Ink

Ink
Object information
Usage	Writing or drawing on surfaces, like parchment

"Harry uncorked his ink bottle, dipped his quill into it, then held it suspended an inch above the smooth yellowish surface of his parchment, thinking hard..."

— Harry Potter preparing to write a letter in ink

Ink is a liquid containing dye(s) or natural colouring(s). When it is used, it produces images and texts on various surfaces and media.

Description

A quill with a bottle of ink

Ink was used in conjunction with quills to write on parchments by wizards and witches in the wizarding world, in place of the pens and pencils used in the Muggle world. There were several types of inks, such as Azul Marino ink, various forms and types of Invisible Ink, Disappearing Ink, glow-in-the-dark ink, acidic ink, Self-Correcting Ink, Colour-Change Ink and Everlasting Ink. Harry Potter seemed to prefer a scarlet-coloured ink.

In the wizarding world, ink was not permanent and smudges could easily be erased by using the a spell, with the possible exception of Everlasting Ink. The feathers of the Augurey repelled ink, thus making them useless as quills. Magical Regulation 572 is a rule issued by the British Ministry of Magic stating that the only ink to be used in examinations is Azul Marino ink.

History

Gilderoy Lockhart used Lilac Ink, his favourite colour. Harry used this when he was helping Lockhart answer his fan mails as a detention in 1992.

Tom Riddle's diary leaked ink when it was destroyed

As part of its abilities as a Horcrux, T. M. Riddle's Diary could absorb ink, and could interpret any messages written in it when it absorbed them. It could also respond to these messages in ink, though it would reabsorb the ink used after a few moments. When it was destroyed by Harry Potter in 1993, it leaked a large quantity of ink, similarly to how a human would bleed.

Peeves would often shoot ink pellets at Hogwarts students. This would usually only stop with the interruption of angry ghosts or teachers. In 1995, Dolores Umbridge had a quill which she made students use in detention, but it did not require any ink as it used the user's own blood and etched whatever was written into the skin.

Behind the scenes

• In "The Black Lake" level of LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, as Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory swim through underwater tunnels, the Giant Squid cuts through the rock and releases ink, forcing Harry and Cedric to use Lumos Solem in order to find their way to the end of the tunnels.
• Even though it was not on the list of required equipment that was sent out each year, it is presumed that students would have had to buy ink and parchment (enough to last them until the next holidays).
• Though Harry Potter uses scarlet-coloured ink in the novels, he is seen to use inks of other colours, such as blue or black, in the films.
• It was more practical to use ink through a Muggle pen than with a quill. A quill had to be continually dipped into a separate pot of ink as you go, and the pot was at risk of spilling or breaking (usually being made of glass). A pen on the other hand had its own automatic internal source of ink and did not run the risk of spilling or breaking. Pens were also more easily portable and better suited for daily use.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Pottermore
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• LEGO Harry Potter (Ink bottles)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World (Ink bottles)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
• Hogwarts Legacy (Mentioned only)