Archive of Riddles

PeskyPixie - Nov 15, 2007 7:42 pm (#2171 of 2987)

Well, well, the Gryffindor keeps her word and solves the riddle! Well done, PatPat. The answer is indeed Parvati and Padma Patil.

***goes to sulk in a dark corner after forcing an ugly smile and shaking hands with PatPat***

Bright And Charming, Soars The Skies, - this first line describes a Ravenclaw; Padma is one. "Bright" means 'intelligent' and "charming" refers to 'wit' (both traits of Ravenclaw House). The "soars the skies" bit is a tribute to the mascot of Ravenclaw House, the eagle.

Lovely As A Flower - Padma means 'lotus' (which is most definitely a flower) in Sanskrit (well done, Victoire!). The "lovely" applies to both sisters as they're supposed to be the best-looking girls in their year.

Unrivalled Strength And Bravery, - see explanation for line 4.

Mountain-Moving Power - once again in Sanskrit, 'parvat' means 'mountain'. In Hindu lore, the lord of the Himalayas (named 'Himavat') has a daughter who is known as Parvati, literally, 'she of the mountain'. Parvati is revered as a Mother Goddess who is also known by many other names. In some of these other forms she is the great vanquisher of demons and evils which even the greatest braves are unable to defeat, hence "unrivalled strength and bravery" and "power". I thought the "bravery" also ties in well with Gryffindor House.

Hint 1: Be not led astray by the second half of the first quarter. -the first quarter of this riddle is line 1. The second half of this first quarter is "soars the skies"; I felt too many people were being misled by these three words which serve no other purpose than describing the Ravenclaw mascot.

Hint 2: In essence, divided, yet undivided. -well, they're twins, so they will be a set ('undivided') for their entire lives. However, not only are they two different people, these twins belong to two different Houses ('divided').

Hint 3: It's time to dig deeper in your mythology books, or pull out new ones if need be. -the mythology aspect was suspected by many from the start, however, one needs to examine a whole different set of stories to figure this riddle out.

***forces the ugly smile again*** "Over to you, PatPat!" ***goes back to dark corner after relinquishing this last bit of power***

ETA: LOL, my next clue was going to be, "Mona is most likely to solve it", seeing as she's from India. I guess I shouldn't have assumed she is Hindu just because she's Indian.

PatPat - Nov 24, 2007 3:44 pm (#2402 of 2987)

Well, well, well. Victoire Weasley has it! It is indeed the Potters' memorial in Godric's Hollow. Well done!

Twice the struggle
Twice the sorrow - These two lines refer to the fact that the memorial was two different things commemorating an awful event: a war memorial and a memorial to the Potters.

blessed today - The memorial shows Harry when he was truly blessed, a happy baby with no scar and both his parents.

but empty tomorrow. - This is a threefold clue. First it illustrates that Harry was "empty" in a sense after his parents were killed. Second, it represents the fact that the Potters' memorial disappears as Harry and Hermione walk away and turns back into a war memorial. Thirdly (and most obscurely) the word empty is another word for Hollow, meant to direct you to Godric's Hollow.

Believe your eyes - The Potters' memorial appears and disappears

and tell me

who or what am I?

Hint 1: Follow your heart, Harry This was meant to direct you to the fact that Harry followed his heart and instincts to go to Godric's Hollow

Hint 2:
Neither Lord Voldemort
nor the brothers Black
the truth is ahead
and also back As Harry left the memorial he headed toward a second Potter memorial at the sight of the house. So, the truth of what happened was ahead of him and also behind him.

Hint 3: Not Dumbledore's eyes/glasses or the portrait of Ariana, but the answer to my riddle is actually another form of one of these, in a sense. The memorial is a scultpure another form of art like a portrait

Hint 4: I am a thing. I am a thing. To point you toward the fact that the memorial is actually two things.

Hint 5:
Trust your eyes
Don't be surprised
I'm here and gone
If only you're one.
The memorial only appears and turns back into the war memorial if you are a witch or wizard

Well done, Victoire! Look forward to your new riddle.

4Victoire Weasley – Nov 27, 2007 8:44 am (#2479 of 2987)

Okay, let me just start by telling you what a scary day I had yesterday. My Internet just randomly decided to stop working at around 11:00 am and wasn't back on until 6:00 pm when hubby came home and worked his computer magic. By then it was time for dinner, baths and bedtime and I had no time to check the Forum. Anyway...

In all fairness, I warned you all that I am a novice at riddle writing, so the fact that it was answered correctly on the first guess should be no surprise. The good news is that the "baton" has now been passed so I'll have time to work on some better ones. Thanks for the words of encouragement PatPat.

Nice job Good Evans, I hope you have a riddle ready. The answer, of course, is Luna Lovegood. I just love her character. She is so blunt and honest, not afraid to be herself and she is loyal and brave. **wishing I had one of Potterholic's Luna graphics**

Loyal, characteristic of Luna witty, reference to "wit"/Ravenclaw full of heart reference to Lovegood

Odd and maybe a bit loony probably the give away, but I couldn't resist

Honest, noble both qualities/symbols of the eagle and heavenly reference to the moon/Luna

Just don't call me Moony another reference to the moon and again, I couldn't resist once it popped into my head.

