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{{Quote|It's quite easy once you know how, one simple [[Freezing Charm]] on these absurd burglar alarms [[Non-magic people|they]] use instead of Sneakoscopes and make sure the neighbours don't spot you bringing in the piano.|Mentioned use of a Sneakoscope|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince}}
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{{Quote|It's quite easy once you know how, one simple [[Freezing Charm]] on these absurd [[burglar alarm]]s [[Non-magic people|they]] use instead of Sneakoscopes and make sure the neighbours don't spot you bringing in the piano.|Mentioned use of a Sneakoscope|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince}}
   
 
A '''Sneakoscope''' is a type of [[Dark Detector]] that looks like a glass spinning top. It lights up, spins, and whistles if someone is doing something untrustworthy nearby.
 
A '''Sneakoscope''' is a type of [[Dark Detector]] that looks like a glass spinning top. It lights up, spins, and whistles if someone is doing something untrustworthy nearby.

Revision as of 16:56, 27 July 2019

"It's quite easy once you know how, one simple Freezing Charm on these absurd burglar alarms they use instead of Sneakoscopes and make sure the neighbours don't spot you bringing in the piano."
— Mentioned use of a Sneakoscope[src]

A Sneakoscope is a type of Dark Detector that looks like a glass spinning top. It lights up, spins, and whistles if someone is doing something untrustworthy nearby.

History

Invention

Stroulger

Edgar Stroulger developing the Pocket Sneakoscope

The Sneakoscope was invented in the eighteenth century by the wizarding inventor Edgar Stroulger.[1][2][3]

1990s

Ronald Weasley (Ron)  purchased a "pocket" Sneakoscope in Egypt in 1993 as a thirteenth birthday present for Harry Potter. Ron's brother Bill said it was just a piece of rubbish sold for tourists and did not work as it was whistling at their supper table. However, he had not realised that Fred and George had put beetles in his soup. It also lit up when Ron was tying Harry's birthday package to Errol's leg, as he was not supposed to use the old owl for long journeys.[4] Later that year, Harry's Sneakoscope started whistling on the Hogwarts Express when Scabbers was nearby,[5] as Scabbers was really Peter Pettigrew in his Animagus rat disguise (which might help explain the previous occurrences as well). Harry had to keep the Sneakoscope in a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks to keep the whistling quiet.[6]

"Professor Moody" (disguised as Mad Eye Moody) had a large Sneakoscope in his office in Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts. He had to disable it because, he claimed, it was extra-sensitive and would whistle at any deceit as far off as a mile, not to mention students lying about their homework.[7] Regardless of the truth of this claim, it would certainly have been activated by "Professor Moody" himself, as he was Barty Crouch Jr in disguise.

A few Sneakoscopes (along with other detection devices) were present in the Room of Requirement while Dumbledore's Army was using it to practise.[8] Sadly, they proved of little help to the D.A. when Professor Dolores Umbridge finally discovered where they were. 

Hermione Granger gave Harry a Sneakoscope as a gift for his seventeenth birthday at breakfast, before a small celebration was held in his honour.[9]

The contraption later alerted Harry, Ron, and Hermione about the Snatchers outside of their tent after accidently saying the Dark Lord's name even though it was Tabooed. Unfortunately, it also alerted the Snatchers that the trio were in the tent.[10]

Types of sneakoscope

Types of sneakoscope

Behind the scenes

Appearances

Notes and references