Dungbomb

Dungbomb
Object information
Manufacturer	Alberic Grunnion
Made	1800s
Usage	Magical stinkbomb that gives off a putrid odour
Owners	Fred Weasley † George Weasley Ron Weasley Harry Potter

"These contraband items are useful for clearing a room."

— Description

A Dungbomb was a magical stink bomb that gave off a putrid odour. Dungbombs were invented in the 1800s by Alberic Grunnion. When handled, Dungbombs left a person's hands dirty. They were sold at Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, priced at one Sickle and twenty-one Knuts each.

Known uses

In 1891, Dungbombs were available for purchase at Zonko's Joke Shop in Hogsmeade.

In or around the 1910s, Leta Lestrange, whilst a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, let off a Dungbomb under the desk of Prendergast, a Hogwarts employee, so she could join her friend Newton Scamander in detention.

Students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were constantly reminded by Professor Dumbledore that Dungbombs were banned items at the school, though only at the request of Argus Filch. Despite (or perhaps due to) Filch's dislike of them, students often used them at school.

Tulip's Dungbomb necklace

They were a particular favourite of Tulip Karasu, who frequently used them in her many pranks at Hogwarts in the 1980s. She also owned a special Dungbomb on a necklace that she later gave to her friend, Jacob's sibling.

During the 1980s or 1990s, Zonko's sold a special extra smelly variant of a Dungbomb.

Fred and George Weasley once set a Dungbomb off under their Auntie Muriel's chair, leading her to never visit again, and she subsequently wrote them out of her will. In their first year at Hogwarts, the twins set off a Dungbomb and incurred Filch's wrath. Sent to his office, they discovered the Marauder's Map, and George caused a distraction by dropping a second Dungbomb so that Fred could nick the map.

Dungbomb setting off in Dolores Umbridge's office

During the 1990–1991 school year, Jacob's sibling used a Dungbomb to drive Dolores Umbridge out of her office so that they could properly search it to find out the information that Rita Skeeter wanted them to acquire.

"Aha! I've had a tip-off that you are intending to place a massive order for Dungbombs!"

— Argus Filch accusing Harry Potter of purchasing Dungbombs

A poster advertising Dungbombs sold at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

In 1995, Nymphadora Tonks also taught Ginny Weasley to test a door for an Imperturbable Charm, by checking if Dungbombs bounced away after being flicked at the door in question. Later that same year, Filch accused Harry Potter of using an owl to order Dungbombs, when he was actually sending a secret letter to Sirius Black, and Harry truthfully denied it, with the backing of Cho Chang.

In 1996, as the tyranny of Dolores Umbridge reached a new level with her becoming Headmistress, the students of Hogwarts revolted en masse, and Dungbombs and Stink Pellets were dropped in the halls with such frequency that it became the new fashion for students to use the Bubble-Head Charm just to ensure that they had a supply of fresh, clean air. This increase in the use was partly in honour of Fred and George Weasley, with students continuing Weasley twins' campaign of harassment against Umbridge in the aftermath of their departure from Hogwarts.

The twins later sold Dungbombs among the many joke products at their shop, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

Ron Weasley once expressed his fondness for Dungbombs by writing "Dungbombs rule" in Harry Potter's copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander.

In the 2010–2011 school year, Robyn Thistlethwaite accidentally set off Dungbombs in Zonko's Joke Shop and created a mess.

Behind the scenes

• In the original Chinese version of Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, there was a scene where Cassandra Vole, in her first year at Hogwarts, released some Dungbombs in the Defence Against the Dark Arts Classroom, and pretended to invite Ivy Warrington to a duel there. When she and her friend arrived, they had to use the Windy Spell to clear out the foul smell. This was cut after the worldwide release.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First mentioned)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Mentioned only)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay (Mentioned only)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (Mentioned only)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Mentioned only)
• Pottermore
• Wizarding World (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened (Mentioned only) (Cut from the release version)
• Hogwarts Legacy
• The Art of Harry Potter: Mini Book of Graphic Design

See also

• Stink Pellets
• Jumbo Dungbomb