Good Evans - Nov 28, 2007 4:43 am (#2504 of 2987)

congratulations Mona and Sheila you are correct, you may fight it out between you.

But as I spent ages writing the thing - I shall explain it - please indulge......

To Swinburne I am the Myrtle of death
But I wouldn’t take that literally, it’s not my best.
- Algenon Swinburne wrote a poem called Dolores, the myrtle line comes from it - "literally" - well it is literature!!

I could be confused with children’s tales, Miss Liddell or Mole
- Alice Liddell was Alice in wonderland and a reference to the Alice band that Dolores wears in her hair, as for Mole, Mole Rat and Toad form Wind in the Willows, and Delores is often described as toad-like

But a fairy princess, would never be my role - DUH!!!!!

Mount Pelion would not be my holiday retreat
For fear of an encounter that might be repeat
Mt P was the mythical home of the centaurs, I doubt that Dolores would choose it as a holiday destination after the forbidden forest.

I like to see an order, kept for one and all
Or maybe a man in uniform, like a corporal
she is keen on law and order and discipline, corporal was a reference to corporal punishment of which she is clearly a fan.

Can you guess who I am, does it all make sense?
If you don’t know me I might take offence.
taking Umbridge means taking offence, so there you have it

it didn't last long - but I enjoyed it!!!

well done and over to you....................

painting sheila - Nov 30, 2007 (≈ #2580)
(The original date, time, and post # were not copied, so the above info. is an estimate.)

PeskyPixie!! You got it!! Shell Cottage!! Woohoo!!

A rhythm - the ocean and the rythmn of the waves coming in and going out.

A burst - This could be the sun bursting over the water as Dobby was buried, or Harry bursting through the "bubble" of protection when he was being chased by DE's.

An ache - The pain of losing Dobby.

A calm - The calm before the storm as they were planning to break into Gringott's.

An end and a beginning - back to Dobby's death and the announcement of Teddy Lupin's birth

An edge and endlessness - The edge of the cliff where the house sat and the edge that emotions were on as they planned to break into Gringotts - especially between Fleur and Griphook. Endlessness - the water.

Beauty and beast - Fleur and Griphook

A shelter and an escape - shelter as in the house literally and in the Protego Charm. The escape is the escape from all the craziness and being safe and well fed for a while.

I hope everyone is okay with the answer and my explanations. It was very fun!!

She

PeskyPixie - Dec 7, 2007 1:08 pm (#2744 of 2987)

And we have a winner, folks!!!!! Well done, Phoenixfeather. It is indeed the seven potion bottles in Snape's protection of the Philosopher's Stone in PS/SS.

Ever We March To The Age-Old Drum - Snape's protection includes a riddle/poem. (The man could write poems and Lily chose an athlete over him? Poor Sev, that's got to hurt!) By 'drum' I tried to invoke the idea of rhythm and 'age-old' to imply poetry as ancient works were passed down orally through poetry. The seven potions do 'march' to Snape's poem/riddle each time they are confronted by someone who wishes to pass them.

Dwellers, Siblings, Kin And Seers - One potion 'dwells' on the past (the one which takes the challenger back through the gauntlet of obstacles); two bottles contain identical samples of 'nettle wine'; three bottles contain poison (thus, they are related to one another, they are kin though not necessarily 'siblings'); the remaining potion is the 'seer' as it allows the challenger to move into the future (i.e. the final challenge).

United For A Common Cause - ßThis line is self-explanatory. The seven bottles of potion are 'united' by Snape to guard the Philosopher's Stone.

Bold We Stand As The Enemy Nears - These little bottles boldly stand in a line in the face of any 'enemy' (i.e. someone who wishes to overcome their defence and move on to the Philosopher's Stone), whether that enemy be Quirrellmort or Harry Potter.

Hint 1: The second quarter holds the map. Decipher correctly and triumph is yours. -It's smooth sailing once you've figured out the identity of the 'dwellers, siblings, kin and seers.'

Hint 2: One set of twins, no more, no less, is part of our Resistance. -This refers to the Nettle twins of the Wine family.

Hint 3: Once again, be not led astray by the second half of the first quarter. -Don't be confused by the 'Age-Old Drum'. Work around it if it doesn't make sense.

Hint 4: 1, 2, 3, 1 -one 'Dweller', two 'Siblings', three 'Kin', one 'Seer"

Hint 5: oral traditions -I wanted to get you thinking about ancient stories and how they were passed down through poetry, leading to the concept of some sort of poem being an important factor in this riddle.

Hint 6: Learn from the past and apply to the present. -Well, I've used a riddle and Snape in riddles I've created in the past!

