At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. Spoilers will be present within the article.
"She leapt up and struggled against towards a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snake-like tendrils around her ankles. As for Harry and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without them noticing. Hermione managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the two boys fought to pull the plant of them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them"
Devil's Snare is a magical plant with the ability to constrict or strangle anything in its surrounding environment or something that happens to touch it. Devil's Snare does not seem to be common, but certain Herbologists have access to it.
Description
Hermione Granger: "Stop Moving! I know what this is - it's Devil's Snare!"
Ron Weasley: "Oh I'm glad we know what it's called, that's a great help"
Hermione Granger: "Shut up! I'm trying to remember how to kill it!"
Harry Potter: "Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!"
— The Trio falling victim to the Devil's Snare[src]
Hermione Granger managing to safely pass through the Devil's Snare in 1992
It is composed of a mass of soft, springy tendrils and vines that possess some sense of touch, and resembles the Flitterbloom. This plant uses its creepers and tendrils to ensnare anyone who touches it, binding their arms and legs and eventually choking them. The harder a person struggles against Devil's Snare, the faster and more tightly it binds them. If the victim is able to maintain their presence of mind and relaxes, the Snare will relax its grip on them. Struggling or resistance to Devil's Snare will cause the plant to exert a greater force of constriction. Devil's Snare prefers a dark, damp environment. It will stop its movement in the environment in front of bright light and will recoil away from the heat of fire, so a well-placed fire or light based spell such as the Bluebell Flames, Fire-Making Spell, Wand-Lighting Charm or Lumos Solem Spell will effectively drive it away from its victims.[1]
In 1984, Merula Snyde was shown a Devil's Snare in a storehouse by fourth year Slytherin students shortly after her arrival. Later in the year, Jacob's sibling was tricked by Merula Snyde into entering the storeroom under the belief they were getting picked slugs for ProfessorSeverus Snape in order to recover lost house points. They were rescued by Rubeus Hagrid.[2]
Hermione burning the plant with the Bluebell flames
In 1991, ProfessorSprout placed a large Devil's Snare as the second defence of the Philosopher's Stone, just below the trapdoor guarded by Fluffy. In 1992, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley were caught in the plant when they attempted to prevent the theft of the Philosopher's Stone. Hermione managed to quickly free herself from the plant's grasp, but Harry and Ron quickly became bound by its tendrils, and started to suffocate. Hermione Granger instantly identified it but initially struggled to remember how to kill the plant from she had learnt in Herbology, but thankfully, she remembered the plant's preference for damp and darkness, so she set the plant alight with the Bluebell Flames, freeing both Harry and Ron from the deadly plant.[1]
In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Hermione and Harry were able to escape the Devil's Snare by simply remaining calm. When Ron began to panic, Hermione saved him by casting Lumos Solem. The Snare also roared in its appearance when exposed to Hermione's spell.
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Devil's Snare can be seen inside the Room of Requirement growing out of a glass case at the bottom of a column and growing toward the ceiling.
Boss portrait in the PS2, Xbox and Gamecube versions of The Philosopher's Stone
This also applies to its portrayal in the GBA version, but it instead fires seeds continuously from its mouth if within a specific range and can only shoot them diagonally (unless Harry is very close to them then they'll shoot perpendicularly); unlike the Venomous Tentacula, it can be defeated by jinxing the nearby torch platters with Flipendo to make them tumble and burn the Devil's Snare.
Harry casting a Flipendo jinx at a Devil's Snare stalk in the PS1 version
In the PS1 version, there is a circular chamber containing the Devil's Snare. Ron and Hermione run to a side and a part of the Devil's Snare forms a wall, blocking them from the rest of the circular chamber. There are several tree-like branches which are green that spring up when Harry gets to close and attempt to squash him. Harry must cast the Knockback Jinx on the correct stalk (indicated in light green) in order to kill that stalk and bring the central stalk up, in which Harry must use a fully charged jinx at it to defeat part of its life. After defeating it each time and then setting the plant alight with the Fire-Making Spell to kill it, the Devil's Snare blocking Ron and Hermione will wither away which allows them all to proceed.
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