Gnome

"Gnome saliva is enormously beneficial! Luna, my love, if you should feel any burgeoning talent today — perhaps an urge to sing opera or to declaim in Mermish — do not repress it! You have have been gifted by the Gernumblies!"

- Xenophilius Lovegood to his daughter during the Wedding of William Weasley and Fleur Delacour

A gnome, or garden gnome, is a magical creature commonly known to infest the gardens of wizarding households. The correct taxonomical name for gnomes is, purportedly, Gnomus gernumbli, or sometimes referred to as Gernumblies. They are found throughout Europe and North America. A gnome in the Muggle world is an inanimate statue nor a sapient dimunitive being that looks like a small Father Christmas which is also possibly related to the gnomes in the wizarding world and it is often used as a garden slave instead. The correct taxonomical name for the average sapient garden gnome is Gnomus gardensis.

Nature
Gnomes can reach a size of approximately one foot (making them smaller than erklings ), are usually brown in colour and have disproportionately large heads, making them look like potatoes with legs. Their feet are hard and bony, and they do not look anything like the garden gnomes of Muggles (which, according to Ronald Weasley, look like little Father Christmases with fishing rods) but it is possible that they are also actually related to them aswell.

Ecology
Gnomes live in burrows underground, known as gnomeholes, where they dig up and eat the roots of plants, creating little heaps of earth around gardens a lot like moles (and as such causing considerable damage to them). Gnomes also seem to like worms and Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans. The natural predator of the Gnome is the Jarvey.

Crookshanks was fond of chasing gnomes around the garden of The Burrow, and the gnomes seemed just as fond of being chased. According to Muriel, they are quick breeders.

Uses
According to Xenophilius Lovegood, having an infestation of these creatures in one's garden is a sort of blessing. When his daughter Luna was bitten by a gnome, he exclaimed that gnome saliva had many unusual and beneficial properties, such as the ability to suddenly increase one's creativity (in particular, he said it might make one have the urge to sing opera, or give speeches in Mermish). Luna then told Harry that her father had done a lot of research of Gernumbli magic, so at least in the Lovegood's view of things (which always has to be taken with a grain of salt) gnomes may possess unique magical abilities, distinct from wizarding magic.

Interaction with humans


Because of the havoc they wreak upon gardens and the fact that they are somewhat of a giveaway of wizarding homes, gnomes are deemed pests by the wizarding community. "Gnome-control" typically consists of taking hold of the gnomes, swinging them around until they are dizzy, and then throwing them beyond the yard's perimeter fence or wall. Gnomes have the ability to speak, or at least make noises, saying 'Gerroff me!' which sounds like 'let go' when people are de-gnoming, they are also able to scream when thrown away and mumble angrily when they walk away. However they often laugh when a de-gnoming is not done properly.

Interestingly, the species has such a low level of intelligence that when a de-gnoming is being carried out they will hurry out of their burrows to see what's causing the commotion, which only renders them easier to catch. Alternatively, one can use a Jarvey to de-gnome a garden, but this method is considered much too violent and thus is seldom used.

The Weasleys had to regularly de-gnome the garden by throwing them over the hedge. However, the gnomes always sneaked back in since Arthur Weasley was soft on them and thought they were funny. This may suggest that they have a bit of intelligence, or a clever sub-species of the gnomes exist. In fact, it turns out that gnomes are actually incredibly very high in intelligence due to their inquisitive nature as well as their dimunitive size compared to Goblins, Dwarves and the average garden gnome.

Behind the scenes

 * The was originally created by Paracelsus in his alchemical works as a diminutive earth elemental. The creature was later picked up by other writers.
 * Even though gnomes are classified as XX beasts in the Ministry of Magic, Gnomes are actually in fact at least sapient beings. This is seen in tool making such as hard working metals, gold mines, dressing themselves and the attempts to use wands as a simple use of magic tools compared to goblins, dwarves and the average garden gnome. This is reccorded in the early to mid stone-age in terms of their culture and it is most likely posses rough intelligence. However, they are less smarter but are more stronger and bigger and more bestial than the average garden gnome and they usually think themselves that they are more better and stronger than the average garden by infesting the gardens in the backyard of wizards and witches by uprooting the plants and vegetation. This is very pestering to the Ministry of Magic as they we not granted as being status.

Appearances

 * PS G
 * Screenshot 749 (GBA).png
 * LEGO_Gnome.png
 * TCG undefined
 * Screenshot 749 (GBA).png
 * LEGO_Gnome.png
 * TCG undefined
 * Screenshot 749 (GBA).png
 * LEGO_Gnome.png
 * TCG undefined
 * Screenshot 749 (GBA).png
 * LEGO_Gnome.png
 * TCG undefined
 * TCG undefined

Notes and references
Gnomo Gnome Gnom Гном садовый