Hint 7: The 'beater of the drum' knows many things. -The creator of the riddle/poem, Snape, is a spy, He knows many secrets and is quite an intelligent, learned fellow in addition to that.

Hint 8: A member of the 'Guessed List' is a fellow warrior. -Victoire's early guess of McGonagall's Transfigured giant chess set nearly made my heart skip a beat as it is a 'fellow warrior' alongside the seven potion bottles in the battle to protect the Philosopher's Stone.

Hint 9: seven of one of seven -Seven bottles in one challenge. One challenge in a total of seven challenges.

Hint 10: Hints 1 and 4 belong together. Use them well. - Hint 1 is a locked chest; hint 4 is the key.

Hint 11: The two members with the frostiest dispositions are the most eager to help. -The two potions which either take a challenger back through the flames to safety or forwards through the other flames to the final challenge, are 'icy' when swallowed.

Hint 12: Beware: family can be deadly. -The 'kin' of Snape's challenge are poisons.

I pass the riddle-wand on to Phoenixfeather! Can't wait to see your riddle. (BTW, you'll get your picture on a Chocolate Frog card for your discovery of the potion to tame and befriend snotty Slytherins!)

PatPat, thanks for promoting Prof. Pixie's latest quiz. She'll take kindly to that!

Phoenixfeather - Dec 13, 2007 9:08 pm (#2883 of 2987)

Congratulations, Orion! Yes, it's Harry and his Firebolt! --Although I did consider changing the answer to Norbert the dragon and a blast-ended screwt! lol!

You see, it was such an obvious answer, I had to go to great lengths to obscure it. I knew when one part was figured out, it would go quick.

Mysterious Beginnings, - Harry was the really obvious one here. But the Firebolt was also shrouded in mystery when Harry got it for Christmas in POA.

Of earth and air - Earth of course was the broomstick, and it flies - no biggy here.

Twin fires - this just sounded too cool to be what it was! Of course, Harry is in Gryffindor (the element 'fire'), and it's a Fire bolt

Burning Fair. - Obviously, Harry restores justice, and the term 'fair' could also refer to a 'fair wind'.

Clues:

1. "It's elementary, my dear Watson." Honestly, I thought this one was genius on my part (that or psychosis!). If you break down the name 'Watson', you have 'wats', or spelled correctly the way it's pronounced, 'watts' - this is a veiled reference to electricity. Combine that with 'elementary' - or 'element', the natural form electricity often takes would be a lightning bolt. This is a reference to both - Harry's lightning bolt scar, and the Fire bolt. I had to keep clues to the lightning bolt very obscure - it would have been a dead give-away otherwise.

*sigh** perhaps this only made sense to me...

2. This riddle speaks of two. Self-explanatory

3. One is human, one is not Self-explanatory

4. Odds are 4 to 1; and 2 to 1 - This simply means that 4 parts of the riddle went to the Firebolt (mysterious beginnings, earth, air, fire) and 2 parts went to Harry (mysterious beginnings and fire). The word 'odds' did not actually mean anything, it was just a vehicle to deliver the numbers. (Did anyone notice the numbers?)

5. A name posted in a clue does not necessarily mean a reference to a person.

6. Just let go, and follow the current. - another veiled reference to electricity. If anyone figured out 'watts', this would have made more sense.

I learned a lot this riddle - never to comment on anyone's answer - You guys picked up more from that than my clues!

Now, on to the Celebrations!!!

And the formal passing of the Riddle Wand to Orion!!

With special commendations for PatPat and Victoire Weasley!!

Orion - Dec 21, 2007 3:48 am (#44 of 2981)

Congratulations, Elanor, it is indeed the poisoned oak-matured mead Ron drinks in Sluggie's study. All further guesses were brilliant suggestions for further riddles, I will keep them gratefully in mind! The first two lines describe a number of things this mead has to go through in its lifespan, because, when you think of it, its path is rather longwinded, because it's made from honey. So the solution is:

Flying, walking, sown and grown
The honey flows around, hanging to a bee, and much later the mead is walking around, inside Ron (although I must admit that he is more carried than walking), but it is also walking around with Rosmerta and Slughorn. The flowers in which you find the nectar are sown and then they grow, and when they are grown, the bees find the nectar.

Hidden, mixed up, ripe and blown
The mead is hidden in oak wine casks, but also in Sluggy’s study because he can't be bothered to give it to DD. It is mixed up with poison. Ripe is a synonym for matured. Blown is the glass bottle in which the mead is carried.

Put to use for purpose vile,
Never worked, that foolish wile.
Neither Ron nor DD die. Draco is such a loser, isn't he?

Elanor - Dec 27, 2007 1:43 pm (#134 of 2981)

Congratulations PatPat! The riddle was indeed referring to Gilderoy Lockhart. Here is the explanation of the clues:

For this riddle, I have imagined what Lockhart would have said had he written Sleighing With Santa while he was at St Mungo's (the whole riddle has hints towards the "Christmas on the Closed Ward" chapter of OotP):

- "(What's-His-Name already?)" - was a reference to Lockhart's memory problems.

