Quick-Quotes Quill

Quick-Quotes Quill
Object information
Made	1994 or earlier
Usage	To record and often exaggerate spoken words for use in journalism
Owners	Rita Skeeter

"You won't mind, Harry, if I use a Quick-Quotes Quill? It leaves me free to talk to you normally..."

— Rita introducing her special quill

A Quick-Quotes Quill was a magical quill used frequently among reporters and journalists that wrote automatically as the subject who was being interviewed spoke. However, the quill did not record verbatim what the subject said, but rather changed the subject's words as they spoke to create lies and false stories written in the name of controversy and attention, making them a favourite for poison-pen journalist Rita Skeeter. These quills were similar to Self-Writing Quills.

Known uses

"Attractive blonde Rita Skeeter, forty-three, whose savage quill has punctured many inflated reputations..."

— Quick-Quotes Quill transcription

Rita Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill taking notes

Rita Skeeter used a long, acid green Quick-Quotes Quill when interviewing people for the Daily Prophet. To use it, Skeeter sucked on the end and then placed it upright on parchment.

One notable use of the Quick-Quotes Quill was when Skeeter interviewed Harry Potter after he had been chosen to compete in the 1994–1995 Triwizard Tournament. During the interview, the quill depicted Harry as a victim of tragedy despite him stating that he did not remember his parents; it even wrote the interview and himself in a rather over-dramatising manner, much to his chagrin.

Skeeter, throughout her interviews in Hogwarts, knew that not everyone approved of the quills' use, as she hurriedly hid it from Albus Dumbledore when he was within eyeshot.

In 1997, Skeeter mentioned in her interview concerning Dumbledore's posthumous biography that the Quick-Quotes Quill helped her to write the book so quickly after his death. She also used it to report on the 2014 Quidditch World Cup final.

Some time after, there was an unknown wizard who was seen murmuring to one of these quills.

Behind the scenes

Skeeter’s Quick-Quotes Quill as seen in Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Rita Skeeter has an acid green-coloured pheasant quill that floats rather characteristically beside her writing on a notebook as Rita interviews Harry in an old broom cupboard. It also seems to be some kind of sentient, as Rita talks to it and it's writing-head points at Harry at one point, like it had eyes.
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter sells Quick-Quote Quill replicas.
• It appears on the cover of the book The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore in the first film adaption of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, but it does not appear to be cared for, like in the Goblet of Fire film.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) (Seen on Disc 2)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Seen on book cover)
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault (Mentioned only)
• Pottermore
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
• Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions
• The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac