Xylomancy

"Today is already progressing as the twigs described. The twigs, my children, are our instruments as we learn about Xylomancy. Please do not kick the sticks, unless you don't like what they have shown you. The twigs may reveal a great many things, if you know how to read the omens... What do you see? A pile of sticks or a tapestry of future events? Focus!"

— Professor Sybill Trelawney to her sixth year Divination students

Twigs used in xylomancy

Xylomancy was an "often overlooked" type of divination that relied upon twigs.

Overview

According to Sybill Trelawney, it was an ancient method, and in order to be able to read the omens, one had to account for several aspects, such as the size, shape, and colour of the twigs. She also preferred using only twigs and branches that have fallen naturally.

History

Professor Trelawney makes a xylomancy demonstration to her students

It was covered in the book Xylomancy by Selina Sapworthy. It was part of the sixth-year Divination curriculum at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and at least once a specialised extracurricular class in the art was taught in the North Tower.

In 1926, Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry also started offering an extracurricular class in xylomancy.

Students learning about xylomancy in the 1989–1990 school year at Hogwarts were somewhat sceptical of the method: Talbott Winger deemed it "more absurd than reading tea leaves" and wondered, upon seeing a twig shaped like a hook, if it meant he would be killed by a pirate; Nymphadora Tonks could only tell that the twigs would make perfect kindling.

While attending Ilvermorny, Ruby Honeysuckle chose Xylomancy as an elective, although she wasn't sure why.

Appearances

• Pottermore (First mentioned)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film) (Mentioned in a newspaper)
• Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (First appearance)

See also

• Phyllomancy
• Tessomancy