- "All were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of cauldrons and phials danced in their heads" - refers to the other patients of St Mungo's.

- "Happy and I" - both refer to Lockhart: the real Lockhart and the smiling pictures of him ("Happy" was a reference to the Snow-White dwarf who is always smiling).

- "I sprang gracefully" - it seemed to me he would have added that detail...

- "Discover the thrilling continuation in our magical Christmas Edition of the Daily Prophet"
Just like parts of Rita Skeeter's book about DD were published in the Daily Prophet, I imagine parts of Lockhart's new book would be too.

Clues:

1) Look at me...
Dear Gilderoy loves when people look at him and in the OotP he is upset when people don't pay much attention to him anymore. The clue was also inviting you to look at the riddle: the font color I used is "lilac", Lockhart's favorite color.

2) Orion: "Only it seems the riddle speaks of two characters, one of which is called "Happy" and capitalized for some mysterious and mischievous reason." Good thinking! Yet the riddle speaks only of one character, but...
As said, it was a nod towards Lockhart and the smiling pictures of him.

3) It all comes down to Santa today, doesn't it?
Santa for "St" as in St Mungo's

4) "Do not open till Christmas"
If something is not opened, it is "closed", a reference to the "closed ward". It will open for the reader on Christmas day in OotP.

5) Christmas is an important clue connected to the "who's who" you're searching...
I used "who's who" to make you think that the one you're searching for is famous in the Wizarding World and to make you think of the trio meeting him in OotP on Christmas day.

6) When I mentioned a quill I was really thinking of someone knowing how to use one for writing...
Lockhart is famous because of the numerous books he has published.

The new riddle is all yours PatPat!

PatPat - Jan4, 2008 11:11 am (#295 of 2981)

***sigh*** All right, I am going to be nice and give it to you, C.F. It is the Muggle(s) that were levitated by the Death Eaters during the Quidditch World cup. Though, the name was Roberts, not Higgins. So, it is Mr. Roberts and his family that I was looking for. Nice job! Here is the explanation:

A gambol here
A gambol is a game or recreational activity, such as Quidditch
my eyes believe.
Mr. Roberts was getting suspicious about the strange things he kept seeing.
Touched by evil Mr.
Roberts and his family were attacked by Death Eaters
but never retrieve.
The family cannot "retrieve" the memory as they had their memories modified.
I am but
outside in
Mr. Roberts is not a wizard but he becomes a part of that world
yet here and gone again.
Another reference to Mr. Roberts having his memory modified several times when he would start to get suspicious.

Hint 1: Not Trixie's obsession with LV
nor the prophecy.
To solve this riddle
stay away from the family tree
Look for someone not actually a part of the wizarding world.

Hint 2: To solve this riddle
think big, big, little, little
When Harry sees the Roberts' being levitated, he notes that there are two adults and two small children

Hint 3: Fun and games
horror and shocks.
To find the answer
think outside the box
This was meant to lead you to the Quidditch World Cup where there was "fun and games" and also "horror and shocks." In addition, "think outside the box" is again indicating that you were looking for a Muggle

Hint 4: Not from within
but within I be.
Good and evil
and strangeness I see.
Again, indicating that Mr. Roberts is not a part of the wizarding world, but ends up involved. He sees the good, the evil, and the strange.

Well done, C.F! Looking forward to your next riddle.

Columbine Fairy - Jan 8, 2008 6:53 pm (#379 of 2981)

mona, I just missed your guess, but you are right!!!! The answer is, in fact, memories, and the uses to which they can be put. And now I have to stay up longer to explain...Ah well!!

The first verse is Gilderoy Lockhart:

Oh, you may think that I'm pretty - he thought he was
Don't just judge on what you see,
I'll kick myself if you can find - "well, when I heard Harry, it was all my fault. Could have kicked myself"
A smarter guy than me. "I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!" Lockhart thought he was really good, but actually his only talent was memory charms.

The second guess refers to DD using his memories to teach Harry about Voldemort and the Horcruxes: (NOTE: It appears that this guess/verse was added some time during the game.)

He had a wish, a hope, a dream,
and hatched a daring plan,
To educate one sorcerer, - Harry
Before the end began. - DD's death and HRH setting off for the Horcruxes could be described as the beginning of the end

Third verse refers to LV modifying other people's memories to hide his own crimes:

There's nothing hidden in your head
The Dark Lord cannot see, - legilimency
so let me in and I will tell you
What it ought to be. - he decided what their memories were going to be

The fourth verse refers to Slughorn hiding/modifying his memory because he was ashamed of it

So how could it have gone so wrong?
How could such friendships fail? - he trusted Riddle and was ashamed that he helped him with the Horcrux hint
Why, I was there, but I won't tell
The whole sad, foggy tale. - fog in the memory (Well done, Verity!)

The last verse refers to memories being stored in the pensieve!

