Sorcerer’s Stone, settle in and dive back into the world of Harry Potter, obscure trivia and all.
16-20 correct
This quiz was deliberately hard. Only J. K. Rowling alone could get 16-20 right, which makes me suspect you were the real author of the series. Kidding! If you’ve gotten 16 or more questions right, you are clearly the Hermione among your friends. So if you’re that much of a Prefect at this, leave your own super hard question in the comments below and stump us all!
Which bottles in the Professor Snape’s potions riddle were of nettle wine?
I believe bottles 2 and 6 are Nettle Wine. 🙂