So take me on! Don't be afraid!
and don't get in a spot! - How many times did Harry take a deep breath and dive in???
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm an honest pot! - DD uses it to go back over his memories, to get a better idea of what the truth is

Congratulations, mona amon!!! I hope you all enjoyed that sufficiently!!

Hint 1: Each verse refers to something different. One of these has been identified, and another one is fairly close. - the pensieve had been identified at this point, and someone had guessed legilimency which was what was going on in the second verse

Hint 2: The subject of each verse is completely different. However, they have a connection, which is what you're looking for .

mona amon - Jan 9, 2008 7:00 am (#391 of 2981)

LOL, Sheila, it is Harry's wand!

Here's the explanation-

Christmas tree? Holly is not used as a Christmas tree, but it is used as a Christmas decoration, so I took the liberty of calling it a Christmas tree! This is a riddle after all!

One as evil as can be This is Voldemort. of course.

Once I was faithful, now I am free This refers to Fawkes the Phoenix, who was Dumbledore's faithful pet, but after he died he belonged to no one, hence 'free'.

A bit of all three

Is the sum of me Harry's wand is made of holly, with a Phoenix feather core, and it 'imbibed some of the power and qualities of Voldemort's wand that night, which is to say that it contained a little of Voldemort himself.' (Dumbledore's words)

Well done, Sheila! Looking forward to your riddle. And part of the credit to Potteraholic, who guessed it was a wand!

painting sheila - Jan 12, 2008 7:25 am (#449 of 2981)

Potteraholic!! You got it!! The answer is Neville's parents! Congrats!!

A birth but not a death.
This concerns Neville's birth - but the fact that his parents are not dead - but aren't really living either.

A victory but no joy.
Even thought LV has been defeated, it is a bittersweet moment for all those who lots life and lives in the battle over the years.

A home but no life.
This references the fact that home for the Longbottoms is the hospital, but that they really have no life with Neville.

Thanks guys! And get riddlin' PAH~

Potteraholic - Jan 13, 2008 6:15 pm (#492 of 2981)

That's it, Columbine Fairy! It is Malfoy Manor! I thought that last hint might do it.

I suppose I could have waited a bit to hand out hints, but I've got a busy week coming up and needed to have this riddle solved sooner rather than later. Okay, so here's an explanation of the riddle's answer:

A stranger to many in the past,
We (HP readers) are the many, and since we had not been in Malfoy Manor until DH, it was a stranger to us.

now more familiar, unfortunately.
We know it better know because of the unfortunate events that occurred there: torture and death.

I was warm and welcoming to a fair few.
A home is warm and welcoming, and a play on 'fair' being fair-headed, like the 3 Malfoys. So this line is referring to the Malfoy's home.

And to the fairest and most innocent
Luna, again being fair-headed and also fair-minded, and Charity Burbage, being most innocent (as well as all the other captives held in MM).

I used restraint.*
I was trying to allude to physical restraints here and prisoners being held captive in the Manor.

To others not so fair,
The Death Eaters, with their black robes, who use the Dark Mark. Again a play on 'fair' meaning 'just' and 'lightly-colored.'

A fitting welcome was expected of me
Malfoy Manor was expected to serve as LV's headquarters.

And with loathing, it was given. Lucius didn't like it, but had no choice.

I have seen intense suffering Again, referring to the torture of captives,

and an unimaginable ending. and Charity Burbage's death (and Wormtail's too, in a way).

Hint 1: You are not in search of a 'who'.
Ob-viously, Malfoy Manor is a place.

Hint 2: The 2 last lines were added to the riddle in the first update. (See explanation in riddle section.)

Hint 3: I possess unusual beauty, combined with plaintive cries.
The cries of the rare white peacocks, on the grounds of Malfoy Manor, are examples of 'unusual beauty', and their sad cries, 'plaintive'.

Hint 4: A place reserved for feasts, served a terrible course of action.
Referring to Charity Burbage's death in the Manor's dining room.

Columbine Fairy - Jan 16, 2008 5:09 am (#551 of 2981)

Potteraholic, you have it!! It was, less specifically, just Christmas at Hogwarts, but as I am getting on a plane tomorrow and won't be able to update any more, I'm going to give it to you! Well done!

Riddle me this, and riddle me that,
Where do you find a ridiculous hat?
Several hats were known to come out of crackers at Hogwarts Christmases - the rear admiral's hat, the stuffed vulture hat, a frilly bonnet etc.

Riddle me yes, and riddle me no,
What do you get when it's pouring with snow?
It's always snowing at Christmas!

Riddle me up, and riddle me down,
Where do you find the most beautiful gown?
At the Yule ball of course! Which was on Christmas day

Riddle me here, and riddle me there
The hungry and sly ones had better beware.
The spiked muffins, which was accurately guessed, were eaten by Crabbe and Goyle after the Christmas feast in CoS.

Well done everyone, especially PAH! Look forward to the new riddle. (Which will probably be solved by the time I get to a computer again!)

Potteraholic - Jan 17, 2008 12:29 pm (#581 of 2981)

Elanor, you are absolutely right! It is indeed Polyjuice Potion. And your reasoning about the 2nd hint is absolutely correct. In fact, I've used your wording in my explanation below.

I included the third hint at the end of the riddle, even though it's not needed, just because I worked hard on making all the lines have meaning, rhyme, and have the same number of syllables to make an ‘a b a b’ pattern. (Rhyming's not my thing, you see.)

When in doubt,
Alluding to when Hermione first imbibed the potion with cat hair in it instead of Millicent Bulstrode's;
throw me out.
a bad batch of the potion is not worth taking!

When in need, See note next to Hint 2 below.
use with speed.

Use the wrong bit,
Again, referring to when Hermione transformed into a cat when she imbibed the potion with cat hair in it and had to stay in the hospital while she transformed back again to her regular self!
You’ll go astray

Make the right fit, See note above.
Or else you’ll pay!

Hint 1: Verse 1 - verify your primary source material
Check that the bit of the person you’re transforming into (the 'primary source material') is the real thing (human hair instead of cat fur)

Hint 2: Verse 2 - 3,600=60=1, different numbers, but the same difference
3,600 seconds, aka 60 minutes, aka 1 hour is how long you transform into someone else when taking a few drops of the potion

Elanor, I'm officially passing the baton to you! :-)

Elanor - Jan 18, 2008 11:46 pm (#620 of 2981)

Strengthening Charms to you TBE! And bonne nuit!

You have it Orion, it was Sirius' motorbike indeed!

From darkness to light
"Darkness" was referring to Sirius Black and to the very dark times at the beginning of the series and "light" to the 7th book and also to Hagrid and/or DD both in PS/SS and the DH.

- that is, as light as can be – Hagrid...

In the dead of the night
The motorbike is used both times at night and it comes from now "dead" Sirius.

My roar is legendary
The roar is both that of the engine and of the "dragon fire" installed by Arthur on it. Dragons breathing fire are legendary indeed and I'd bet my first broomstick that Hagrid and Harry's escape(s) has(ve) also become legendary in the Wizarding World.

Formidable, yet tamed
The "dragon fire" is very dangerous to use but the motorbike is "tamed" as it crashes.

By the king's touch, in the end
I should have written "kings" in fact as it can refer either to Arthur, who has installed the dragon fire "trick" on the motorbike, or to Harry (the symbolic "king") who punched the dragon-fire button in the end that made that motorbike crash.

The next riddle is all yours Orion!

Orion - Jan 23, 2008 9:24 am (#710 of 2981)

Congratulations, PeskyPixie, you have it! Good old Aragog doesn't need her venom any more, and she surely doesn't mind Slughorn to take it and Harry to exploit his good mood, but she surely doesn't need Harry's shocked expression. My next hint would have been: "I am, after all, a magnificent exemplar of my species!"

So Pesky, you know what's expected of you: A completely unsolvable, obscure, twisted Dobby riddle.

PeskyPixie - Jan 31, 2008 10:30 am (#833 of 2981)

Orion: Gary 'Bambi' Oldman? Do explain!

Columbine Fairy: It's a kids' song where one more thing is added in each verse until you end up with, "A feather on the wing of the bird in the egg in the nest on the twig on the branch on the tree on the trunk on the root in the hole in the ground ..." and the chorus is, "and the green grass grew all around and around and the green grass grew all around". I wrote 'Snape in the Cloak in the Shack in PoA' to this tune and the chorus just followed!

YAY, we have a winner! Congratulations, Swedish Short-Snout!!!!! The answer to the riddle is indeed the tunnel between the Whomping Willow and the Shrieking Shack.

Birth In Darkness, =>The tunnel begins with a hole at the base of the Whomping Willow. That's a pretty dark place.

Death In Darkness =>The tunnel ends in the shuttered and boarded up Shrieking Shack which is also quite dark. Besides, any hole in a ground is bound to be dark.

Truly, Big And Small =>This refers to how the tunnel seems to change in size due to JKR's writing. In PoA Harry and Hermione crouch through it and in DH grown-up HRH are cramped as they move through it. Yet, when the entire gang (HRH, Sirius, Remus, et al) moves through it Snape (a fully grown adult) is 'floated' through the tunnel with his head bumping and scraping the ceiling. Okay. Either Snape is Flitwick's long-lost son or the tunnel just grew in size. I can't remember whether Prongs also makes use of the tunnel; he shouldn't be able to. Of course, it can also refer to the tunnel's great length and short height.

Friendship, Trust, =>Friendship: Sirius and Remus find one another again in the Shrieking Shack, two sets of friends (the Marauders and HRH) make use of the tunnel; Trust: Lupin and Harry instinctively trust Sirius; on a sadder note the trust between Lily and Severus shows cracks following events in the tunnel (other interpretations also welcome)

Betrayal, Death, =>Betrayal: Pettigrew's treachery is discovered by his friends; Death: R.I.P. Severus Snape (other interpretations also welcome)

I Can Show You All =>Not only do important events (on the themes of 'friendship, trust, betrayal, death') occur within the tunnel, it also leads to the Shrieking Shack where many significant events take place.

Hint 1. Apparently I overestimated her. She is not as flawless as she seems. =>This refers to JKR not being consistent with the dimensions of the tunnel.

Hint 2. 2(1/2 + 1/2) = ? (it refers to an old riddle) =>Two halves make a (w)hole. hee hee hee Get it? And since the tunnel has two holes ...

Hint 3. In essence, nothingness. =>A tunnel is an empty space. It's something which is defined by its 'nothingness'.

Hint 4. Friendship survives, Trust divides, Betrayal hurts, Death occurs - then again, it may be interpreted differently! =>Sirius and Remus' friendship survives, Lily and Sev's trust divides, Wormtail/Scabbers' betrayal hurts, Snape's tragic death occurs; (of course, other interpretations are also possible and welcome)

Hint 5. 'Tis true by nature I'm most extreme. On one hand I punish, on the other I scream. =>The entrance to the tunnel is marked by the Whomping Willow ('punish'), the exit is in the Shrieking Shack ('scream').

Hint 6. "Shrouded in secrecy, rarely known, carelessly used," I sadly moan. =>The tunnel guards Lupin's secret. The only students who come to know of it are the Marauders, HRH and Snape. The Marauders are quite careless in their use of it during Lupin's transformations.

Hint 7. I am a thing (that much you can see). Events and people will bring you to me. =>The tunnel is most definitely a thing, though certain characters and events, both past and present, help identify it.

I pass the riddle goblet on to you, SSS! Welcome to the Hat-Trick club!

Swedish Short-Snout - Feb 8, 2008 8:21 am (#1008 of 2981)
Edited by Feb 8, 2008 8:22 am

Finally, we have a winner! Congratulations PeskyPixie, the answer is Harry's birthday cake in DH.

Maybe there is more in me
than what you can see. - This is a reference to Hermione's comment "there must be a message from Dumbledore hidden in the icing".

I was meant for them to destroy
in a moment of joy. - It will be eaten at Harry's birthday dinner.

The gold will be crushed and melt away. - The cake looks like a Golden Snitch, and it's about to be eaten.

Tomorrow is the silver's day. - This could refer to two things: either Fleur (silver-blonde hair) who's getting married tomorrow, or Voldemort (Slytherin-silver) who will take over the Ministry tomorrow.

The lion came and delayed my end,
drove away the wolf and his friend. - "The lion" is Scrimgeour, "the wolf and his friend" are Lupin and Tonks. The dinner was delayed because Scrimgeour arrived.

This day was busy, but tomorrow'll be a mess
suspicions and fear mixed with great happiness. - It was a busy day. The mess is at the wedding when the Ministry falls, the suspicions - Harry's suspicions about Dumbledore, fear because "they are coming", happiness at the wedding.

Hints: The first two lines are extremely far-fetched and deliberately misleading. - Do I need to explain?

Oh, and that "sweet revenge" note... only one of the words is important. - "Sweet". It's a cake.

How did Alice get to Wonderland? - Through a rabbit hole = burrow. I was trying to tell you that the answer was at the Burrow.

PeskyPixie - Feb 14, 2008 11:45 am (#1164 of 2981)

And we have a winner, folks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations, megfox*, the solution to this riddle is indeed Olive Hornby!

They Say That It's Nice To Be Nice:
'The Wicked Will Soon Pay The Price.' => This is not the most informative verse as I was trying to stay true to limerick style, however, the first two lines indicate that we are looking for someone who is guilty of some sort of wrongdoing.

Heck, Though It Be Scary, => After death, Myrtle makes sure she frightens the living daylights out of Olive.

It's Just Temporary. =>The law is on Olive's side and she manages to get a restraining order against Moaning Myrtle.

So Go On And Revel In Vice! => Please see explanation for lines 1 and 2.

Greece And A Rhino Have Wed! => Greece = 'Olive' (Olives are symbolic of Greece, Athens in particular), Rhino = 'Horn' (Rhinoceros means 'horn-nose'; I started the 'horn-nose' discussion to bring importance to the rhino's horn - everyone was focused on its nose!)

I Didn't Want Anyone Dead. => Nasty snot though Olive Hornby is, I doubt she wants Myrtle dead.

My Own Petty Crime => The only misdeed we know Olive to be guilty of is bullying.

Is Discussed All The Time,
Especially On The Snape Thread. => Bullying is endlessly discussed on the Snape thread. Makes for quite animated posts, I'd say!

Identical Victim And Foe. => Olive's victim (Myrtle) and foe (Moaning Myrtle) are the same person in different forms.

A Nut And His Servant, Much Woe. => The greatest nut in the series is Tommy/Voldy himself. He, along with his 'fanged servant' 'Basil', create the turmoil at Hogwarts which results in the death of Olive's 'victim' and the creation of her 'foe'.

My 'Crime' Was For Fun. => She teases Myrtle about her glasses for the sheer fun of it.

I Suffered, Then Won. => After the haunting of a lifetime she uses the law to stick Moaning Myrtle back in her cubicle at Hogwarts.

But The Wedding Was Ruined, You Know?! => Moaning Myrtle puts in a guest appearance at Olive's brother's wedding.

Name The Speaker Of These Verses => Why, it's Olive Hornby!

Hint 1. Multi-eyed creatures and 'hares', oh my! => 'Four-eyed' Myrtle, 'hare' was a play on 'heir' (of Slytherin).

Hint 2. I eventually saw through my foe ... never saw through my victim though. => Myrtle was a solid living human being while Moaning Myrtle is a transparent/translucent ghost.

Hint 3. Kalamata => Olives, anyone?

For the next hint I was going to advise you to ask the Grey Lady for help!

Well done, megfox*. The riddle goblet is passed on to you!

megfox* - Feb 15, 2008 3:33 pm (#1203 of 2981)

Not Umbridge, not Irma Pince, and not Harry's sons.

DINGDINGDINGDINGDING!!! Verity has it! It is the Whomping Willow.

This may be the sound you make when you are very confused;
I often go "Wha...?" when my students ask me questions.

A delicious noise is next;
As in, "Mmmmmm, doooo-nuuuuuuts."

Followed by the sound of a golf ball being struck.
PING! Also a brand of golf equipment.

Then, the final connection between Sirius and Albus;
Their wills were the last thing they had in common in life.

And what you will say when you get this.
"Oh, now I get it!"

Who or what am I?

Guesses: Hermes, Ermping Deathoh, Hermione, Erumpent, Erumpent's horn, Umbridge, Irma Pince, Harry's sons

These were all very good guesses! Most had some parts right (actually, when Pesky guessed "Ermping Deathoh" I so thought she was going to get it right away), but you needed all the parts.

Take it away, Verity!

Verity Weasley - Feb 16, 2008 4:10 am (#1213 of 2981)

Not Arthur Weasley, Anna. But Mona Amon has it! It is indeed the Skiving Snackboxes. (I knew it wouldn't last long!).

When indolence strikes
or tedium is in the air
When the doldrums threaten
I'll be there
These first four lines are all variations on the theme of boredom. The Skiving Snackboxes are there to save you from 'unprofitable boredom' according to the Weasley twins.

If evasion is your aim - evasion or avoidance of boring lessons

Use a kaleidoscope of care - kaleidoscope refers to the colour coding involved

But of alarming alliteration - this was the giveaway line - Fred & George really went in for alliteration with their snackbox products - puking pastilles, fainting fancies etc.

You better beware - they could have unpleasant effects so care is needed

Once bitten, twice shy - another big giveaway - you have to bite the chews (at least twice) and you might be reluctant to do so again!

Who or what am I?

Well done Mona. I look forward to your riddle.

mona amon - Feb 16, 2008 7:45 am (#1219 of 2981)

Sorry Anna, it's not the Room of Requirement, but Megfox has it, the answer is Harry's eyes! LOL, at least I can say it wasn't solved at the first guess!

Reminds me of
A toad?
It's a bit of a stretch to say Harry's eyes remind Ginny of a toad, but she does call them 'green as a fresh pickled toad' in the Valentine she sends him in COS.

Asphodel?
Asphodel is a type of lily. And no doubt Harry's eyes reminded several people of Lily.

These windows hidden by windows
Eyes are often referred to as windows to the soul, and Harry's glasses are also 'windows'.

Glimpsed at last!
This line refers to Snape's last moments spent looking into Harry's eyes.

Looking forward to another riddle from you, Megfox!

megfox* - Feb 18, 2008 10:08 am (#1273 of 2981)

Ah-ha! Orion has it! It is indeed... POLYJUICE POTION!!

It's complicated, you see,
Hermione calls the potion the most complicated that she has seen

To be as useful as me;
But it is very useful, because...

But time after time,
I'll save your behind,
No matter what the dilemma might be!
We have sometimes complained that it was used for too many plot-points! heir of Slytherin reconnaissance mission, Mad-Eye Moody, Draco making Crabbe and Goyle pretend to be girls, the Seven Potters, the Trio breaking into the Ministry... Am I forgetting any?

I start in an inauspicious way,
The first time we see it brewed (when it "starts"), it is done covertly, illegally, in a girl's bathroom, plus it is during foreboding time at Hogwarts

In an effort to keep evil at bay;
The trio was trying to discover the true identity of the Heir of Slytherin in order to stop him or her.

I might not be good,
Crabbe and Goyle taste awful!

But you know if I could,
I will always help to save the day!
See comment above about the plot point!

Who or what am I?

Awesome job, Orion! Take it away!

Edited for about 12 spelling mistakes - after all of that html code, I was starting to go cross-eyed!